Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | June 7, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 9 Tomorrow is already on its way, and our job is to set you up for success. As a local bank, we know what it takes to run a business around here. With personalized guidance and a suite of business products — free checking, online and mobile banking, cash management services and lending — we're committed to helping your business grow and prosper. Learn more at bankHometown.com or call 888.307.5887 Member FDIC | Member DIF We're here for local business. Massachusetts "When you have a diverse board with a multitude of perspectives, it allows for a lot of insight," said Larbi, a Ghanian immigrant who joined the board in November. "When it's time to make an executive decision, you have a lot of voices to help identify the gaps that perhaps you're not seeing." Once selected, the board has worked to ensure an open culture of collaboration through subcommittees and actively engaging each board member in responsibility. Additionally, the introduction of two-year term limits for the chair position promotes continued hierarchical change in the board structure. "Every board member has a role beyond the two-hour monthly meetings. You dive deep into an issue that each subcommittee is dealing with and then report back to the full board," said Nguyen, who joined upon Zolezzi- Wyndham's request. "It's a good chance for people to get into small groups and really feel comfortable speaking." More inclusive boards Beyond simply appointing women and people of color, the board meetings at the Kennedy Community Health Center demonstrate the need to supplement hiring new perspectives with a reorientation of the fundamental principles of business operation, said Jean Beaupre, a professor at Nichols College in Dudley and faculty advisor to the Institute for Women's Leadership at Nichols. Examining and revising the hiring process can provide an insight into how to shi the culture of an organization, Beaupre said. "A lot of upper-level recruitment has traditionally been through referrals, so the circle can be a bit small or insular," said Beaupre. "If an organization is serious about diversity, they are tackling not just the final decision but the process they go through. Where are they listing the jobs? How is it listed? What resources are they bringing in?" Outside of the Kennedy health center, Zolezzi- Wyndham is the founder of Upton consulting firm Promoting Good, which offers counsel on inclusive workplace practices. Companies are now frequently hiring diversity and inclusion consultants to normalize a culture of generating questions and encouraging different opinions. More broadly within the business community, inclusion and diversity campaigns may be becoming not just preferable but essential to remain competitive in hiring and retaining consumers, she said. "We can hope that in the years to come that prioritizing diversity will just be the way things are done, but the case for it as a fiscal necessity is strengthening," said Beaupre. "e polarization between those that are getting diversity right and those who are not is widening, so there is going to be more of a fiscal benefit to organizations to try and get diversity right." In making decisions regarding the composition of leadership boards, a simple metric to gauge diversity is the share of minorities and women in upper management. But performative diversity initiatives, those that make leadership changes without an accompanying culture shi within the business, may struggle to perform as well as competitors that restructure. "In this era of social media, consumers are demanding and can achieve transparency through their own experiences," said Beaupre. "We can hear from the people who work there, who patronize, and who are members of that organization. It has to be cultural and not just a checking of the box." Ultimately, the question of how to improve inclusion and what a truly diverse leadership team looks like will remain an ongoing challenge. Nguyen, who is set to become chair of the board later this year, expects to carry the momentum established by the leadership of Zolezzi-Wyndham. "I don't intend on any loss of momentum in our recruitment and retaining board members that look like the people we serve," said Nguyen. "ere is so much other diverse professional talent out there. You just have to put in the work to identify them and let them know that they are qualified." Jean Beaupre, professor at Nichols College in Dudley The Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center facility on Tacoma Street in Worcester, one of its three patient locations, sits near the Great Brook Valley Gardens public housing complex. PHOTO/COURTESY OF THE KENNEDY CHC W

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