Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 2, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Help ease traffic congestion I have a beard & wear heels V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L B ack in July, Gov. Charlie Baker filed an $18-billion state transportation bond bill, full of the usual efforts to fix crumbling road and bridge infrastructure and enhance public transit options and use. Included among those billions is an interesting effort – capped at $50 million annually – to pay employers to help keep their workers off the road. Anyone can tell you Massachusetts roads are most clogged during rush hours, when people are heading to and from work. is is when our transportation system needs its greatest capacity, but it doesn't make sense to design a transportation system to meet this need, since the roads, subways and buses aren't nearly as full during non-rush hours, which make up the majority of the day. However, le unchecked, the rush hour problem will only grow, especially as more people commute from affordable communities in far- flung suburbs to economic centers like Worcester and Boston. e average one-way commuting time in Massachusetts is 29 minutes, and in Worcester, it is 24 minutes. A study released in August by the real estate website Apartment List said the number of super commuters – people who commute more than 90 minutes each way – has grown to 13,000 in Worcester County, as nationwide the number has grown 36% since 2007. S ince coming out as nonbinary just over a year ago (my pronouns are they/them) and finally letting myself present in a way truly reflective of who I am, I'm oen asked, "What is it like being nonbinary in the business world?" I interpret this as, "How are you treated walking into a board room in a dress and heels?" How I identify and how I present my gender are two dif- ferent things – an important factor to consider for businesses expanding in- clusionary practices. Sometimes, I'll be in a button down and jeans, which fits into most people's experience as "how a man dresses," but that perception doesn't make me any less nonbinary than when I'm in a Diane von Fursten- berg dress and Kate Spade heels. e business implication I'd like you to consider is: Start a meeting with introductions where people share their name and their pronouns. Regardless of how someone presents, which may be influenced by how they believe they would be treated if they dressed in a certain way, their gender identity may be different. Prior to this, ensure your staff feels safe sharing who they are with you and their coworkers. is discussion is about how people are valued in the workplace, which is a microcosm of a longstanding societal issue: who is given equal respect and opportunity. I have the benefit of being white and perceived as a male regardless of what I'm wearing; and I can be perceived as a straight white cis-man if I choose to put on that false character. So, why would I, as a queer nonbinary individual, be treated differently? e simple answer: sexism. Women continue to be treated less than equal in the workplace, and they must work harder to achieve less than their male coun- terparts. (is issue is amplified for women of color.) e traits of my identity oen mocked and compromising my opportunities are the ones considered feminine. "You throw like a girl." "Don't be a sissy." "Man up." ese statements were too familiar to me growing up, and they are all state- ments reinforcing that women are not as able as men. We have to ask questions and be open to empathizing with other's lived experiences. I will never know what it is like to be a black trans woman. We simply need to trust women when they talk about experiences in the workplace. ese calls for attention to issues are continually ignored. Women; our queer, trans and nonbinary community; com- munities of color; people with varying abilities – our system has been built to actively push against their inclusion. If we are to improve the workplace conditions for some- one like me; we need to improve workplace conditions for everyone. Our companies have a great responsibility to cre- ate an ecosystem where employees can learn, explore, and feel safe having uncomfortable conversation. Our goal is not to diminish the value of men but to upli women, queer people, and other marginalized communities. All people have value; all people are valid; and our unique differences bring additive value to our collective success. Joshua Croke is the founder of Worcester business Action! by Design and president & co-founder of nonprofit Love Your Labels. Reach they at josh@actionbydesign.co. BY JOSHUA CROKE Special to the Worcester Business Journal To help reduce this problem, the program proposed in Baker's bond bill will provide a $2,000-per-employee tax credit to any business who lets workers telecommute, thus reducing the number of cars on the roads. Telecommuting requires a special level of management oversight, and most employees can't work remotely 100% of the time; but even letting workers stay at home two or three days a week will have a significant impact on road congestion. Telecommuting can have productivity benefits as well, since workers at home can better focus on their core projects without in-office distractions, especially if they are home alone. Even if your workers can't telecommute due to the nature of their job, or if you're not comfortable letting your employees be far flung, an alternative would be to let your workers travel to the office during non-rush hours. Jobs are less tied to 9-to-5, and workers who start and end their days before or aer the rush hours get the added benefit of not having to fight traffic when traveling to work and home. at will make them happier people. Transportation congestion and infrastructure failure are only going to become a bigger issues in Massachusetts. Employers play a major role as to when workers are on the roads. By easing the hourly and location restrictions on those workers, you can ease the burden on our transportation systems. The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. A T H O U SA N D WO R D S B Y D O N L A N D G R E N W Joshua Croke W

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