Speaking

Overview

According to new research in Harvard Business Review, 89% of knowledge workers have reported a decline in their workplace wellbeing since the start of COVID-19. Meanwhile, loneliness (one outcome of a lack of belonging) is on the rise, with staggering effects on business.

Given this landscape, leaders are focusing more than ever on workplace wellbeing. Increasingly, effective wellbeing strategies are including a focus on fostering employees’ sense of belonging – an accumulation of day-to-day experiences that enable a person to feel safe, foster genuine connections with others and bring their full, unique self to work so they can thrive.

Learning Objectives

1. Learn what belonging at work is and what current research is telling us about why it matters to employee wellness and wellbeing.
2. Understand how diversity, inclusion and equity contribute to belonging.
3. Gain easy to implement best practices to build belonging in your meetings to support daily wellbeing among employees.

Organizations today consist of multiple generations, each bringing unique perspectives, needs, and expectations. These differences can sometimes lead to tensions among employees. Effective intergenerational collaboration is not just beneficial, but essential for reducing friction, enhancing innovation, boosting employee satisfaction, and improving retention—ultimately driving overall business success. To achieve this, understanding and addressing these generational dynamics is crucial for fostering a cohesive, inclusive, and productive work environment.

In this interactive learning session, we will explore (and debunk) common stereotypes of how each generation shows up at work. Through online polling and discussions, we’ll delve into preferences across generations regarding work values and styles. Participants will gain practical inclusive leadership skills, along with tips and tools to better understand, appreciate and bridge across these differences. This ability will foster a culture of collaboration and innovative thinking within teams.

Key Takeaways

1. Understand Generational Traits: Identify and describe the defining traits, communication styles, and work preferences of different generational cohorts, such as Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z.

2. Learn Inclusive  Practices: Apply inclusive leadership practices to improve understanding and collaboration between members of different generational cohorts.

3. Develop Action Plan: Develop an action plan to apply inclusive practices and use an intergenerational engagement guide to create a work environment where all generations feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute effectively.

We often hear the phrase “bring your full self to work,” but what does it really mean—and how much should we truly bring? Many of us struggle to find the right balance between being authentic and fitting in with workplace norms. This interactive workshop is designed to help participants navigate that challenge, striking a balance that allows us to be true to ourselves while being flexible enough to foster a culture of belonging for others.

Objective: To explore how we can align personal authenticity with workplace cultural norms to contribute to a more inclusive and supportive work environment, using the concept of “Empowered Alignment.”

Key Takeaways:

• Balancing Authenticity and Adaptation: Gain clarity on what it means to “bring your full self to work” and learn how to strike a healthy balance between authenticity and adapting to workplace norms.

• Exploring Personal Adjustments: Understand the aspects of ourselves we commonly adjust at work, how these adjustments impact us, and how to align our personal and workplace values to foster belonging.

• Navigating Competing Values: Learn practical strategies, including a case study, to balance competing values within a team, creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

This workshop introduces  the concept of microaggressions and how they negatively impact employees’ sense of belonging. Participants will explore the importance of addressing microaggressions and learn effective strategies for doing so.

Take-Aways:

• Define and Recognize Microaggressions: Learn to identify different forms of microaggressions, including verbal and behavioral cues.
• Understand the Impact: Appreciate how microaggressions affect individuals across different identities and implications on the workplace culture.
• Prevent and Address Microaggressions: Learn to reduce the likelihood of committing microaggressions, techniques to address microaggressions in the workplace and tips for recovering if you commit a microaggression

As we continue on our DEI learning journey, we must appreciate the role we each play in building a sustainable workplace culture of belonging. Part of that role means holding ourselves and others accountable for speaking up in support of belonging for everyone. The truth is, speaking up when you experience or witness behavior that is non-inclusive or inappropriate isn’t easy. It’s human to not want to rock the boat or create conflict with someone. With some simple strategies, however, speaking up can be less awkward and effective. And when more of us speak up, we fuel collective courage, confidence and commitment to belonging that is needed to sustain the work.

Join this interactive learning session to gain practical tips for speaking up when you experience or witness behavior that is non-inclusive or inappropriate. 

Take-Aways

• Understand Scenarios in Need of Speaking Up: Explore common forms of microaggressions and non-inclusive behaviors at work.
• Understand the Impact: Appreciate how microaggressions negatively affect individuals and the workplace culture and why speaking up against non-inclusive behaviors matters.
• Tips for Speaking Up: Learn and practice tips for speaking up when you experience or witness non-inclusive behaviors as well as tips for recovering if you commit a microaggression or diversity faux pas.

Creating a sense of belonging requires more than policy changes—it hinges on the daily actions of leaders and employees alike. In this session, participants will learn three essential inclusive behaviors that can be seamlessly incorporated into everyday interactions. With practical tips and real-world examples, this session will help leaders internalize these behaviors and confidently apply them to foster an inclusive and engaged workplace culture.

Key Takeaways:

• Inclusive Leadership Practices: Discover three critical behaviors every leader must adopt to drive belonging.
• Practical Application: Gain actionable insights and practical tools to apply inclusive behaviors in daily interactions and decision-making.
• Sustaining Belonging: Learn how to create environments where inclusive behaviors are internalized and sustained, leading to long-term cultural impact.

Successful workplaces harness diversity as a strength and create opportunities for everyone to succeed based on their unique needs. While these core diversity, equity, and inclusion values remain essential for building strong organizations, skepticism and budget cuts have recently slowed the momentum of DEI programs. To reignite progress, we must focus on the foundation of what enables all individuals and teams to excel—belonging!

This workshop examines the evolution of DEI and the rising importance of belonging in shaping workplace culture. Participants will explore what belonging truly means, how it expands on DEI principles, what the latest research reveals about its benefits, and actionable strategies to foster belonging in their organizations. By the end of the session, you’ll leave inspired and equipped to contribute to a workplace culture of belonging where every individual feels valued and collaboration and engagement flourish.  

Key Takeaways

• A Look Back and Forward: Gain an understanding of DEI’s evolution and the challenges and opportunities shaping its future.  Explore how belonging enhances DEI principles and fuels thriving workplace cultures.  
• Research-Backed Insights: Examine data on the tangible benefits of belonging, including engagement, innovation, and retention.  
• Practical Tools for Leaders: Learn actionable strategies to embed inclusive behaviors into daily interactions to foster belonging at work. 

In today’s diverse, complex, and often stressful workplace, embracing values rooted in inclusion and belonging are more crucial now than ever. These values support employee wellbeing, enhance decision-making, and improve recruitment, retention and outcomes. Yet, we face significant challenges, including backlash and budget cuts against DEI initiatives.

In this interactive workshop, we’ll address how to overcome indifference and resistance to inclusion efforts. I’ll share practical strategies that have helped my clients successfully integrate inclusivity as a core value in their organizations. You’ll also have the chance to share your own experiences and insights.

Key Take-Aways:

• Understand Resistance: Explore common reasons for resistance and indifference to inclusion efforts.
• Learn Change Best Practices:Discover a proven framework that helps individuals overcome resistance and step outside their comfort zones.
• Acquire Practical Tips: Discover actionable tips to help others personalize and commit to inclusion efforts.