OurOffice, Inc.

A judge has ruled that the United States Naval Academy can consider race in its admissions process, while rejecting a challenge from the same group whose lawsuit led The Supreme Court of the United States to end affirmative action. This brings a glimmer of hope in face of the recent barrage of efforts against DEI. But the resistance is real and must be addressed. Last year alone, over 30 state legislatures proposed or passed bills restricting DEI efforts in education and the workplace (Brookings Institution). Many Corporate leaders have already succumbed to pressure and others are considering abandoning or rebranding their DEI efforts. If you're still wondering what to do, this post is for you! As we enter 2025, consider this. DEI is no longer an obscure or unknown acronym only appreciated among a small niche group of consultants, activist investors, or disgruntled employees. DEI terminology has become widely recognized, and is more powerful and meaningful than ever before to under-represented groups, and their allies and champions. Moving away from DEI might be exactly what critics are hoping for: a return to vague, confusing terms that undermine progress. But it will cost your organization! It will cost you in terms of employee hiring and retention, customer loyalty and investor interest, on a much bigger scale than you might expect. Secondly, your business meetings on Zoom probably look like the image below, with diversity right there in front of you! Let's be on the right side of history. The US workforce and around the globe, is getting more and more diverse every day. So DEI is more important than ever to ensure equity and inclusion for all. Add to this the much more compelling data available now from trusted sources, as well as in the internal data that companies have been looking at, proving the value of DEI in business: > Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 36% more profitable than those in the bottom quartile (McKinsey & Company). > Diverse teams generate 19% more revenue from innovation (Boston Consulting Group (BCG)). > Inclusive workplaces boost retention, with employees who feel included being 5x more likely to stay (Great Place To Work US) Last but not least, consider that historically, some backlash has been inevitable in response to any change, and in retrospect has often been a harbinger of progress. Resistance to DEI largely reflects discomfort with change. Historical changes in business practices have always faced significant resistance before becoming mainstream, the most recent example being remote work. So for leaders considering a rebrand: think again. Words matter. DEI matters. Doubling down on DEI—not diluting it—is your path to long-term success. I say this with certainty because at OurOffice, Inc. we have the data to prove it based on our work with organizations in over two dozen industries! 😊 #diversity #equity #inclusion #DEI #leadership Image credit: Getty

With the U.S. election results and the growing tide against what some call "wokeness" and DEI efforts by the likes of Robby Starbuck, many companies are coming to us with the same question: Should we... a) Abandon our DEI efforts entirely? b) Rename and hide them under something else? c) Stay the course? Our answer is always the same—regardless of the sociopolitical turbulence. We say what you might tell your teenage son or daughter when they face peer pressure or bullying: "Be Who You Are." If your leadership is deeply committed to the wellbeing of your team and customers, and you recognize the wealth of data proving that DEI strengthens your business and benefits all your stakeholders—stick with it. Stay the course. If not, then feel free to turn your focus to other priorities. Either way, the results will become clear in fairly short order: your hiring, retention, and engagement metrics will reflect your decision. The question isn’t whether DEI is worth it or not—the data has already answered that. The question is, who are you as an organization? And what kind of leader do you aspire to be? Let’s keep having this conversation. Your decisions today are more important than ever. Just for the record, OurOffice, Inc., not only we intend to stay the course, we plan to redouble our efforts, hiring more like-minded people to serve customers who feel the urgency more than ever to reassure their employees with concrete steps and specific actions to advance inclusion and belonging. 💪 😊 Please feel free to share your thoughts. Hope S. Taitz Joe Bosch Sandy Harvey, MBA, CDP Aleksandra (Aleks) Miziolek Caryn Effron Arsames Qajar Anouchka Sarif Laura Moore Dr. Tiffany Ingram Ross Goldenberg Chris Tucker Erin Kapczynski Dane 🦘 Groeneveld Leesa Hill #DEI #Leadership #woke #WorkplaceCulture #BusinessImpact #diversity #inclusion #equity #belonging Image courtesy of Simon Sinek

Had so much fun talking with Dane 🦘 Groeneveld of LEAD3R about "The Edges" where things go wrong! And we talked about how we can watch our blind spots at the edges. 😊 I see this over and over again with good leaders at good companies wondering what went wrong when their company ends up in the headlines, or there is a major mishap, retention issue, or liability. These things happen because a few things went wrong "outside of our field of vision," in our blind spots, which tend to be at the edges. Great leadership and great companies are often defined by how they treat the team members at the edges—the people who don’t always feel like they belong, don't have a voice or a power base. In my 20+ years of leadership, from Aerospace to Automotive and Tech, I’ve learned that your organizational culture isn’t just about how the majority feels. That's certainly important. But the differentiating cultures are different because of how they treat their people at the edges — the ones who are underrepresented, overlooked, or misunderstood— and whether they feel included, seen, valued, and supported. That’s where true engagement happens. And this is super important when employee engagement has been at about a third of the workforce for decades, according to Gallup. At OurOffice, Inc., we focus on helping organizations improve DEI, and we see the difference when leaders shift their focus to their blind spots. When everyone, especially those who’ve historically been excluded, feels their voice matters, that’s when engagement soars. And let’s be real—an inclusive culture isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential if you want to stay competitive, innovative, and perform at the top of your industry. So, dear HR leaders, CEOs—take a closer look at the edges. How do your people at the margins feel about your workplace? Are they engaged, or are they barely hanging on? Because how they feel is the true measure of your culture—and ultimately, your success. #DEI #InclusiveLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #leadership #workforce #board #ceo #equity #diversity #inclusion #genz #millenials #manager #humanresources #hr

Loved the recent webinar hosted by Leaderboard's @suzanne Migulcci and Inforum's Terry Barclay (she/her/hers) in conversation with Jeff Green of Bloomberg on the evolving landscape of DEI amid rising anti-woke activism. Below are my takeaways, mixed in with my own thoughts in full disclosure: 😊 📜 DEI’s Evolution & Backlash Jeff highlighted DEI’s history, starting with women and broadening to include LGBTQ+ and race. After the 2020 surge following George Floyd's murder, DEI now faces significant backlash. Figures like Robby Starbuck have become faces of this pushback, with some companies even leveraging his criticism to justify scaling back DEI efforts. Despite this, as we have also seen OurOffice, Inc., many organizations are just quietly continuing their initiatives, realizing the importance to hiring, retention and engagement, though adapting their language and messaging to avoid being targeted. 🏢 High Profile Actors Meanwhile, high profile companies like John Deere, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Anheuser-Busch Ford Motor Company, and most recently Toyota Motor Corporation have rapidly shifted policies in response to the activist pressures. But as Jeff pointed out, if companies approach DEI strategically like Intel Corporation did, they don't need to bend to these types of activist pressures. Slight modifications to language in filings while maintaining a focus on recruitment from diverse institutions like HBCUs and reframing DEI efforts to minimize external attacks, can protect the company, while remaining committed to inclusivity. 💬 DEI Data: A Complicated Picture It's true that while data from trusted sources like McKinsey, often show benefits from DEI, academic studies offer less clear-cut correlations. But the picture is inherently complicated. Companies need to tailor their DEI approach based on both research and their unique needs to assess clear benefits. For example, retention is critical with the increasing demand for flexibility and the workforce having more options. 🚫 Retention Concerns Terry raised concerns about the decline of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are crucial for retention. ERGs offer a safe space, fostering inclusivity and employee engagement. Green echoed this, emphasizing how companies have faced retention challenges when scaling back inclusivity programs. A lack of support can result in a “leaky bucket” and talent loss. 🔍 Board Responsibilities Suzanne Miglucci stressed the need for Boards to take an active role in DEI decision-making. Boards must anticipate potential consequences and create frameworks for these kinds of decisions that can impact broader business objectives. Bottomline: It's clear anti-DEI activism is gaining traction. But it's important for Boards and top management to cut through the noise and navigate these challenges thoughtfully to avoid unintended consequences. #DEI #CorporateLeadership #AntiWoke #Diversity #Retention #ERG #Boards

Is your team stuck, or are they thriving? In this week’s episode of The Future of Teamwork, I sit down with Sonya Sepahban, CEO of OurOffice and former NASA engineer, to explore how curiosity, data, and structure can transform teams. Here are three things you’ll learn: ➡️ Curiosity drives deeper understanding: Sonya explains how embracing curiosity leads to richer experiences and growth. ➡️ Data fuels real DEIB change: Learn why using data is crucial for identifying and solving gaps in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. ➡️ Structure ensures sustainability: Discover how progress in DEIB only lasts when supported by proper organizational scaffolding and infrastructure. 🎧 Ready to remove obstacles and unlock your team’s potential? Listen now to hear how Sonya has helped organizations do just that! #LEAD3R #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Belonging #FutureofTeamwork

I was lucky to see The Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, at an event hosted by the Writers Bloc and moderated by the gorgeous actress Angela Bassett at the The Ebell of Los Angeles last week. She reflected on her personal journey, career and current judicial role, among other interesting stories. She began by describing her confirmation process as “treacherous,” facing intense scrutiny over her judicial philosophy, career, and identity. Despite the challenges, she has persevered and shared her journey in her memoir, Lovely One, which highlights her path as the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Jackson emphasized the court's duty to provide credible opinions, even in highly contentious cases, and to maintain its integrity amid declining public trust. She believes it is crucial for the court to remain a credible institution capable of handling divisive issues, such as potential election disputes similar to Bush v. Gore. Acknowledging increased public scrutiny following major rulings like the Dobbs decision, Jackson stated that criticism and debate are part of the democratic process and do not undermine the court’s role. She highlighted that the court’s legitimacy relies on public trust and adherence to the rule of law. Jackson supports the newly adopted ethics guidelines for the Supreme Court, which are similar to those for lower courts. She advocates for binding ethics rules for justices, noting no compelling reason why the Supreme Court should differ from lower courts in this respect. Regarding her eldest daughter’s autism diagnosis, Justice Jackson described how it influenced her decision to pursue the Supreme Court nomination. She wanted to demonstrate that it is possible to manage professional aspirations while navigating challenging personal circumstances. I found her to be candid, lively and very engaging, and was so glad to get a first hand look at her personal and professional journey which can be a great model for many young people everywhere. 👏 #Leadership #Law #Inclusion #SupremeCourt #Avaduvernay #JusticeJackson #Diversity writersbloc The Supreme Court of the United States #justice Photo by Sonya Sepahban with Justice Jackson and Angela Bassett.

We hear a lot from customers about challenges with their frontline employees' engagement and retention rates. 🙁 As recent data shows, this is a critical issue for success at any organization: > Frontline employees, who constitute over 70% of the workforce, are 4.6 times more likely to perform at their best when they feel engaged and well-informed, leading to 21% higher profitability. 👏 > Poor communication is a leading factor in employee turnover, with 41% of employees citing it as a major reason for leaving their jobs. So I thought I'd ask my Linkedin Family —what’s the primary method your organization uses to communicate with the frontline team? #frontline #HR #retention #hiring #employees #workforce #communication #engagement #productivity Data based on: Salesforce, HRTech Conference, OurOffice, Inc.

"DEI hire." I’ve heard that before! But this is not a political piece, it's a personal story, admittedly triggered by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) when he called Vice President Harris a “diversity, equity and inclusion [DEI] hire.” I’ve been called the “first” woman in every position through my career, starting with my early promotion to a Section Head when I was barely 25 years old, and the subsequent ones to executive roles at Fortune 500 companies, and finally to the independent Director role on a public company Board. Through the corporate rumor mill, I was always aware of what was being said by some (at least initially) about each promotions or appointment. They may not have called it DEI then, but they certainly implied the same, and even worse!    In those days, women like me would not have dreamt of speaking back, exposing the perpetrators, or even complaining to our closest colleagues. We just doubled down and worked even harder to prove them all wrong. And boy, did we prove them wrong! But it all came at a price. Most of us had to work even harder to maintain a healthy family life and take care of ourselves and our loved ones. In every role, over time I was able to gain the respect of my colleagues and team members. I remember the day I showed up in overalls and my steel toe shoes on the factory floor to personally examine the heavy hardware that we were building. I just wanted to see the quality issue I was being told about firsthand. Although unintentional, it earned me some overdue credentials when the word got out. I was told no other executive (all males) had ever set foot on the factory floor before! The funnest part was when I showed up in the parking lot and asked for the keys to drive one of the heavy vehicles before delivery to the customer. I had to do some negotiating before the tech in charge would let me drive around to test the turning radius that had been a tough requirement to meet! Few days later, the union foreman brought me a gift, a union jacket (monogrammed with my initials) as a gesture that they had adopted me as one of their own! 😊 While these stories are personal, they are not unique. Many women have similar stories, including the ones highlighted in the "Cornell Wall of Wonder" made a few years ago. I share my story to ask all of us to think carefully and deeply about where we are today as a nation? Have we grown beyond judging people by their gender, ethnicity, and other DEI characteristics? Or do we still ask much more of some people, simply due to these characteristics? And are we going to allow leaders in positions of power to engage in name calling and denigrating other key leaders based on such characteristics? This is an important decision and there is little time left to decide who we are, and who we want to be going forward. In fact, we only have about 100 days from the time of this writing to decide. #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #DEI #Gender #Women #kamala