Got to imagine that the on-going issues affecting us all – the political climate, racial and diversity issues, the pandemic, etc., has had and still is impacting how we conduct ourselves in business. A recent Morning Consult research report noted:
- More than 70% of respondents said it is hard for them to talk about politics, race relations, and gun control with people who may hold opposing views.
- Americans, even more than the citizens of European countries like the United Kingdom and Germany, think the polarization is a major problem.
- The eruption of issues surrounding race, police brutality and Black Lives Matter, and immigration and COVID, has had a mixed impact on people’s ability to have respectful dialogue with those holding different beliefs.
As noted in a Harvard Business Review article, you may have been “encouraging employees to take the high road, reinforcing a culture of mutual respect, and emphasizing the importance of corporate values and a harmonious workplace.”
But while the world around us will still make news, an added challenge that you may be dealing with is staff changes, i.e., reductions, that may need to be addressed prior to or during 2021.
So, with all this going on, we surfed a few sites that might be of interest:
The Better Arguments Project is a national civic initiative created to help bridge divides – not by papering over those divides but by helping Americans have Better Arguments. In this sense, arguments don’t have to drive us apart. Better Arguments can bring us together. Two of their principles: “connect and respect” and “be honest and welcome honesty from others.”
For more information, surf here.
General Foods runs “Courageous Conversation, sessions that gives employees a safe and supportive place to have candid discussions about important issues. An external keynote speaker is followed by an open forum discussion. Attendees have reported that they’ve come away with increased commitment to engaging different perspectives.
For more information, surf here.
The Dialogue Project’s report describes a variety of other initiatives and offers the perspectives of business and nonprofit leaders on what can be done to improve the quality and utility of our civil discourse. They provide principles drawn from case studies, articles and other sources and suggest some ways companies can help move the conversation forward and bridge the divide.
To see these principles, surf here.
While the resources noted here provide programs that may help to work thru these issues, one very critical issue that cannot be ignored is how companies compassionately and empathetically help employees that may need to be offboarded, especially as a result of the pandemic. How they are managed and how those who “survive” are managed impacts your employer brand.
For more information, surf here.
At vCandidates.com we are changing the way career transitions happen by creating a positive connection between technology and the human touch.
We’re here to help. Reach out to us if you’d like to talk.
