Career Mentorship and The Responsibility of Black Men

This is a guest post authored by Ted James of tedknowsmoney.com

Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech

Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech

Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech

Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech

5 Surprising Gender Pay Gap Statistics Hiring Managers Need to Know In 2021, women still earn less than men for their work—and according to the statistics below the pay gap is getting worse, partly thanks to the pandemic. Gender discrimination, racial discrimination, the devaluation of a women’s work, and lack of benefits are just a few of the many systematic issues working against women on their path to equal pay in the workplace. These long-standing issues were only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which set women’s equal pay back even further. Here’s how to better understand the gender pay gap—and five surprising gender pay statistics that all hiring managers need to know. What Is the Gender Pay Gap? The gender pay gap refers to the difference in net pay between women and men. That difference in earnings is calculated in a number of different ways, but the consensus is that women consistently earn less than men, and that gap is wider for women of color and people living intersectional realities, like transgender women or immigrants. What Causes the Gender Pay Gap? It’s important to keep in mind how the wage gap is calculated. It’s calculated to reflect the ratio of earnings for men and women across all industries. Not all calculations are a direct comparison of men and women doing the same work. The way the wage gap is calculated allows experts to take into account multiple factors that influence the gap, including: Differences in Industry When you calculate the holistic pay gap, researchers can better examine how occupational segregation affects the pay gap. Occupational segregation refers to men and women working certain jobs due to gender norms and expectations. Women may tend to work in childcare or healthcare, which tend to pay less, while men might work in manufacturing or IT . That’s why attracting a diverse workforce is so important for your company. Differences in Experience Women carry a disproportionate burden to manage childcare and other unpaid family obligations, and as a result they’re driven out of the workforce. Access to paid family and medical leave makes women more likely to return to work, but not every woman has access to such benefits. Differences in Hours Worked Women may work fewer hours to accommodate for caregiving and family obligations. They’re often more likely than men to work part-time, which means fewer benefits and lower wages. Discrimination and Harrassment Gender-based pay discrimination has been illegal for decades, but unfortunately, it’s still a widespread practice, especially for women of color and people living in intersectional realities. Employers may distribute pay based on previous salary history, which may have been the result of discrimination following women job to job. Much of the reasons behind the gender pay gap revolve around systematic workplace policies that don’t do enough to uplift women and make them feel safe. To fight discrimination, it’s important to have a transparent workplace where women feel as if they can come to managers and HR professionals to speak about issues. Likewise, it’s crucial to have an anonymous whistleblowing system in place to ensure all employees have a secure channel to report issues without fear of reprisal, and sexual harassment training and to help prevent discrimination and harrassment before it happens. 5 Surprising Gender Pay Gap Statistics The global effects of the pandemic have had a serious, damaging effect on women and their road to equality, even with the benefits of remote working . Women earned just 84% of what women earned in 2020, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time workers. Based on those numbers, women had to work an additional 42 days to earn the same amount as men in 2020. Image Source The pandemic had a huge negative impact on the pay gap. Layoffs and lack of child care made many women leave the workforce entirely. In February 2021, the women’s labor force participation rate was just 55.9% , down from 57.9% the previous year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Women of color and those working in lower wage occupations suffered the most. According to The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, the gender gap grew by more than 35 years in just 12 months. At this rate, it’ll take 135 years to close the gender gap across the world. The gender pay gap is far worse for women of color. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Black women with a bachelor’s degree make 65% of what comparable White men do. Education isn’t enough to close the pay gap: Black women with advanced degrees earned just 70% of what White men with the same degrees earned. Women’s gross hourly earnings were, on average, 14.1% lower than those of men in the EU in 2019, according to Eurostat .

It is expected that Millennials will make at least three-fourths of the workforce by 2025 . And about half of them are classified as non-caucasian. This means that what we used to label as "minority," will no longer be within the next decade or two. But as early as now, we can see diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is taking the HR world by storm. It is not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it also comes with entrepreneurial benefits. That said, we have listed eight tips to help you create a diverse and productive workplace. Promote Flexibility A flexible work schedule and setup allow you to draw a vast pool of candidates . Plus, it will enable your business to operate 24/7 without incurring that much cost. For instance, you have employees who work 9-5 in Pacific Standard Time (PST). What happens beyond that? If you do not have a flexible work setup, your business is likely asleep after 5:00 PM. You are not providing products and services, and you are not earning. On the other hand, you may have employed people living in Singapore. This will enable you to operate beyond the usual 9-5. The best part? You do not have to increase your overhead and operation cost, as your Singaporean employees are likely working from home. Create Learning and Development Programs Employing non-Caucasians and people with disabilities is one thing. But letting everyone open about cultural differences and inclusion is another. This is where learning and development programs could come in handy. As an employer, here's what you can do: ●Promote professional development opportunities by contributing to employees' proceeding education. The more your employees know the more comfortable and productive they can be. ●Unite employees to outside resource groups, like people with special needs or BIPOC. ●Make sure your leadership team shows diversity as well by hiring and promoting diverse applicants into those roles. Regardless, it's always essential to establish a great example from the top down. Employees take notice when the C-suite is involved in company diversity programs and initiatives. Create Safe Spaces for Employees According to the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, unhappy employees are 10% less productive . And this can cause more than $300 billion in the US. Thus, it is imperative to make your business a safe and happy place for PWDs and BIPOCs alike. From a leadership standpoint, here's what you can do: 1.Diversify the leadership. According to HBR research, employees are two times more innovative when there are diverse leaders. That's because they have a representation of their target market. 2.Recognize bias. Develop a leadership program wherein leaders can unlearn their prejudice. That way, they can recognize potential and allow a diversified leadership. 3.Practice inclusive leadership . As a leader, you should create a team where all employees can speak up and be heard. 4.Hole leaders accountable . DEI is more than just a checkbox you should tick off. It should be a core value of your business. Recognize and Celebrate Differences This can be as simple as celebrating International Women's Month and participating in Pride marches. But more than that, celebrating differences is about honoring and commemorating cultural holidays. Some excellent examples are St. Patrick's Day, Eid-al Fitr, and Lent. Welcome Different Voices Make communication lines open in the workplace. This is regardless of generation, race, and role. This can be possible by taking advantage of technology. Using instant messaging apps like Slack eliminates the traditional hierarchical structure. That's because the app allows every employee to address the entire company or send a private message to a supervisor. As such, the company is compelled to allow different people to speak up and be heard. Strengthen Anti-Discriminatory Policies Diverse companies should also put anti-discriminatory policies in place. The basic tenets of anti-discrimination policies are that no employees are denied their rights. This includes equal pay and employment opportunities. It also ensures that no one is treated differently just because they look or talk differently. Mind you, 43% of Black employees in the private sector receive less than $300,000 per year . And more of them are in jobs with less opportunity for advancement. Although there are cases that you need to treat people differently, it's because some need support to achieve equality. And it's not to erode them of opportunities. Create a Comfortable Work Environment Regardless of age, sexual orientation, and race, every employee deserves a comfortable workplace. That said, we recommend that you start with providing a clean and comfortable office. At Maid Sailors NYC Office Cleaning , we believe that a clean workplace can boost productivity. That's because there is nothing to distract them from work. Moreover, an office's pristine condition prevents the spread of disease-causing bacteria. Thus, it helps decrease absenteeism in the workplace. When your employees are working at 100% capacity, the faster you can achieve your business goals. Final Thoughts Producing a more diverse workplace is a company-wide endeavor. So make sure that your managers, human resources specialists, and general employees are all on board. And as mentioned earlier, diversity in the workplace is more than just a checkbox that you should tick. It is an enormous and continuous undertaking. Hence, you should tread with an open mind and leave room for growth. Taking the first step will always be the most cumbersome. But the effort of ensuring that your business is DEI-compliant can be rewarding. That's because a diverse workplace is a productive workplace.

Diverse Talent in the Booming Tech Industry  There is no shortage of diverse tech talent in the tech industry. Programming languages are quickly becoming universal languages spoken by people from seemingly every cultural, racial, gender, ethnical background, as well as age demographics within these backgrounds. If you feel that some diversity is what your team needs then there are a couple of great avenues to pursue for the purpose of recruiting diverse tech talent. Code2040 Code2040 is a pioneering non-profit organization (NGO) specializing in the advocacy for Black and Latin tech professionals. Through program initiatives like their Early Career Acceleration Program (EACP) and the Code2040 Fellowship, the group is achieving their goal of helping 150,000 Black and Latin programmers fill management positions in the tech industry by the year 2040. Statistically speaking, tech professionals who identify as Black or Latin represent 15% of the tech population. However, very few management positions in the tech industry are occupied by people of color. Code2040’s EACP is changing the landscape of the tech industry by helping to Black and Latin tech professionals be promoted into management positions. Code2040 does this so that tech management looks as diverse as the industry as a whole. The EACP initiative pairs tech professionals who are still within the first two years of their career with more senior tech professionals, who are currently serving in the management positions in the industry. Through this mentorship initiative, and the advocacy of the Code2040 organization, these underrepresented programmers are primed and ready for promotion in management, either at their current company, or elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Code2040 Fellowship program places Black and Latin tech students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in a nine week, intensive internship at the San Francisco Bay Area’s top tech companies. Through networking and the advocacy work of Code2040, these interns also primed for successful tech careers with the increased potential of eventually being promoted into management. Coding Bootcamps A second excellent resource for finding diverse tech talent is by partnering with schools that host coding bootcamps, like Kenzie Academy . Bootcamp programs are helping to breath fresh and diverse talent into the tech industry by teaching students from all over the world from every racial, gender, ethnic, and age demographic the necessary coding skills needed to be successful in a career in tech. Many of these students are seasoned veterans in their own right, with an entire career behind them in another industry. These students enroll in bootcamp programs to learn new programming skills so they can dive into their new venture of a second career in the tech industry. With a vast amount of professional world knowledge, and armed with their new coding skills, these coding bootcamp graduates are sure to make an impact on your team. Digital Marketing Digital marketing is booming with diversity from the tech professionals working in this subfield to the skillset of the digital marketers. Digital marketing is an overcompensating term to describe all that goes into the new era of online marketing. From search engine optimization (SEO), to social media marketing, to strategic automated email campaigns, there is a lot that digital marketers do. And that’s not to mention the actual web development and design that go into a website, which ultimately is what all of these digital marketing functions are focused around. Social Media Marketing Social media marketing is the skill of crafting engaging content and knowing when and where to release it. It also identifies the target audience you should engage to make promotion campaigns successful. There is a lot of research that goes into successful social media marketing. A social media manager first needs to identify their client’s target audience. One should ask: Are they millennials? Gen Z? Gen X? From suburban America? Specifically LA? Then, he or she needs to figure out when this audience is typically on social media – is it early in the morning? Late in the afternoon? Late at night? One should also ask which social media platforms the target audience primarily use. Is it Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? LinkedIn? Once the information is obtained, social media marketing professionals then try to answer: Are they more likely to watch videos, reshare posts, or engage in comment threads? Knowing this information allows social media marketing managers to know what to create and where and how to place it.

Post courtesy of Jobble.org After decades spent in offices, the idea of working remotely seemed alien to a large part of the population even back in 2019, especially to those who have bonded with their colleagues and find face-to-face communication the most effective. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made adjustments, and not necessarily for the worse. People have switched to remote work for numerous reasons: family, personal, financial. If your employer has not offered you to work from home yet, there is no better time to inquire than ​now​. Studies show that most companies are willing to consider giving their workers opportunities to work from home at least partly, while many employees have already embraced the chance. With the emergence of tools such as Slack, Zoom, Trello and DocuSign, companies that never even considered vacating offices have given it a chance, and it paid off. In fact, a number of tech companies, including Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft, have officially let their employees work remotely permanently. This is a clear indicator that productivity need not fall compared to the usual state of affairs, and remote work may remain even after the pandemic subsides. So if you have decided that now is the time, start taking first steps. Ask your boss whether this is an option, but be prepared to motivate your request. The risk of contracting the coronavirus can be one of the reasons, but can you be sure that you can maintain the expected standard of work at all times? It is a sound idea to start off by suggesting working one or two days a week away from the office. This way you can show your ability to adapt, and as long as your productivity is not negatively affected, this is a great start. As for the tips to make remote working effective, here are some. It is easy to fall into the trap of “feeling at home”. There is likely less control, nobody is there to watch you and question your behavior. Therefore, it is crucial that you get yourself in the working mood. Think of it as your standard day at the office. Would you turn up in your PJs? Unlikely (well, maybe once a year!). Would you work lying down? Probably not. So don’t do this at home either. Take the process seriously. You would be surprised what a difference it makes! Besides, there may be urgent calls, and you want to be 100% prepared for them both visually and mentally. It is also easy to get distracted doing some chores. You may take 15-minute breaks, but anything that would seem unreasonable in the office is a no at home too. Stick to your normal working hours and leave housework for lunchtime or afterwards. It is highly important to set up your desk. Make sure you get natural light during daytime and use a comfortable chair. These things are crucial for productive work. But if your employer does not offer an option to work remotely, don’t lose heart either - there are plenty of openings on offer nowadays if you look out for them, even in the most conservative of industries. One of the easiest ways to look for them is by using an ​aggregator​ of all the different vacancies available. Use keywords “online”, “remote” and “home” to find the listing that offer remote work and specify the industry and position you would be interested in. To save you time and not to miss any new ones, you can sign up to a regular mailout to get all the latest job offerings delivered right to your inbox. The times might be tough, but considering how many companies have switched to online work mode, you will be presented with a number of options. It is up to you to make the most of the opportunities provided. As long as you devote the time to find the job of your dreams, whether it be at your current place or elsewhere, the world is your oyster!