Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | December 6, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 19 By Sarah Gustafson Sarah Gustafson, of Oxford, is the owner of 794 Consulting Partners, working with the national nonprofit Reimagine Gender to deliver gender education to the real estate community. 10) Sex, sexuality, and gender are terms often used interchangeably. However, they are three distinct facets of who we are. 9) Gender identity can change throughout a lifetime. According to the Irregular Report 2 Fluidity, almost a quarter of the Gen Z population expects to change their gender as least once during their lifetime. 8) Many other countries have more than two gender identities. In the U.S., gender has traditionally been thought of in the binary, i.e. man and woman. Other countries and cultures have other options such as two-spirit and hijras reflecting a broader, more nuanced representation of gender. 7) A person's gender can differ from or correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth. 6) Identity is one aspect of our gender. Gender identities can typically be categorized by binary, non-binary, and ungendered. 5) Gender has social aspects to it. Social gender includes roles and expectations and how society uses those to try to enforce conformity to current gender norms. 4) Understand your own gender story. Our gender is personal because while we share some of these aspects of self with others, how these identities, influences, and characteristics come together is unique to each of us. 3) Understanding gender is smart business. Consumers and employees are living in a gender-diverse world. Companies need to be able to adapt and think outside the binary world to not alienate their target audiences. 2) What companies can do. Start by looking at process, systems, and people. Recognize where gender is being asked for and not needed, or where gender is being asked for using sex identifiers. 1) Gender is evolving. This is a complex and ever-changing topic. Establish a common language framework for your company and employees to work within. Give yourself and others compassion as we work towards meeting the humans in our lives where they are. K N O W H O W The workplace, post-pandemic I nclusion means ensuring all voices are heard, with opinions considered and the value of all made evident, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. e checklist of workplace inclusion includes training managers and holding them accountable; forming an inclusivity council; and identifying underrepresented groups' needs, then offering support. Here are some inclusivity practices to start this week. Whether physical or virtual, create safe spaces. ese include gender- neutral bathrooms for non-binary and genderqueer inclusion, lactation rooms for new mothers, and prayer or meditation areas. Some workers may be distracted or overstimulated in an open-floor plan environment, so quiet workspaces would be helpful, suggests KazooHR. Introverts need a voice, too. "To fully understand the needs of everyone at your company, partner with managers to learn more about their teams," suggests the human resources platform provider. "Employees may feel awkward advocating for themselves, and managers – who have a close eye on their reports' skills and needs – can communicate these to you." Run inclusive online meetings. A SHRM expert suggests helping those to whom English is a second language or introverted employees by distributing meeting materials and soliciting questions in advance. Rotating meeting times for workers in different time zones reflects an inclusionary culture, as does recognizing who shared an idea originally if that idea is referred to again later in the meeting. Hold colleagues accountable when they interrupt others, to ensure employees are heard equally. Have recordings and transcripts of virtual meetings available, says Dolly Chugh at Ideas.Ted.com, to fully include those working from home who are parenting or caring for another family member, and likely multitasking. "e recording allows them to listen later and stay in the loop without burdening others. Of course, recording may make some uncomfortable or be problematic for other reasons … Be sure to have permission before recording," she advises. 1 0 T H I NG S I know about... ... Gender BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to the Worcester Business Journal 101: W O R K P L A C E I N C L U S I O N BY ALAN OSMOLOWSKI Special to the Worcester Business Journal I n less than two years' time, COVID-19 may have forever changed the workforce landscape. While many businesses have returned – or are in the process of returning – to the office, others have opted for continued remote or hybrid models. Meanwhile, employers are expecting a wave of retirements. Further adding to organizational disruption is data indicating a considerable number of employees planned to look for a new job this year – with disengagement, burnout, and diminished company culture cited as the main reasons. So, what steps can companies take to enhance strength of position within an increasingly competitive recruit-and- retain environment? Flexibility on employers' parts will very likely define the post-pandemic workplace. While hybrid schedules may be the first choice for most employees moving forward, the last two years have shown us individuals can still collaborate when working completely remotely. e imperative is to make all workers – whether in-person, hybrid, or remote – feel connected to specific projects, colleagues, and the company. To retain employees and engage new ones, try building an appealing culture. A keen sense of culture is particularly important when onboarding new hires. As a result of COVID-19, company gatherings, outings, team-building activities, etc. have been placed on the back burner. But events such as these help define culture and serve as a way to demonstrate gratitude for productivity. In the post-pandemic environment, employers must find other ways to show workers they are valued, being mindful of individual circumstances and needs. Small gestures – a quick phone call or email to see how people are doing or if there is anything needed to make the workday easier – can go a long way toward building a culture of empathy, understanding, and positivity. Recognizing employees' need for work-life balance cannot be overstated when establishing a company culture of care, commitment, respect, and communication. Efforts to remain collaborative and productive while at work – coupled with personal worry and strain – have le workers feeling exhausted and disengaged. Career development prospects, encouragement, communication, recognition, transparency, and participation in decision-making are key factors contributing to employee engagement at the workplace. One of the more positive aspects of the shi to remote work is a widened talent pool. e increase in remote job postings on platforms such as LinkedIn have dramatically increased. People no longer have to leave their home or community to expand their career. As such, the impacts on the talent landscape will likely continue to be significant. e ramifications of the pandemic are almost certain to be long-lasting, altering the way businesses operate. From innovative technologies and processes to adaptable personnel needs, the workplace of the future will be fundamentally different. As we gradually emerge from this unprecedented disruption to normalcy, we should not lose sight of the opportunity the past couple of years have provided to examine all aspects of our organizations. Now is the time to explore, experiment, and establish new plans, keeping in mind success is dependent upon having the right workforce in place. ere is no going back to the pre- pandemic workplace. e workplace of now and the workplace of the future has been changed, but what has not changed – and in fact, has been heightened – is the need for flexibility, open communication, and a company culture acknowledging the value each employee brings to the job. Alan Osmolowski is a tax partner with BlumShapiro in Worcester, where he leads the firm's technology and life sciences practice. He can be reached at aosmolowski@blumshapiro.com. W W W

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