About 68% of U.S. employees say they’re unfamiliar with the term “neurodiversity,” and only 22% are aware of working with a neurodivergent colleague, according to a March 18 report from Eagle Hill Consulting. Although 72% said they would hire a neurodivergent employee, few receive formal training on working with or managing neurodivergent workers.
Every year on March 8th, social media blossoms with celebratory messages for International Women’s Day (IWD). Amidst a sea of congratulations, one might pause to reflect: What exactly are we being congratulated for? Being women? Our gender identity isn’t a matter of achievement or choice—it’s a facet of our being.
Right now, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are under growing scrutiny. Some companies are pulling back from DEI initiatives amid nervousness around shareholder activism and possible investor or customer pushback. Highlighting the benefits of DEI to an organization’s performance and the wellbeing of employees is the best way to address this negativity.
Messaging about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matters now more than ever before. The way you frame your commitment to diversity to employees is critical because DEI is being challenged across the globe, and your positioning signals your priorities.
In the this excerpt, Lutoff-Perlo, who now serves as Vice Chairman of External Affairs for the Royal Caribbean Group, discusses how networking and building relationships with colleagues who were at least one to two levels above her at work led her to her dream role.