London 18 June, 2021: Creating an inclusive and diverse business culture was vital before the pandemic, but has become urgent for success in a post-Covid world, according to a new study on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) conducted by Forty1, the employee experience division of The Creative Engagement Group (TCEG).

Could providing volunteer opportunities to your employees help build employee engagement?

Yesterday, on April 20, rage and fear in America were replaced with relief and hope. Justice was served when the jury found ex-police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts of murder and manslaughter for taking the life of George Floyd.

Today, Monday, April 19, the jury and the world are hearing closing arguments in the murder and manslaughter trial of Derek Chauvin. As individuals, we will draw our own conclusions. It is the jury that will have the responsibility for making the ultimate decision. While we wait, we observe in ourselves and others, emotions that are difficult to control and discuss. In our workplaces, business leaders are struggling to acknowledge appropriately the profound impact of this trial on their employees, and how they will respond to the verdict.

Have you overheard your employees saying things like “I don’t know where to go for company news” or “I feel like we don’t hear from company leaders enough” or, worst of all, “We have an intranet?”

I’m looking forward to International Women’s Day on March 8, with more optimism about gender equality progress than ever before. Although the World Economic Forum says we’re unlikely to see gender parity in our lifetimes, or even in our children’s lifetimes, I see hope. I see progress in the face of the first female Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. And I heard hope in the voice of Amanda Gorman as she recited this line from her inaugural poem, “Where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one.”

At the beginning of sixth grade, one of my new teachers gave our class an essay assignment. After he read mine, he accused me, the only non-white child in the class, of not writing it myself. His reasoning? It was too well written. This, despite my easily verifiable strong academic record, particularly in writing.

There once was a person who, in search of a tasty snack, bit into a SunChip. But before it could be fully enjoyed, the oversized chip crumbled into pieces — leaving a mess in its wake. Other consumers had the same experience. While the chips packed a punch of flavor and crunch, the poor user experience overshadowed the appeal.

In 2020, I watched as corporate America rose to the occasion: CEOs and boards made public statements decrying racism and committing to driving change across their organizations. Diversity leaders were in demand, talent practices were assessed, and inclusion appeared on just about every business agenda.

For many of us, this February is one of the most significant Black History Months in our adult life. Last year, a confluence of events brought racism to the forefront of our national dialogue. A pandemic that disproportionately affected the Black community, combined with the murders of innocent Black people, triggered an uprising. Americans of different racial, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds protested across the country for the shared cause of racial justice.