Popular TikTok discussions strike again as its users continue any attempt necessary to find ways and hashtags to regain power in the workplace. First, there was quiet quitting, which took 2023 by storm (even though Gen X did it back in the 1990s). Now the viral term with more than 18 million views since its … Read more
As March unfolds, many of my colleagues, friends, and clients have been asking the same question: Did this year’s “celebration” of Black History Month seem quiet to you too? Over the past four years, many of us working in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have experienced a surge of invitations to speak, train, and collaborate. … Read more
Since the Supreme Court overturned Affirmative Action, media outlets and business leaders alike have claimed that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work is dead. However, I believe the demise of DEI is greatly exaggerated. Three out of four HR leaders believe DEI is crucial to their company’s future success, according to a recent survey from … Read more
Black History Month often serves as a reminder of how much our country has changed, not only legally but socially and financially. For instance, this month we might celebrate Dr. Clifton Wharton Jr., the first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He broke that barrier in 1987 and at the time, many believed he … Read more
Consumers today are not only conscious of corporations’ social responsibilities but are also increasingly informed about what true corporate responsibility means in practice. Tokenistic use of social initiatives to score extra points with customers will no longer cut it. Social washing has recently come into the spotlight because consumers have discovered that many companies engage … Read more
Sophia Danner-Okotie has ambitious plans for her Nigerian-inspired clothing line, but a sense of dread has punctured her optimism as she watches a legal battle being waged against a small venture capital firm that has provided funding instrumental to her boutique brand’s growth. The case against the Fearless Fund alleges that one of its grant … Read more
Sam Bankman Fried, former founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, was found guilty of wire fraud, conspiracy, and stealing as much as $10 billion in customer money. Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, is serving an 11-year sentence for fraud and conspiracy over false claims she made to investors about medical devices she said could … Read more
Having a child is bad for a woman’s earnings. This is not only in the immediate period after the birth, but across her lifetime—as shown in research by recent economics Nobel prize-winner Claudia Goldin. On the other hand, men who become fathers are perceived as self-reliant and decisive. And they are often rewarded at work with opportunities and pay. Campaigns … Read more
The conversation around DEI efforts in the workplace is missing one crucial element: white men in middle management positions. According to McKinsey Research, women’s representation at executive levels is at the highest it’s ever been. However, progress in the middle is lagging, with a continued underrepresentation of women of color. While the trend is leaning … Read more
In 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reaffirmed its status as the federal watchdog for workplace discrimination, after years of pulling back on litigation activity under the Trump administration’s appointees. With the long-awaited confirmation of EEOC commissioner Kalpana Kotagal earlier this year, the agency—which is led by five commissioners appointed by the president—now has a … Read more
