Toxic Workplace Cultures Cost Companies Billions

Toxic workplaces make employees dread going to work because they are stressed and don't feel they can be honest with their manager.  

Quite quitting has degraded “useless staying.” The economy has changed so people are now staying in their jobs, even if they hate them. The biggest reasons people hate their job is bad managers and toxic workplaces. So, what makes a culture toxic? Research has found that five elements will destroy your corporate culture.

The Top Five Killers

1. Disrespect

This is when employees believe they are being disrespected by their superiors in the workplace. It’s the largest negative element that impacts an employee’s perspective of their company.

2. Non-inclusion

When companies do not promote an inclusive environment for their staff, especially women and people of color, they feel disrespected and left out. This leads to negative even toxic cultures. 

3. Unethical Behavior

Asking employees to engage in or fail to support the reported activity of unethical behavior, dishonesty, and a lack of regulatory compliance is a big red flag. It signals that managers have no regard for the individual.

4. Cutthroat Atmosphere

Employees will often complain about uncooperative teammates or the lack of team spirit across organizational silos, however, when employees feel aggressively undermined and attacked by colleagues it becomes cutthroat.

5. Abusive Bosses

Bullying bosses and abusive management are notorious for humiliating employees in front of others. This develops a hostile culture among the team. Workplace abuse negatively impacts the health and well-being of staff. It is toxic and deadly harmful to the company.

American businesses lost $223 billion over the last five years due to bad workplace culture, according to a report from SHRM.

Reported on October 17, 2019

One in five Americans has left a job in the past five years due to bad company culture. The cost of that turnover is an estimated $223 billion, according to a new Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) report on workplace culture.

“Billions of wasted dollars. Millions of miserable people. It’s not a warzone—it’s the state of the American workplace,” said SHRM president and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP. “Toxicity itself isn’t new. But now that we know the high costs and how managers can make workplaces better, there’s no excuse for inaction.”

The report, The High Cost of a Toxic Workplace Culture, surveyed American workers to explore the impact of workplace culture on both the well-being of workers and the bottom line of businesses. It found toxic culture costs companies a fortune in turnover and absenteeism; highlighted common indicators of bad workplace cultures, such as discrimination and harassment; and underscored the alarming impacts on employees.

The research also uncovered a seemingly critical skills gap at the management level. SHRM found employees hold managers—more than leadership or HR—most responsible for culture. They also say their managers often lack the soft skills needed to effectively listen, communicate, and ultimately lead. Findings include:

  • Nearly half of the employees (49%) have thought about leaving their current organization, while nearly one in five have left a job due to culture in the past five years

  • Turnover due to culture may have cost organizations as much as $223 billion over the past five years.

  • Seventy-six percent of Americans say their manager sets the culture, yet 36 percent say their manager doesn’t know how to lead a team.

  • Twenty-six percent say they dread going to work. In addition to this workplace culture report, SHRM also released its 2019 Workplace Fulfillment Index, which revealed 44 percent of Americans feel extremely or very fulfilled in their current job compared to 56 percent who feel less than fulfilled at work.

It also explored which factors contributed most to fulfillment, and found workers ranked cultural factors, such as meaningful work and flexibility, as more fulfilling than factors such as commute times or professional development.

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full-service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals, and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

You will want to read this https://damarstaffing.info/ToxicWarningSigns

“Five Tasks you Must Master to Close the Deal.”

[Part 2 of Job Hunting Like a Pro]

Planning your career is important and will have positive effects on your work and personal life. An effective career plan will guide your professional life and help you be a success. With careful career planning, you can take steps to evaluate your professional options and develop a strategic plan for achieving your goals. In this article, we offer five important tasks that will supercharge your employment pursuit. Master these five tasks and you will be successful. 

1. Read the Right Business Publications: The right publications will help identify where the jobs are, and also give you important business news to use during your interview. That will show that you are knowledgeable and engaged in the industry.

The key is to select the right publications for your industry. If you are looking to relocate, get a subscription to the local newspaper and business publications in the area you’re planning to live. Don’t forget to check out the corporate websites of the potential companies you have targeted.

2. Learn the Top Sites for Researching Employer Firms: Finding a good job these days is tougher than ever. There are so many factors to take into consideration but, thankfully, if you know how to navigate the internet it can provide you with the information to figure out where to invest your time. Focus on the firms and positions where your skills may prove to be the most valuable.

Invest the time to know as much as possible about your potential employer. If you land a job interview you’ll be prepared. Job listings rarely offer company information. Knowing where to find inside corporate information can mean the difference between getting a job from a great company or heading down the wrong path.

3. Network and Then Work the Net: Networking means more than simply talking to people. Search for people who can help you find the right leads. Build a “must-contact” list that includes family, friends, neighbors, your insurance agent, your stockbroker, people you know at other companies, etc. Prepare a set of talking points to guide you and help others understand what you are trying to accomplish.

Set realistic goals relative to the number and quality of the contacts you’ll make each week. Revisit your contacts every 60 days. And don't forget about talking with people you're using as references. Keep them apprised of your progress.

4. Get a Recruiter You Can Trust: Searching for a new job can be a stressful experience, and you want the best possible results. A trustworthy recruiter can help you plan a successful path. A good recruiter will also understand your career goals, background, motivations, and intangible needs. They can look past resumes and job descriptions and bring common sense, expertise, and a human touch to the job search process.

A good recruiter can schedule interviews and make sure you’re prepared. This will include potential questions you may be asked, as well as supplying information on the company and its history. They will also manage the company’s expectations of you, by providing relevant information about you ahead of the interview, as well as having your back when it comes to negotiations.

5. Direct Market Your Skills: Approach your job search just like you would a direct marketing project. First, take the list you’ve developed and make a shortlist (these are the hottest prospects) do some additional research on the people and firms you want to target.

It's also important to remember not all jobs are advertised, so you’ll want to get on the radar and in the databases of key recruiters. You should cross-reference employer websites to determine if there are additional employment opportunities companywide that may fit your skill set. Next, print (inexpensive) postcards that showcase and promote your skills and value. Mail this postcard to your top prospects. Repeat as needed.

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full-service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals, and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

You will want to read this http://bit.ly/7SkillsJobHunting

The Proper Steps to Negotiate a Pay Raise.

Become a powerful negotiator.

Following these steps make it easier and increase your chances of receiving a suitable pay increase. The preparation for a negotiation often is unpleasant.  It’s common to feel nervous, but remember good negotiating is centered on a win-win state of mind. Try to reframe your mindset and the convocation to simply discuss what is best for you and the company. 

 Choose the right time

During work changes, times can be a good opportunity to ask for a raise. You must do your homework and be confident. The ball is in your court when you ask for a raise. Asking for more should be based on ability and value, not just merit.

Your employer has a lot of things to think about, not just one individual. Help make it easy for your boss to decide on a pay raise. The best time is during the regular pay review time, which is when most companies do it.

Know your market value

Do your homework. You should research what other people who hold the same position in other companies in the industry are getting paid. If you realize you’re underpaid, make the case for a rate adjustment. The key is to know how much the industry is paying people who have the same job and skills.

Like pro athletes, use our compensation rates of ours to your advantage when you choose to have the pay discussion with your boss. Just make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

Have a strong business case

If your job duties have expanded substantially, and your to-do list is getting longer, it’s time to ask for modifications.  Taking on more responsibilities, not in your original job description or you’re supervising more people, are solid grounds for asking for a higher salary. Of course, it all depends on how well you are doing with these added responsibilities. The additional workload is a gauge of your ability to manage greater responsibilities.

Negotiating a pay raise isn’t as easy as withdrawing money from an ATM. Your request must make business sense. Therefore, don’t base your negotiations on an emotional appeal. Take the time to build a business case to support your position, based on your skills and efforts toward achieving company goals.

It is more than just money

When considering a raise, be sure you’re not asking for too much. Otherwise, your credibility is compromised. And, it may be clear to your boss, it’s too expensive to keep you. You must be honest about your worth and value to the company.  

Although more money is the aim, there are other things that you should consider as benefits. You can negotiate for a company car or a more flexible schedule and work environment.

Be patient

Take the time needed to build a good business case. When negotiating an offer, don’t react too fast. Carefully analyze it and think it through. Be thoroughly prepared, and take time to build rapport, when you have a strong sense of what you will be happy with, make the first offer, the first offer usually sets the bar. Now listen and search for wise tradeoffs. Once you agree or decline the offer, you don’t go back.

Finally

Negotiating a pay rise shouldn’t be a stressful event. When it is done right, it’s not personal, it’s just business. Proper negotiations will illuminate the honest relationship and the mutual desire for company success.  

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full-service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals, and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

The Market is Bad, Now What?

The current labor crisis is not just a perfect storm, but a hurricane, tornado, and earthquake rolled into one. This is not about the unemployed, it is about the disengaged and life shifts. The quitting rate reached a new high as 4.5 million workers quit their jobs in October 2022. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The confusing job market is likely to last through 2023. We are all aware of the struggles to find and keep quality staffing. Workers find it hard to locate a job they feel satisfied with, and recruiters are dealing with ghosting and unreliable temp staff every day. What are we to do?

We must help ourselves! Everyone needs to get on the same page and stop the nonproductive conflicts. Opposition never solves anything. It only focuses on perpetual problems. Workplace challenges stem from fundamental differences between the people in charge and those who follow. It’s called relationships, and that requires trust, care, and compromise. 

We all share in the job market—good or bad. Recruiters are stretched to their limit and struggling to find a steady pipeline of high-quality applicants, but they can and must do better. Employers need to be more conscious of staff needs, “the job” should not be a place where nameless, meaningless people show up to work. There must be meaning, and opportunity for people to learn and grow. Everyone must do their part; employees need to contribute positively to a healthy workforce that increases the value and success of the company.

Reimagining the job market and the workplace starts with understanding the needs of the employer and its employees. Employers can do more to inspire growth, the employee can do more to help build the brand, and my colleagues should do more to facilitate and negotiate win-win deals for everyone. If businesses don’t grow and fail, there are no jobs, no need for recruiting, and soon no companies. We need each other now more than ever. United we stand and grow; in conflict, we stumble and fall.

DaMar Staffing helps firms engage meaningfully with job seekers, and we convert qualified candidates into meaningful applicants, which will streamline your hiring process. For more ideas and an understanding of how to reshape your workplace, read https://damarstaffing.info/RethinkingReinventing

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full-service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals, and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

Core Beliefs Shape Brands

Brands Need to Stand for Something. 

Brands Need to Stand for Something. 

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full service, contingency-based recruitment firm focused on administrative services and professional staffing for all industries. Founded on integrity, excellence, inspiration and service, DaMar Staffing strongly holds these core beliefs and applies them in every thought and action. These values reflect the DaMar brand.

Clients and candidates can always expect a high level of commitment and drive from the DaMar team of professionals. The staff endeavors to build deep engaging relationships with individuals. It is important to establish honest and long-term associations with the people within the community where everyone lives, work and play.  

4 Tasks You Must Master to Close the Deal.

BEING PREPARED WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD YOUR SUCCESS. THE MORE WORK YOU DO IN ADVANCE TO GET READY, THE MORE COMFORTABLE YOU'LL FEEL DURING THE ACTUAL INTERVIEW AND CLOSING THE DEAL.

This is a short list of the important tasks that will supercharge your employment pursuit. Master these four tasks and you will be successful.  

1.    Read the Right Business Publications
The right publications will help identify where the jobs are, and also give you important business news to use during your interview. That will show that you are knowledgeable and engaged in the industry. 

The key is to select the right publications for your industry. If you are looking to relocate, get a subscription to the local newspaper and business publications in the area you’re planning to live. Don’t forget to check out the corporate websites of the potential companies you have targeted. 

2.    Learn the Top Sites for Researching Employer Firms
Finding a good job these days is tougher than ever. There are so many factors to take into consideration but, thankfully, if you know how to navigate the internet it can provide you with the information to figure out where to invest your time. Focus on the firms and positions where your skills may prove to be the most valuable.

Invest the time to know as much as possible about your potential employer. If you land a job interview, you’ll be prepared.  Job listings rarely provide company information. Knowing where to find inside corporate information can mean the difference between getting a job from a great company or heading down the wrong path.

3.    Network and Then Work the Net
Networking means more than simply talking to people. Search for people who can help you find the right leads. Build a “must-contact” list that includes family, friends, neighbors, your insurance agent, your stockbroker, people you know at other companies, etc. Prepare a set of talking points to guide you and help others understand what you are trying to do. 

Set realistic goals relative to the number and quality of the contacts you’ll make each week. Revisit your contacts every 60 days. And don't forget about talking with people you're using as references. Keep them apprised of your progress. 

4.    Direct Market Your Skills
Approach your job search just like you would a direct marketing project. First, take the list you’ve developed and make a shortlist (these are the hottest prospects) do some additional research on the people and firms you want to target.

 It's also important to remember not all jobs are advertised, so you’ll want to get on the radar and in the databases of key recruiters. You should cross-reference employer websites to decide if there are more employment opportunities companywide that may fit your skill set. Next, print (inexpensive) postcards that highlight and promote your skills and value. Mail this postcard to your top prospects. Repeat as needed.

To get a greater understanding of how to approach your job search, read part 1:  Seven Skills for Job Hunting Like a Pro! http://bit.ly/7SkillsJobHunting

Rethinking and Reinventing Work

Reimagining the workplace starts with understanding the need for employee well-being and how it positively impacts your organization. Considering the burnout data, finding new solutions is essential to a healthy workforce.

Believe it or not, remote work may be hurting employees, employers, and society. The conflict between working from home and being in the office must be resolved soon to productively move forward. Employees need to think about going back to the office for their well-being. The conversation about returning to in-person office work between employers and employees can appear to be in different realities.

Research shows people crave connections and relationships they’re not getting remotely,  only 31% of people are satisfied with the social connection they have working from home, and 43% don’t feel a sense of connection with co-workers. It may be safe to say many employees face a connection crisis, the big question is how to bring back belonging to the workforce culture.

Leaders should seriously address the connection crisis today and how it affects employees’ happiness and wellbeing. Work used to be a primary place for connections and developing relationships. It’s very hard for people to feel necessary when they’re physically disconnected. Sitting at home working in your pajamas in your bedroom, will not offer the connections necessary to feel satisfied.

The psychological truth is people need and want the feeling of belonging and feeling necessary. People are struggling with feelings of isolation and depression. Leaders ought to rethink if working from home is in the best interest of the staff and the company.  Experts say individuals need five to seven connections to really feel they belong.

What does it mean to belong? It implies feeling more satisfied, more trusting, more validated, and fully able to express themselves. Employees do their best work when they can collaborate with colleagues who get them and appreciate what they bring to the table. People need leaders and co-workers to interact with who will support them in their work and future growth. The leadership in organizations must explain this rationale and the benefits effectively to their teams.

If employees don’t feel like they’re part of something important, what’s the point? If people start to feel like they’re just working for a paycheck, it can lead to burnout and stress. So, companies have a responsibility to focus on offering individuals a healthy work-life balance. Ensuring people have enough flexibility to enjoy time away from work and avoid overworking—ensuring people can get the breaks and vacation time when needed.

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

There is Blood in the Water. Staffing Shortages and Increased Cost Threaten Independent and Assistant living Facilities.

Burnout is at crisis levels. Studies show that 30% of nurses leave the profession in the first two years, and at that rate the industry is unsustainable.

The growing demand for staffing and increased operating cost are making life miserable for the healthcare industry. The difficulties of low employee morale and exodus of talent are making many healthcare facilities unsustainable. Yes, the pandemic may have started the dominos to fall, but healthcare has been fighting an uphill battle for years. It is clear, that some will not survive.

As the industry tries to adjust and re-organize it has become more important than ever to be lean and nimble. The first thing that high-volume organizations MUST do is stop the bleeding. Reverse recent staffing shortage trends, keep valued employees, improve staffing ratios, and attract more business to offset the increased cost. Leaders need a new strategy and roadmap to help them navigate through these times successfully.

From crisis to crisis management

Nursing and other clinical professionals are amid a mass exodus that not even higher wage increases can stop. It is estimated that 238,000 caregivers have left the industry. The complex mixture of workload, stressful environment, bad workplace culture, and physical and emotional burnout fueled a full-blown staffing crisis.

Let’s be honest, discontent has been brewing, and leadership has overlooked and undervalued this workforce for a long time, and now they are leaving, and unfortunately, they’re not coming back. Nursing positions are on a decline. Many facilities are simply throwing money at the problem, but it’s not enough to stem the tide. Skilled nursing is on a downward slide to the second-largest employment decline behind dentistry. Contrast that with the fact that the nursing sector saw the largest wage increases in the entire industry.

Currently, the industry is churning and burning CNAs, QMAs, and staff nurses. When you consider the data, 30% of nurses leave the profession in the first two years, which is a huge warning sign that the industry is unsustainable at this pace. Honestly, this problem is much deeper than salary. Everyone is paying more, it’s not just about money; the business model needs to change. There are market pressures, it’s an employee-driven environment lots of enticing alternatives for those who are burned-out health care.

From crisis to long-term vision

Currently, everyone is facing increased demand for services and staffing with diminishing resources; hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies are all competing for the same resource pool. Staffing agencies are also elbowing their way in to recruit the best nurses and other professionals to supplement all these facilities. Success can only come by taking a long-term view. The industry needs to do a better job improving its financial position and providing more resources to actually solve the problem.

With stress and burnout, a constant among healthcare workers, organizations will need to take greater steps to accommodate their employees and curb the pressure that causes burnout. Build an environment that uses balance and wellness as a recruiting advantage to lure other clinical professionals to a less stressful work environment.

And above all develop a culture of respect for your team’s time, and what they have to contribute to the overall facility. Leadership must see people as valuable assets and not just bodies to staff a shift. Show the team care. Clinical professionals are looking for greater benefits and wellness support, whether that be through third-party-run childcare, more flexible scheduling, mid-day mental health breaks, or general recognition. The industry must do better and take responsibility for change.

Steps to Minimize Challenges

  1. Build an attractive workplace culture. Many independent living facilities operate with toxic workplace culture. Changing the environment within your facilities isn’t an easy process and it takes time. Nevertheless, it can and should be done. This will require an open mind, trust, patience, tenacity, and a passion for inclusivity. There is no single solution, but there is a process to building a sustainable business model.

    First, there must be greater buy-in from organization leadership, from the CEO on down, leaning in to engage, support, and enforce new policies to ensure employee engagement, improve retention rate, and increase productivity. This process is critical for success. According to a new study, over 50% of executives say that corporate culture has a direct impact on productivity, creativity, growth rates, profitability, and the overall value of the organization.

  2. Meaningfully engagement from the staff. Seek employee engagement to get your team enthusiastic and invested in their work and the success of the company. Leaders should conduct night shift and weekend meetings with staff to hear their ideas and concerns. Listening to, respecting, and responding to staff concerns will help identify opportunities to implement meaningful changes that are responsive to employee needs. Following through on these opportunities will help keep valued staff and attract productive new employees.

    Engagement will improve job satisfaction, and happy employees are among your best recruiters, so ask for their help and reward those who bring successful new employees into the fold. Using various types of recognition, rewards, or bonuses can be very effective.

  3. A strong pipeline is key. The healthcare industry is not educating enough nurses and other clinical professionals. Consider how expensive crisis staffing and incentives for hard-to-fill shifts are on an annual base. It is time to be flexible, creative, and aggressive when competing for staff.

    Look for alternatives to recruit and employ nursing students, QMAs, and certified CNAs. Invest time researching grants, scholarships, and tax incentives for training. Leverage student loan forgiveness for loyal staff to upskill and advance their education.

    Be creative and flexible using nontraditional shift schedules; explore the use of technology to target and attract alternative staff. Develop a specific system to manage crisis staffing and hard-to-fill shifts. Consider enhanced premiums and rewards for those who step up to take on the weekend and last-minute night shifts.

  4. Remember that flexibility in scheduling is big. Meeting the staffing demand of this high-pressure industry requires a nimble workforce. Look at pooling resources from several facilities to build an internal task force of temporary workers who are willing to work emergencies and on-call shifts. This will offer greater bandwidth to cover the most demanding time slots.

    Recruiting for these teams may appeal to younger nurses who are single, and with no kids. Dedicated task force teams should rotate every other month, and for high-demand seasons; flexible scheduling, assignments close to home, work sharing, or split shifts are ways to better accommodate different employee lifestyles.

  5. Money talks.  Recognize that a better plan will cost more money and time in the short run. However, changing the process and protocols to better address crisis staffing issues may not necessarily be as costly as continually running in crisis mode. These changes will lead to keeping more employees, improving patient satisfaction, and creating a more satisfying work environment for everyone. Emphasize flexibility and creativity in finding ways to cover those hardest-to-fill spots on your schedule.

Conclusion

Even in the face of tremendous staffing challenges, organizations that listen and respond to their employees will fare better. Successful leaders will take creative approaches to push their company forward. Leaders can’t be afraid to apply new creative approaches to staffing, it’s the only way to gain competitive advantages, in terms of both recruiting and also in improving their overall business results.

Success requires recognizing business climate changes, building trust-based relations with employees, and leading import collaborations.

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full-service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but if you want a staffing agency that will work for you as a partner DaMar is a rare company. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals, and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

Flexibility is Key to Long-Term Success.

Flexibility is the ability to respond effectively to external changes. Companies like Netflix and Amazon are successful because they cater to the public’s demand for convenience.

Leaders are facing three major challenges; below we have outlined these top challenges employers must consider as they plan to move forward:  

  1. Cultivating and Inspiring Company Culture
    If you want to build a successful company culture and organizational brand, you must be flexible with your team.

  2. Establishing and Maintaining Trust
    Flexible work demands trust. Not only from employee to employer but vice versa. While this might seem insignificant, it isn’t.

  3. Managing and Engaging a Remote Workforce
    Employees need to feel valued and creating a flexible working environment can go a long way in retaining your top talent.

Businesses that stay stuck in their ways and don’t become adaptable and flexible to technology, the economy, and their workforce needs are more likely to fail. Success will require flexibility, staying on your toes, and the ability to dance. May we show you how?

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.

Corporations Greatly Need a New Diversity Approach

1058e26235d0c914a2cd3f9c397e75a5.jpg

Diversity efforts are failing employees of color. Here’s a better approach to building a more equitable workplace.

Companies are desperate for diversity help and many of them are rushing to hire people of color in the wake of the racial protests. More than 64% of CEOs say they support dismantling power and privilege to end racial injustice. Nevertheless, what are they really buying? Many DEI experts are making a lot of money speaking training on unconscious bias and diversity. When companies hire consultants to do training, they want to be told they are doing the right thing. The big question is, are leaders seeking change or a way not to be wrong?

Talking about change is much easier than changing. Unconscious bias is the buzzword of the day and the focus of many DEI initiatives; however, these one-off diversity-training programs are not effective in improving bias in the workplace.  Most diversity experts will tell you what is happing now does not work. A checklist approach to diversity is not a recipe for change, but it does make corporate leaders feel good and high-paid consultants are prospering.

DEI initiatives are largely reactions due to employees and the public's outcry over the injustice in the country; companies feel pressured to make a change. Most companies find it hard to transform themselves under pressure. Those in charge simply grasp at straws to show forward motion. They tend toward quick fixes; managers must show results, so they set agendas, conduct meetings, and outline metrics usually with no real goal or support to succeed.

In difficult circumstances, companies do not make use of proven tactics for implementing change. DEI initiatives implemented under fire are doomed to fail. The real reason for DEI initiatives is to improve the corporate culture, by seeking people of different gender, race, and age because of their unique skills and experiences. The goal of a successful diversity program should be to develop a balanced workforce mix. Bring in views and talents that will improve the work culture, product, and service offerings.

When the C-suite executives are not involved in these program efforts, commonly there is no budget or accountability connected. It is rare to find a CEO that genuinely cares and takes the project seriously. Pushing the responsibility onto a DEI director is bad news. Hiring people who have no authority to make change is waste of time and money; when these directors start asking tough questions and trying to make real moves things get difficult. Moreover, no one wants to be a token hire. The bottom line is old paradigms do not work.

Success depends on whether C-suite executives and the entire team buy into the change and are willing to do the arduous work. The executives who use proven DEI tactics will see significant improvements in their chances of success, and generally, will see a performance and financial advantage. Change is hard and it takes time, and it'll take a long time to straighten out the racial mess this country is in. These are cultural issues, and it may take a generation to see equality. However, experts say companies that understand diversity and inclusion and are willing to do it right will be the most successful. 

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace is not only the right thing for businesses to do, but it is the smart thing to do. However, many organizations find it challenging to get started or effectively implement DEI initiatives in their workplaces. DaMar can help.

DaMar Staffing Solutions of Indianapolis is a full-service, contingency-based recruitment firm, focused on administrative and professional staffing for all industries. There are many staffing agencies, but you want a staffing agency that will work for you. With over 20 years of experience, DaMar Staffing Solutions has built a reputation for providing quality service, top-notch professionals, and flexible recruiting solutions for Indiana companies.