How blind hiring can increase company diversity

Listen to your team before requiring an office return | practice | How blind hiring can increase company diversity Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( March 20, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] [Listen to your team before requiring an office return]( [Listen to your team before requiring an office return]( (Nuthawut Somsuk/Getty Images) Companies such as Apple and Amazon are implementing mandatory return to the office, fearing that collaboration and productivity are suffering under hybrid and remote work, but Caitlin Duffy, director at Gartner HR, says the problem "is not the result of hybrid working, but a failure to fully optimize it." To do that, bosses must be willing to listen to the concerns of their employees, including their desire for flexible schedules, which can ultimately lead to higher productivity and a more inclusive and equitable workforce, experts say. Full Story: [CNBC]( (3/16), [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (3/11), [HRZone (UK)]( (3/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Giving employees a choice of where they work -- either from home, the office or a mix of the two -- can help a company boost its diversity, equity and inclusion, writes Gethin Nadin, the chief innovation officer at Benefex. "It appears that for many marginalized groups, working remotely removes some of the subtle racism, sexism and homophobia that can exist in our workplaces."   [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [How blind hiring can increase company diversity]( [How blind hiring can increase company diversity]( (zakokor/Getty Images) Make blind hiring practices that judge candidates on skills over demographic attributes successful by writing gender-neutral job advertisements, using artificial intelligence-based candidate-screening tools and assembling a diverse hiring team that is well-trained to recognize their own unconscious biases, writes Einav Lavi, the chief human resources officer at Qualitest. "If done right, it results in increased fairness and consistency and identifies the best talent for the job," Lavi writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (3/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: After a round of blind hiring, Lavi recommends that you pay attention to your data to see if the process is working or needs further tweaking. [] Smarter Communication [] [Be specific if you want specific feedback from your boss]( If your boss is reticent to give you feedback, make it easier by asking them to assess a specific situation, the process and results and suggesting your next steps, writes Kim Scott. "Your boss will be able to say what's on their mind much more easily for a specific, recent occurrence, rather than trying to come up with feedback if you ask more broadly about how you're doing," Scott writes. Full Story: [Radical Candor blog]( (3/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: If all else fails and you can't pin down your boss for feedback, Scott recommends doing the next best thing and ask your peers, or other managers who have seen your work, for their thoughts and direction. WorkRamp Learn Spring 2023 How do you keep employees engaged and productive in the face of uncertainty? Join us to hear tips and insights from top People leaders. They'll share how they're tackling challenges in 2023. This is an SHRM-accredited event. [Get your free ticket.]( ADVERTISEMENT: Featured Content from TechRadar Pro Insights and resources brought to you by one of our sister brands - [What are the best web hosting services? We've tested the market in depth]( - [How to get premium web hosting for free]( - [Every small business needs a website - but what's the best SMB web hosting package?]( [] Smarter Strategy [] - [Moves CEOs should make now in the wake of bank failures]( Chief Executive (3/17) [] - [How to avoid "engineered insincerity" in customer relations]( Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (3/17) [] - [Why optimizing multiples can cause multiple problems with strategy]( McKinsey (3/17) [] Smarter Working A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer [] [Nadella: AI "will fundamentally change the way we work"]( [Nadella: AI "will fundamentally change the way we work"]( Nadella (Microsoft) Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella last week introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot -- an expansion of the company's artificial intelligence capabilities that will bring the large language model technology to applications including Word, PowerPoint and Excel. "Just as we can't imagine computing today without a keyboard, mouse or multi-touch, going forward, we won't be able to imagine computing without copilots and natural language prompts," Nadella says. Full Story: [CNBC]( (3/16), [GeekWire]( (3/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Pfizer CEO offers leadership and career lessons]( [Pfizer CEO offers leadership and career lessons]( Bourla (Pfizer) Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla discusses his career path and how moving from animal health to pharma was an important learning experience. "From a leadership perspective, it taught me how to rely on others to get things done. ... I had to grow and learn to manage the work of others, because I didn't understand their work," Bourla says. Full Story: [Duke University]( (3/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Breathtaking photos win British Wildlife contest honors]( Charlie Page took the top honor in the British Wildlife Photography Awards with his compelling image of a red fox with the encroachment of human industry into its habitat in the background. Another red fox enjoying dandelions won the animal portraits category while majestic images of mountains, forests and owls also won prizes. Full Story: [My Modern Met]( (3/15) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [4 Latino-based values that build good corporate culture]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Headed for the exit? Cover all these bases first]( Harvard Business School Working Knowledge [] - [Why pursuing happiness may leave you feeling empty]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Rihanna rewards seniors singing her song on TikTok]( Complex online [] - [Be flexible with leadership styles to fit the situation]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] POLL QUESTION: Pro golfer Babe Didrikson also played baseball, pitching in an exhibition game March 20, 1934. What team was she on? Check answer [here](. [Vote]( [Baltimore Orioles]( [Vote]( [Cleveland Indians]( [Vote]( [New York Giants]( [Vote]( [Philadelphia Athletics]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Candace Chellew For some leaders, giving and receiving feedback is as easy as breathing. For others, though, it's like pulling teeth. [Kim Scott has some solid advice]( for the direct report of the latter kind of manager, including having a "go-to" question ready when you're in a one-on-one and bringing up an area you want to improve to get their thoughts. "Think of some criticism for yourself and mention it to your boss. Ask if they agree and then give them time to respond and elaborate," Scott writes. Those who report to us need our feedback to improve their skills. If it's easy for you to give feedback, talk with other managers and help those who find it difficult to give feedback. Your team members will thank you! If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or [send this link](. What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have praise? Criticism? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. 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