Worcester Business Journal

September 13, 2021

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wbjournal.com | September 13, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 23 D I V E R S I T Y & I N C L U S I O N F O C U S T he COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work. To keep employees safe, many offices closed—or reduced the number of people physically in the building. The shift to remote work signaled many changes, including how organizations pushed forward their focus on diversity, inclusion and equity. As a mission-focused health care services organiza- tion, Fallon Health offers access to health care without discrimination. The growing diversity of our health plan members—and of our workforce—gives us many opportunities to learn about each other's traditions, communication styles, values and beliefs. But during these unique times, how do we foster an environment where employees from different backgrounds can grow and thrive? To truly cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce, we also need to promote a culture of belonging. Today, Fallon's workforce is more diverse than ever. Nearly a quarter of our employee population identifies as part of an underrepresented group. As we continue to increase the recruitment and retention of employees that reflect the diverse communities we serve, we have also put an emphasis on hiring col - leagues who can help us better communicate with those populations. For exam- ple, on any given day across our organization, you could hear up to 20 different languages spoken, in addition to English. Since 2017, our Council for Cultural Competence—a group tasked with raising awareness of diversity and inclusion within Fallon—has helped us make signifi- cant progress in identifying the underlying biases we all carry, con- sciously or unconsciously, and in understanding how they affect our interactions with others. This year, the Council has had to get creative in order to keep that momentum going as we transition to a hybrid work- force. Virtual events include employee Who Are You (WAY) days that help us learn more about each other in a small group setting, and Coaching Circles which seek to increase cross-func- tional collaboration, understanding and mentorship. We also welcomed speak- ers to continue educating employees on important topics such as LGBTQIA+ inclusion and the true cost of racism. To deepen our connection with others, Fallon broke corporate norms by encouraging our peers to be their authentic selves—and to show support and acceptance for others. We updated our email policy to give employees the option to include their preferred personal pronouns as part of their email sig- nature. This fall, we will implement inclusive language guiding principles for all employees to use in their communications with members and with colleagues. Now, more than ever, having a sense of belonging is crucial to the employee experience. These shifts, while seemingly small, are contributing to an organi- zational culture we can all be proud of today and in the future. Jill Green Lebow is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Fallon Health. She also a serves as co-executive sponsor of the organization's Council for Cultural Competence. FALLON HEALTH: Employees work together to deepen the corporate culture of belonging "To truly cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce, we also need to promote a culture of belonging." – Jill Green Lebow Fallon Health 21-731-056 Rev. 00 8/21 fallonhealth.org Better care comes from better understanding. Providing access to health care without discrimination is paramount. At Fallon, our employees work together to create and reinforce a culture of belonging. We believe the diversity of our health plan members—and of our workforce—gives us many opportunities to learn from each other's traditions, communication styles, values and beliefs. The communities we live, work and play in are better served when we have a better understanding of what makes us unique. W Jill Green Lebow Special Sponsored Section

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