A Year Like No Other: Shifting the Workplace Toward Culture Change
A Year Like No Other: Shifting the Workplace Toward Culture Change
International Women’s Day -- March 8, 2021
By Kristin Haffert & Jessica N. Grounds, Founders, Mine The Gap
On International Women’s Day, we find ourselves more optimistic about the pace of change since we first launched Mine The Gap five years ago. We set out to assist companies and organizations around the globe to modernize, build inclusion, and improve their culture. When we began, numerous industries were speaking out about advancing women into leadership positions and their desire to foster a more diverse workforce. But in that moment, we saw the commitment as somewhat superficial. For instance, we were often asked to simply train the women, like they were somehow the problem. What we knew they needed (and continue to need) was to build a workplace that more deeply valued differing leadership styles, inclusive policies and behaviors, and intentional plans to recruit, retain, and promote diverse talent.
This past year was a turning point, particularly for our work in the United States.
The killing of George Floyd and the continued growth of Black Lives Matter, the “Shecession,” pervasive sexual harassment stories in the headlines, and a pandemic that meaningfully exposed deep race and gender justice issues, has spread into the consciousness of Americans. With this backdrop, we have seen a shift among the leaders of companies to think more deliberately about culture change and inclusive workplace practices, recognizing these dynamics as core business objectives. We are already seeing opportunities open for women, particularly women of color, who have for far too long been undervalued and under supported at work. Top leaders have their antennas raised and are asking what a better workplace really looks like. They are beginning to open up to self-reflection, analysis, and begin a journey toward inclusion that does not happen overnight.
Part of the progress we’ve seen is at the state level. In 2018, the California legislature passed the first law in the U.S. (SB 826) to legally compel public companies to add women as board directors. Our work with the California Partners Project revealed that 669 California board seats have been filled with women since 2018. That year, nearly 30% of California headquartered company boards were all male; now, less than 1% are. Additionally, in 2020 a second piece of legislation (AB 979) was signed into law requiring directors from underrepresented groups to be included on public boards including: Black, African-American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native, along with directors who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. In our work with the California Partners Project, we conducted focus groups with CEOs, board members, and other executives revealing that shareholders are increasingly putting pressure on companies to consider whether their board composition reflects diverse talent and is aligned with their diverse consumer base. We will continue to preach (and hope companies understand) that these diverse bodies of leadership are key to better performance, increased revenue, and resilience in a competitive global economy.
We are seeing an increased use of culture surveys undertaken by companies, an indicator that they are moving away from the quick fix or ‘check the box’ approach. In addition to our research on workplace culture, these surveys allow for deeper company analysis and has enabled us to unpack the nuanced challenges facing women at work. Important workshops on implicit bias and other awareness-raising tools have created a level of awareness that can no longer be unseen – or ignored. With this awareness, the complex challenges that women of color face in the workplace are now becoming a bigger part of the conversation. We’re encouraged that companies are digging deeper to try to understand these differences and are proud to work with a unique network of collaborators to help our clients address the gamut of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues they need to tackle.
Finally, this year has forced companies to think more strategically about how to keep their people happy – while working remotely. Companies had to face the demands of homelife and parenting on their employees while managing them outside of traditional workspaces during a global health crisis. Despite the outsized negative impact of the pandemic on women, and the fact that it exacerbated existing economic divisions and professional challenges they already faced, the pandemic forced employers to have conversations about the health and well-being of their people and to consider how and where we work. Taking these conversations further will help us to understand external impacts on women, families, and caregivers leading to more positive outcomes for the future of work.
The convergence of the challenges during this past year has created a moment of pause within organizations across sectors and is prompting important exchanges. Our workplace leaders have a timely opportunity to lean into change. While some companies will continue with business as usual – we are encouraged by many of our clients who are moving ahead for a better future. At Mine The Gap, we are doubling down on this moment because we want to play our role in promoting and amplifying these shifts. The workplace is changing, and we are here to support progress to create better, more inclusive places to work and succeed.