Workforce Diversity Network

While DEI work has value, DEI officers and managers are criticized for failing to demonstrate data or measurements to demonstrate impact. A recent article by Sandosham (2024) identifies the need for DEI professionals to clean up their messaging, and begin developing systems to track impact.

In short - data and communication systems yield meaningful strategies.

Are they right?
Powerful questions yield powerful results.

I suggest we all read the article and ask ourselves questions about how to communicate and track data.

https://eric-sandosham.medium.com/the-problem-with-dei-cb81d1053543

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The Problem with DEI
eric-sandosham.medium.com
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The Problem with DEI Lack of data literacy can turn a good idea bad.

The Workforce Diversity Network (WDN) announces
its Fall Programming Calendar!

Why should you care?
DEI education in the workplace has never been more Relevant.
New York state is not immune.

Across the county, there is growing national resistance to the sensitivities around DEI and education; studies show:

-Thirty states are either introducing or have already introduced
over 100 bills to restrict or regulate DEI educational initiatives in
public schools and colleges (since 2020);

-There are at the national level, declines in funding of DEI
corporate professional development & training in the US.

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The Workforce Diversity Network Fall professional development series includes topics such as:

-Simple Designs for Diversity Dialogue
-Transgender Issues in the Workplace
-Creating and Utilizing Effective Employee Resource Groups
-An Open Networking Post-Election Forum Focused on DEI
trends in Rochester, NY
-Examining Your Website and DEI Design

Membership rates and more information can be found at:

https://workforcediversitynetwork.com/become-a-member
or
https://workforcediversitynetwork.com

Workforce Diversity Network For over 24 years WDN has been the standard of excellence in the Rochester region providing support to businesses as they develop diversity in the workplace.

Last February, the Workforce Diversity Network hosted a four-person panel to discuss the best practices when creating DEI internships in their organizations, and the national standards regarding hiring practices. Why?

Internships are excellent ways to expand effective labor opportunities at cost effective rates.

They infuse intergenerational skill sets and innovation into work settings.

It can be a career builder for the student, but also great professional development for managers.

It is an excellent way to build ‘grow your own programs’ as a recruitment tool for underrepresented populations.

Evaluation feedback indicated that the program increased participants’ skills and knowledgeto take back to the workplace (4.13 rating out of 5).

Pictured below are some of our in-person participants, and panelists:

Kathleen Cramer, Career Development and Internship Specialist; SUNY Brockport

Dale Leyburn, Director of Internships; Nazareth University

Maria Richart, Director of Career Services and Cooperative Education;

Karlee Robb, former intern; currently enrolled at Nazareth University.

One of the most recent articles published by Forbes magazine (March 2024) reads, “Are Companies Quiet Quitting DEI?” The author, Julie Katz, begins by listing a variety of headlines from other newspaper articles:

“D.E.I. Goes Quiet” (New York Times)

“Tech Companies Like Google and Meta Made Cuts to DEI Programs in 2023 After Big Promises…” (CNBC)

“The War on DEI “(Insight into Diversity)

While DEI education and professional development may be under fire at the national and (some) states’ levels, its value should not be dismissed in the workplace. There, meaningful and effective DEI dialogue is important as it promotes positive, common-sense relationships regarding worker productivity, leader teams, marketing circles, and customer/client bases.

The Workforce Diversity Network is offering a series of presenters whose programs are designed to help promote effective and safe conversations surrounding the broad-based arena of DEI in the workplace:

-Circle Up. A Restorative Approach to Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
-Invisible Disabilities: The Challenges You Can’t Always See
-Simple Designs for Diversity Dialogue in the Workplace,
-Part 1: From Books to Videos
-Part 2: Partner Dialogue Programs in the Workplace

Additionally, WDN is providing an opportunity for its members to participate/experience a participative DEI dialogue program through its ‘Dialogues in Diversity ‘program, beginning in June 2024. WDN programs are intended to focus on relevancy, research and respectful conversations.

Affordable membership information for WDN can be found at

Workforce Diversity Network For over 24 years WDN has been the standard of excellence in the Rochester region providing support to businesses as they develop diversity in the workplace.