Do You Know Which of Your Employees are Disabled? Are You Sure?

At the risk of sounding somewhat insensitive, most disabled people are easily distinguishable, correct? The answer to that is a fast and quick, “Maybe.” Yes, most disabled employees are easily recognizable due to service animals, wheelchairs or canes used to offer more efficiency when moving around. Have you ever encountered an employee that informed you they were handicapped and it surprised you? Not all disabilities are visible to the eye.

Consider some of the following disabilities that may be barely noticeable to the average person. Multiple Sclerosis – While most people are familiar with this disease, it is a very debilitating health issue. One day, a person with MS may function normally without any problems with walking, sitting, speech etc. The next day, the person may experience total blindness, paralysis, problems with speech and so on. Unless you see this person every day, you may not know that they are disabled depending upon the stage of the disease’s progression. Alcohol Addiction – Under the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) people who have an addiction to Alcohol are classified as having a disability. While this person obviously doesn’t use a cane or service animal for mobility, there are a host of physical and emotional issues that are at stake.

Depression – Again, this is a very serious, yet treatable health concern. The major signs of depression can be: an unkempt appearance, sullen mood, calling in sick regularly and fatigue. It is considered a disability by the ADA and can result in death if not treated promptly by a healthcare professional. Most people hold preconceived ideas regarding the last two disabilities mentioned. Perhaps even thinking they aren’t “really” disabilities. Resist the temptation to hold all disabilities as looking and behaving the same. They don’t. Disabilities are just as diverse as the people they affect. Additionally, it is up to YOU, the senior leader to make sure that some seemingly transparent disabilities become a bit more visible so that these individuals can receive the additional help and assistance needed to perform their job.

Inclusion is a Business Strategy™

Join us for a Linkage Leading Diversity Webinar on January 28 Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/426917563 In spite of overwhelming data showing that significant shifts in the workforce will occur in the next decade, inclusion and diversity still seem to be set on a backburner. Yet, one of the most powerful business strategies available to organizations is inclusion. Yes, inclusion is a business strategy that improves engagement, retention and productivity. This webinar will focus on how the right inclusion strategies can assist organizations to create metrics and strategic learning for behavioral shifts. Presenters will include Shirley Engelmeier, CEO of InclusionINC and strategic partner Bill Wells of W. Wells and Associates. Shirley and Bill work with Fortune 500 and emerging organizations to help organizations find targeted solutions that link directly to their business objectives. Title: Inclusion is a Business Strategy™ Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010 Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

The Workplace Bully and How to handle them

The concept isn’t new. In fact, it happens more frequently than one might imagine. The workplace bully is one that typically has a low self-esteem and claims ownership to others’ work. As you might have guessed, the work they lay claim to really belongs to the strong employees. And, if they are resistant to allowing the bully to stake claim on their work, the consequences are less than desirable. Analysts state that most bullies are female and use communication or lack of it to manipulate her co-workers or subordinates. Oh, yes…the workplace bully can be a senior manager all the way down to a staff co-worker. Considering that a bully may very well be your own supervisor or higher, this can present serious issues at work. The employees that are the target of bullies can suffer from stress, depression, frustration or worse. As you can imagine, this affects your company’s bottom line. This phenomenon causes prolonged periods away from work due to illness. Not to mention that productivity will virtually come to a stand-still. In fact, business leaders are serious about cracking down on this issue. The best advice to someone suffering from bullying at work? Report ASAP to Human Resources. If the problem isn’t being addressed at that level, report it to a supervisor, manager, director or even a senior level manager until the issue is investigated properly. Other precautions to stopping this behavior are introducing legislation in each state to combat and punish accordingly. So far, 13 states are aggressively reviewing this type of legislation: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont, Washington.

A Pioneer of Inclusion and Diversity warrants the question...

Are You Ready for The Economy of 2010?

After experiencing the downward spiral of the economy of 2009, experts are now speculating that the economy could take an upward path in 2010. Does this mean the economy has regulated and is now spurring a bull market? Most likely not. What it does mean is that the economy will become a bit more volatile from swinging in both directions of a sluggish market to a robust one. How can business leaders prepare for an unpredictable economy? It seems to be an impossible feat. Consider your employee base. After tightening their proverbial belts and doing their best to avoid the layoff ax, a burst of economic upturn may cause your best employees to jump ship or secretly apply to other companies for better opportunities, compensation or stability. Remember, in November, 2008 – January, 2009 (in the midst of this recessionary time) a worldwide study of 100,000 people was conducted in 34 countries focusing on the meaning of work[1]. 51% of the workers worldwide said they would sacrifice status and pay to have more meaningful work. How can you stop the cycle of losing your best employees to an unpredictable market? The time is now to examine your Inclusion and Diversity policy. It may seem contrite to offer that short bit of advice, but the answers to your challenges can be found in this piece of information. Honest and frequent communication from senior management, assessing the opportunities within your organization, listening to your employees, being open to ideas is crucial to your business plan. Resist the temptation to close yourself off behind closed doors to your corner office. Your Human Capital is at risk if you do. Are you looking for more about the importance of Inclusion and Diversity? Access our website: http://www.inclusion-inc.com/

Are You Ready? CBS TV Thinks so

Are You Prepared?

Make sure you are prepared.

The New Year is a Great Way to Begin Anew

As 2009 comes to a close, 2010 should already be Planned

It’s hard to believe that 2009 is coming to a close. In some ways, it feels as if the year just started, right? Then, when looking at the goals set for the year, it seems that an incredible amount of work was accomplished. This is the art of scorecard metrics. Most companies that begin inclusion and diversity training seem to lose focus as time marches on. The mantra for keeping goals fresh and focused is to measure results. The old adage, “What gets measured, gets done” was never more true in this instance. When is a good time to measure results? The answer is: “Constantly.” Don’t wait for monthly dashboard reporting from HR or accounting. Listening, talking, saying “thank you” and floor walking can provide some extremely useful information regarding the success of your inclusion and diversity policy program. “So why should 2010 already be planned if measurement is constantly being utilized?” Easy, because in addition to day to day objectives, as a senior leader, there should also be objectives and goals for your company that you want to accomplish as well. Gradual steps will need to be instituted in order to accomplish these goals. So, brainstorm with your management team to include every idea possible for 2010 goals. Will all of them be instituted into your current inclusion and diversity policy? Possibly. Your company may accomplish every single goal or they may not. The idea is to not become complacent. Keeping ideas fresh, embracing diversity and inclusion objectives works. As we look at the date of late December 2009, your goals for 2010 should be complete, right? Right? Are you looking for more about the importance of Inclusion and Diversity? Access our website: http://www.inclusion-inc.com/

InclusionINC - 2009 SHRM Conference

 

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