Can a company have a great culture without great programs and policies? For a while in the heyday of the new millennium, it seemed like the answer might be yes. Some of the most innovative companies in the world—Silicon Valley and e-commerce behemoths—were reinventing the workplace from inside out, smashing the boundaries between work and […]
What Have the Working Mother 100 Best Companies Got That Your Company Doesn’t?
Working Mother’s annual 100 Best Companies list was released in late September. Companies on it range in size from just over 600 employees to 170,000 plus. Industries vary from advertising to law, healthcare to high tech and manufacturing. They are headquartered in every region of the United States. But they all have one thing in […]
How to Do Flex Right
It’s become almost commonplace for employers to say they offer flexible working arrangements. But like “full benefits,” “competitive compensation,” and “holiday party,” what this actually means can vary widely. In my years writing benefits communications and “best company” applications I’ve seen some great examples of flex work done right—and quite a few examples that are […]
The Language is Changing and It Matters–A Lot
It’s a tired truism that language changes all the time. Meanings change—sometimes, I think, for the worse: not that long ago, “disinterested” meant something completely different from “uninterested” (look it up!)—and I think English has suffered a loss with the melding of the two. But pedantic arguments aside, words do matter in the real world. […]
Let’s Hear It for Individual Contributors!
Why do so few companies provide opportunities for individual contributors to continue doing what they do best—or move sideways into some other direct line of work? Why is climbing into the managerial ranks so often the only path to better pay and more prestige? Pretty much everyone acknowledges the reality of the Peter Principle—so why […]
Is Your Diversity Program Stuck in the Block Corner?
“Diversity” is the kindergarten of inclusion: it’s all about numbers and colors. Not to knock kindergarten, but the question of how many of one group or another your organization has, while important, is the least interesting question. And to focus on race and/or ethnic background, with maybe a smidgen of gender thrown in—is to severely […]
Mothers of America–Is It Time for an Attitude Adjustment?
One day a couple months back, two articles appeared on The New York Times op/ed page, both focusing on the nation’s continued lack of support for parents. Or specifically, as both pieces pointed out, for mothers: [In my research] I spoke to mothers specifically because in wealthy nations, mothers have historically been the focus […]
The Secret to Innovation?
Q: How do you promote innovation? A: You listen. To everyone. At the recent “Great Place to Work For All” summit, an annual event sponsored by Great Place to Work (GPTW), the focus was on inclusion. Speaker after speaker drew a direct connection between everyone at the organization feeling heard, and business innovation. Note that […]
The Devil Wears What??
When in the past would a candidate’s history of mistreating employees have been a thing? The news about how Senator Amy Klobuchar has treated her staff, beginning as rumors but now increasingly well-documented in multiple credible news sources, is disappointing and sad. But here’s another way to think about it…four years ago, would it have […]
For Some Employees, It’s Valentine’s Day All Year
Fortune’s 2019 100 Best Companies to Work For list was posted on Valentine’s Day. That’s highly appropriate, when you think about it, because to get on this list your employees really have to love your organization. The winners are selected according to a rigorous application process that includes an employee engagement survey, which counts for […]