In the world of employee engagement, there are few topics as critical and dynamic as the language we use to communicate inclusively with diverse employee groups. Using inclusive language is a great way to show, not just tell, your organizational values.

In this interactive presentation, communications and DEI expert, Farida Habeeb, PhD, will break down why inclusive communications matter — and what kinds of language you should (and shouldn’t) use in your employee communications. Come ready to ask questions, push back, and learn!

In this session you will learn:

• Accelerating fairness and equity are at the heart of Cisco's Conscious culture
• Inspiring employees to create generational change for communities inside and outside of Cisco
• Building ecosystems of impact

71.1% of all college professors in the United States are white, while only 9.9% are Asian and 9.3% are Hispanic or Latino/a. Nationwide, just over 5% of all full-time faculty members at colleges and universities are Black.

During this session, you’ll learn how to:

• Create inclusive committees
• Deliver messages that encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Find inspiration from other industries

The confluence of global events during 2020 and their continued occurrence in 2021 has heightened employees’ desire to connect. While stress and wellness programs at companies are gaining popularity, they don’t address core issues around stigma and company culture. A (2020) survey of 1,200 U.S. employees showed that more than 40% have experienced a decline in mental health since the outbreak of the pandemic yet utilization rates of common resources like Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are as low as 4.5%. Inclusive organizations focus on employee well-being and employees that experience high levels of well-being are more inclusive. Effective well-being initiatives accommodate the unique needs of different employees and best-practice diversity, equity and inclusion programs recognize that well-being is a diversity issue.

Session Objectives

Participants will gain an understanding of how well-being focused Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can enhance organizational DEI efforts to foster more inclusive workplaces through addressing whole person needs: emotional, physical and financial. We will also look at examples of how ERG collaboration with each other and organizational wellness programs and partners can enhance work towards anti-racism and allyship through education and increased advocacy of well-being. Vaccine education will also be addressed.

Decades of research confirm that inclusive, diverse organizations that foster equity for all employees produce higher profits, a more engaged workforce, and greater innovation than less diverse organizations.  Each of these terms has a specific meaning:

• Diversity- Unique differences and perspectives that enhance the team's ability to achieve common goals and adapt to market demands. These differences may reflect culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity, age, religion, ability, and many other factors. Each unique difference expands an organization’s ability to perform.
• Equity- Providing equal opportunity for all team members to contribute, receive recognition, and move forward within the organization.
• Inclusion- Establishing a culture where every team member feels seen, heard, respected, and valued, creating a sense of belonging, motivating them to contribute to the team's success.

Session Objectives

Participants will leave the session with an understanding of the necessary skills and abilities to effectively create a culture of inclusion and belonging by:

• Developing the awareness and knowledge to recognize your and other’s biases and the subtle relationship mechanisms that can negatively impact others as bias becomes prejudice.
• Live the day-to-day behaviors that, through positive actions, decisions, and relationships, replace bias with respect and equity.
• Lead by engaging in mindful actions you can take to influence your organization and those around you to address and adjust their own biases in favor of inclusion, diversity, and equity.

Representation matters. And inclusive content (words, images, etc.) should be used to correctly portray that representation. When we are thoughtful of the content we use, we can acknowledge and respect diversity, address unconscious biases and create an inclusive environment over time. In this session, hear a case study of Freddie Mac’s journey to develop an inclusive content guide to accurately portray the diversity of the human experience.

Join us and learn:

• Freddie Mac’s process for developing an inclusive content guide
• The lessons learned throughout the development and roll-out process
• How communicators can embed inclusive content best practices into their organizations