Fairness in Workplace Policies

„Companies spend millions on antibias training each year in hopes of creating more-inclusive—and thereby innovative and effective—workforces. Studies show that well-managed diverse groups perform better and are more committed, have higher collective intelligence, and excel at making decisions and solving problems. But research also shows that bias-prevention programs rarely deliver“, schreiben Joan C. Williams und Sky Mihaylo in der Harvard Business Review. Statt auf ineffiziente Programme fokussieren die Autorinnen auf Möglichkeiten, die einzelne Führungskräfte in der Praxis haben, um Vorurteilen entgegenzuwirken und Diversität zu verwirklichen. Es beginnt für sie damit, zu verstehen, wie sich Voreingenommenheit im Arbeitsalltag auswirkt, wann und wo ihre verschiedenen Formen tagtäglich auftreten. Das Motto: „You can’t be a great manager without becoming a ‚bias interrupter‘.“  Ihre Empfehlungen gliedern Williams und Mihaylo in drei Hauptpunkte. ▶️ Fairness in hiring: 1. Insist on a diverse pool.  2. Establish objective criteria, define “culture fit” (to clarify objective criteria for any open role and to rate all applicants using the same rubric), and demand accountability.  3. Limit referral hiring.  4. Structure interviews with skills-based questions.    ▶️ Managing Day-to-Day:  Day to day, they should ensure that high- and low-value work is assigned evenly and run meetings in a way that guarantees all voices are heard. 1. Set up a rotation for office housework, and don’t ask for volunteers.  2. Mindfully design and assign people to high-value projects.  3. Acknowledge the importance of lower-profile contributions.  4. Respond to double standards, stereotyping, “manterruption,” “bropriating,” and “whipeating (e.g., majority-group members taking or being given credit for ideas that women and people of color originally offered). 5. Ask people to weigh in. 6. Schedule meetings inclusively (they should take place in the office and within working hours). 7. Equalize access proactively (e.g., if bosses meet with employees, this should be driven by business demands or team needs).   ▶️ Developing your team: Your job as a manager is not only to get the best performance out of your team but also to encourage the development of each member. That means giving fair performance reviews, equal access to high-potential assignments, and promotions and pay increases to those who have earned them. 1. Clarify evaluation criteria and focus on performance, not potential.  2. Separate performance from potential and personality from skill sets.  3. Level the playing field with respect to self-promotion (by giving everyone you manage the tools to evaluate their own performance).  4. Explain how training, promotion, and pay decisions will be made, and follow those rules. „Conclusion: Organizational change is crucial, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Fortunately, you can begin with all these recommendations today.“ #genderequality #herCAREER

Some corporate leaders often claim that fairness is best achieved by ignoring race entirely. “We don’t see race,” they say. “We hire based on merit alone.” On the surface, this sounds logical. If bias is the problem, wouldn’t removing race from the equation be the solution? The truth is far more complicated. Colorblindness is not fairness. It is a convenient excuse that allows systemic inequality to persist. If ignoring race truly led to equal opportunity, corporate leadership would already reflect the diversity of the workforce and the nation. Yet decades after anti-discrimination laws were passed, the numbers prove otherwise: 🔹 Fortune 500 CEOs? Only 1.6% are Black. Yet Black Americans make up 14% of the U.S. population. 🔹 Women of color hold just 6% of C-suite roles, despite representing over 20% of the population. 🔹 White applicants receive 50% more callbacks than equally qualified Black candidates. 🔹 Black women ask for promotions as often as others—but for every 100 men promoted, only 58 Black women move up. Colorblindness did not close these gaps. It allowed them to continue. Bias—whether conscious or unconscious—still shapes hiring, promotions, and leadership pipelines. Structural barriers remain embedded in workplace culture. Ignoring race does not erase these challenges—it ensures they remain unaddressed. Even if racial disparities disappeared overnight, other systemic barriers would persist: 🔸 Women face gender bias in leadership. They are judged more harshly for being assertive and penalized for prioritizing work-life balance. 🔸 LGBTQ+ professionals experience workplace discrimination. Many still feel the need to hide their identities to avoid bias in hiring and promotions. 🔸 Workers with disabilities continue to face exclusion. The employment rate for disabled Americans remains significantly lower than that of their peers. 🔸 Socioeconomic inequality limits access to opportunity. First-generation college graduates and low-income workers face barriers to leadership that have nothing to do with their talent. Colorblindness does nothing to address these inequities. Fairness requires acknowledging the unique challenges different groups face and actively working to remove those barriers. ✅ Fairness is not about ignoring identity—it is about ensuring equal access to opportunity. ✅ Meritocracy cannot exist without equity. Neutrality simply preserves the status quo if barriers remain. ✅ Companies must go beyond representation metrics and commit to removing barriers and fostering true inclusion. Companies that embrace J.E.D.I. leadership will thrive in the future of work. Those clinging to outdated colorblind myths will struggle to attract and retain top talent, lose credibility with consumers, and risk falling behind. 🔹 Ignoring the problem is not a solution. Seeing the system—and changing it—is. 🔹 #JEDILeadership #DiversityEquityInclusion #LeadershipMatters #ColorblindnessIsAFallacy

"The language of #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion might change, but impactful work will not." This was the hopeful refrain of many as anti-DEI backlash and political attacks ramped up against this critical work. But as the months drew on, I wasn't seeing any compelling new language. Leaders were watching and waiting, hoping that a new framework would organically emerge that could protect our impact while being more defensible against political attacks. So I started creating that framework myself. The FAIR Framework, standing for Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation, officially launches today in a new feature article for the Harvard Business Review. I wanted to create something that could build on the best of effective DEI work, discard the performative noise, and be firmly comprehensible and defensible by any leader. And after countless hours of research, it boiled down to 4 tenets: 🎯 Outcomes-Based, focused on measurable results rather than flimsy signals of commitment. 🌐 Systems-Focused, using change management to shift workplace systems, rather than surface-level awareness. 🔗 Coalition-Driven, seeking to engage the collective rather than delegating the burden of blame or change onto cliques. 🌱 Win-Win, communicating the benefits of healthier organizations for everyone, rejecting zero-sum framing. FAIR work looks like challenging discrimination in pay, hiring, and promotions, and ensuring that workplace systems set everyone up to succeed. FAIR work looks like removing barriers to participation, using universal design principles to build for all, and including users in every design process. FAIR work looks like creating a workplace culture that recognizes people's differences and ensures a high standard of respect, value, and safety for all. FAIR work looks like participatory decision-making, transparent communications, and strong track records of promises kept and trust maintained. I designed FAIR to be something any leader and practitioner can use—so long as your work meets the core tenets. If I'm being frank, however, a good deal of work calling itself "DEI" does not pass the test. The feel-good trainings with no impact measurement, the never-ending coaching services trying to "fix" the individual but never the systems holding them back, the blame-and-shame strategies that trade a moment of vindication for months of backlash; if we are to survive this moment, we cannot take this kind of "DEI" work with us. I put this framework out into the world with a healthy dose of pride and anxiety. It is far from perfect. It will certainly evolve as practitioners iterate and improve on it. But I truly believe that this is exactly the kind of rigorous, defensible framework leaders need right now to weather this storm and emerge with their impact intact. I hope you find it useful as you seek to do the same. A free gift link is in the comments—please share if it resonates.

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 💬 "We can't have a program only to accelerate women in the workplace. Male colleagues feel excluded and discriminated against." 💬 "Just change the title from 'Navigating modern Women's Challenges' to 'Navigating World's Challenges' so everyone can attend." 💬 "Could we frame it as 'Professional Development for All' instead? It feels more inclusive." ..... I often get these types of feedback when discussing women's acceleration programs with clients... In today's world, where Gender Equality is the buzzword, there's a dangerous pretense that the thousands of years of inequality between men and women are suddenly resolved. Salary, education, healthcare—sure, let’s just forget that women have centuries to catch up and treat everyone the same, right? 😅 Let's get real: Treating people fairly doesn’t always mean treating them equally. It means recognizing the unique challenges they face and giving them what they need to succeed. If we ignore this, it will take another 100 years—or more—to achieve genuine equality. Here’s a jaw-dropping moment from this week: A male employee complained about "unfair" parking policies—specifically, that the two front rows closest to the exit are reserved for female employees. His reasoning? "Women can do anything men can do now. We just got a female SVP. Why should women get special treatment? Because of their heels?" 👠 What he didn’t know is that eight years ago, a female employee was badly attacked in that very parking area after a late meeting. The company then decided to dedicate the front rows with bright street lights to female employees for their safety. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 "𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁." 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. If we're too afraid to address these issues head-on, we're pretending progress has been made when it really hasn't. 🌟 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀, 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲. 🛠️ Ready to make a real difference? Take a closer look at ELEVATE The Business and discover how to build a truly inclusive workplace that doesn't shy away from these hard conversations. 👉 Check it out here https://lnkd.in/gQ_JkrTe

In my MBA, we had a subject on negotiation, and I remember how exciting it was. We were taught that negotiation is an art, a skill that, if mastered, can help you get the best deals, whether at work or in life. But over the years, I’ve realized that negotiation is neither an art nor a skill. More often than not, it is a PRIVILEGE. People don’t take lower-paying jobs or accept less-than-ideal offers because they LACK negotiation skills. They do so because they don’t have the privilege to negotiate. When you have bills to pay or responsibilities to meet, walking away isn’t always an option. Why is negotiation a privilege? 🚗 The Power of Alternatives: Negotiation works when you have options. Many don’t. If your alternative is unemployment or financial instability, there’s no real room to negotiate. 🚗 Structural Barriers: Gender, caste, disability, and background shape negotiating power. Some can ask and receive, while others face resistance or penalties for doing the same. 🚗 Financial Security: Negotiating confidently comes from knowing you have a safety net. Without that, asking for more feels risky. 🚗 Social Conditioning: Many are taught to accept what they get and be grateful. That’s not lack of skill—it’s how society conditions people. What can companies do? 🚙 Transparent Pay: Set clear salary structures so negotiation doesn’t favor the privileged. 🚙 Fair Hiring: Hire based on capability, not who negotiates best. 🚙 Growth for All: Ensure opportunities are accessible, not just for those who push for them. 🚙 Bias-Free Policies: Create environments where everyone can advocate for themselves without penalty. Fair workplaces ensure people don’t need privilege to thrive. —————- Alt text is embedded in the image

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞 A groundbreaking study has revealed a disturbing trend in U.S. hiring practices: systemic racial discrimination. ============= 🔍 The Research: ============= 1. Researchers crafted 3,000 identical applications. 2. Résumés were identical, differing only in indicators of ethnicity, such as names or cultural identifiers. 3. Applicant names tested: Kristen Miller (control), Rebecca Cohen (Jewish), and Lia Avraham (Israeli). 4. Each job received one randomly assigned application, and employer responses were categorized as positive, negative, or neutral. ============ 📊 The Results: ============ 1. Israeli-American job seekers need to submit 39% more applications 2. Jewish-American candidates 24% more, to receive the same number of responses as candidates of Western European origin. 3. Seattle showed the highest level of bias, with Israeli applicants receiving only 6.8% positive responses compared to 23.1% for Western Europeans. ** All differences were statistically significant across model specifications. ================ ⚠️ Employers Beware ================ Unconscious bias in hiring isn’t just a moral issue—it’s a business risk, And racial bias isn’t just unethical—it’s a violation of anti-discrimination laws. The total lawsuit amount in such cases might range from $50,000 to several hundred thousand dollars. ✔️ Audit your hiring practices for unconscious bias. ✔️ Train your team to recognize and eliminate discriminatory behavior. ✔️ Understand that fairness isn’t optional—it’s a legal and moral obligation. ================ 💬 Open Discussion ================ How does your company combat unconscious bias in your hiring process? Share so key professionals could learn and take actionable steps, to ensure fairness and eliminate discrimination in the workplace. #Antisemitism #Inclusion #WorkplaceBias #DiversityAndInclusion

The feds may be cracking down on so-called “illegal DEI,” but diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives are inherently legal. And a new memo from the Attorneys General of 15 states offers tips and best practices to employers leverage DEI/DEIA to reduce legal risk. Here’s what employers need to know. 🛡️How DEI Can Protect Your Business Preventing Discrimination Before It Starts DEI programs help companies identify and fix policies that might unintentionally discriminate against employees or job applicants. They also offer training on topics like unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and disability awareness, which helps ensure that managers and employees follow non-discrimination laws. Clear Reporting Protocols DEI initiatives typically include clear protocols for reporting discrimination or harassment. These protocols ensure that unlawful conduct is promptly identified, reported, and addressed when it occurs. Effective reporting mechanisms help companies quickly respond to and resolve issues, reducing the potential for prolonged discriminatory practices and future litigation. Building a Positive Workplace Culture A well-run DEI program fosters a workplace where all employees feel valued and respected. This helps prevent discrimination, improves morale, and encourages teamwork. A positive culture reduces the risk of legal claims and makes employees more engaged and productive. Regular Review and Updates Regular assessment and monitoring of DEI/DEIA policies and practices help companies ensure their effectiveness in preventing discrimination and promoting an inclusive environment. This ongoing evaluation allows companies to make necessary adjustments and improvements, further reducing the risk of legal claims related to discriminatory practices. The memo also makes it clear: DEI is not the same as affirmative action. While affirmative action sometimes involves giving preference to certain groups in hiring or promotions—an approach that can lead to legal challenges—DEI focuses on ensuring hiring and promotion processes are fair for everyone. The goal is to recruit and retain the best candidates, emphasizing merit while creating an inclusive workplace. 💪Best Practices for Employers To implement DEI effectively, the memo suggests these strategies: 1️⃣Recruitment & Hiring: Use broad outreach, panel interviews, and standardized evaluation criteria. Make sure hiring processes are accessible to all. 2️⃣Employee Development & Retention: Offer equal access to training, mentorship, and career growth opportunities. Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and train leaders on inclusion. 3️⃣Ongoing Evaluation: Regularly assess the success of DEI policies, create clear reporting systems, and integrate DEI principles into daily operations. Well-designed DEI initiatives comply with the law and contribute to business success by fostering a more engaged and productive workforce. #TheEmployerHandbook #employmentlaw #humanresources

𝐃𝐄𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞" 𝐦𝐲𝐭𝐡: I saw a post that said, "𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦." Doesn't this miss the mark? Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion isn’t about handing out unfair perks. It addresses the fact that for centuries, certain people were systematically excluded. Research shows that women, non-white people, LGBTQ+ folks, and older professionals have experienced unchecked bias and discrimination. They faced barriers that perpetuate inequity. DEI looks to level the playing field so everyone has a fair shot, regardless of demographic. It doesn't give an unfair advantage; it's on a mission to fix broken practices. In client spaces these are the conversations I am facilitating. 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 Consider that you’re running a race, and some people start 10 yards behind the starting line because of systemic discrimination. Equity means ensuring everyone begins from the same starting point. Not slowing others down, and definitely not driving the disadvantaged three miles further to start ahead of the pack. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤? Resistance often stems from a misconception: that DEI takes something from one group to give to another, as the comment I led with suggested. In reality Diversity Equity and Inclusion benefits everyone. When workplaces embrace equity and inclusion: Teams perform better. Innovation skyrockets. People feel valued and engaged. It's far from a zero-sum game; it’s a win-win. Studies show that companies with fair leadership standards are more successful. Inclusive cultures reduce turnover and boost productivity. And employees report feeling like they truly belong. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲: 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 People need clarity. If you're rolling out DEI initiatives without explaining what they're about, using victimization framing, or don't address fears and misconceptions? You'll face resistance. Employees will be persuaded by misinformation when you don't embrace transparency and honest conversations. People who understand that DEI is about fairness, not taking sides, are more likely to support it. 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴. It's part of how our brains work...we categorize information to make sense of the world. But left unchecked, biases can unintentionally perpetuate inequity. That's why that quote image hits home Think of a small step you can take today to challenge your assumptions and create a more inclusive environment. Feel free to share your ideas below! 👇🏿

One of the most exciting aspects of writing "Make Work Fair" with my coauthor, Iris Bohnet, has been turning behavioral science insights and research evidence into practical, data-driven organizational design. Today, I want to share a powerful tip for improving hiring processes: structured decision-making. Unstructured interviews are notoriously poor predictors of job performance and rife with bias. But by adding structure to our hiring processes, we can significantly improve both fairness and —importantly—effectiveness. Here's a simple three-step approach you can implement: 📋 Define clear evaluation criteria before reviewing any applications. 🔢 Use a standardized scoring rubric for all candidates. ↔️ Compare candidates’s answers horizontally (all answers to question 1, then all answers to question 2, etc.) rather than vertically (one full candidate at a time). This method helps mitigate the impact of unconscious bias by focusing our attention on relevant qualifications rather than subjective "fit" or first impressions. In my research, I've seen organizations implement similar approaches with promising results. While specific outcomes vary, the trend is clear: structured hiring processes tend to lead to more diverse candidate pools and better alignment between job requirements and new hire performance. Have you tried structured hiring in your organization? What was your experience? #HiringPractices #WorkplaceFairness #DataDrivenHR #MakeWorkFairBook

Know your Labour Laws; ⚖️ Termination & Dismissal: Are You Following the Right Procedure? ⚖️ Termination of employment is sometimes necessary, but how it is handled matters. The Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019 sets clear guidelines for fair dismissal and termination procedures to protect both employers and employees from unfair labor practices. 🔹 What Does the Law Say? Under the Act, termination must be justified, procedurally fair, and in line with employment contracts and labor laws. Key provisions include: Notice Periods: Employers must provide written notice or payment in lieu of notice: ✅One month’s notice for employees on a monthly contract ✅Two weeks’ notice for those on a fortnightly contract ✅One week’s notice for weekly contracts ✅One day’s notice for daily wage earners Valid Grounds for Dismissal: ✅Poor performance (after proper warnings and opportunities for improvement) ✅Misconduct (must be properly investigated with a disciplinary hearing) ✅Redundancy (must follow proper procedures, including consultation and severance benefits) Unfair Dismissal Protections: 🔹Employees cannot be dismissed due to pregnancy, union membership, illness, or whistleblowing. Any dismissal without following due process can be challenged in court, leading to compensation or reinstatement orders. Ensuring Compliance & Fairness Employers must: 🔹Document all performance reviews and warnings before termination. 🔹 Conduct fair disciplinary hearings before dismissing for misconduct. 🔹 Follow redundancy procedures, including severance pay where applicable. 🔹Ensure terminations are not discriminatory or in violation of labor laws. A fair workplace benefits everyone, businesses reduce legal risks, and employees feel secure. Are termination procedures in your workplace legally compliant? Let’s discuss! #Zambia #LabourLaws #FairDismissal #EmploymentRights #HR #WorkplaceFairness #Compliance #LegalObligations