Littler Inclusion, Equity & Diversity Podcast

Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her special guest, Pranam Lipinsk, a dedicated scholar of Generation Z and co-founder of Door of Clubs, delve into the (unofficial) rule book for attracting and retaining these young professionals. They will: - Crack the code on “Gen Z Speak” - Outline what’s really most important to members of the iGen - Pinpoint the actions employers should be taking to att...

Margaret Parnell Hogan interviews Wendy Buckingham and Emily Haigh on how their experience as women in the U.S. military influenced their legal careers, and how their backgrounds shaped their outlook on gender equity in the workplace.

An effective way to increase diversity hiring is to require diverse candidate slates for interviewing. Such slates include at least two diverse or women candidates in the pool of finalists. Employers should take heed, however, because there are limits to which a recruiter or a staffing agency can go in building such a slate. Alyesha Dotson discusses the avenues to intentionally recruit for diversi...

Jennifer Youpa and Nina Markey discuss the importance of advancing gender equity in the workplace, how access and representation are critical to creating opportunities for women, and how women can help each other achieve their professional goals.

Jeanine Conley Daves hosts a conversation between Tom Bender and Shin-I Lowe. They discuss the importance of mentorship, what a successful mentorship relationship looks like, and how male mentor influences are equally important to women.

One year into a global pandemic, with vaccinations underway, we are eagerly preparing for social “re-entry.” But how do the isolating behaviors that we have now perfected - in the interest of sheer survival - bode for the concept of “inclusion” in a post-pandemic world? Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guest, Enidio Magel, Managing Director and Founder of the Multicultural Institute, con...

Episode 1 “Conversations with Women: Impacts of the Pandemic on Women in the Workforce,” in which Erin Webber and Zoe Argento discuss the affects the pandemic has had on working mothers and the impact on women in the workforce generally.

As more and more employers take steps to improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace, there’s an increasing demand to know if those measures are successful. In this podcast, Alyesha Dotson, Littler Shareholder, discusses ways in which employers can track progress in their DE&I efforts without tripping over legal hazards, and gauge individual and organizational change.

Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her special guest, author and Professor of Sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, Adia Harvey Wingfield, explore: - What “Diversity of Thought” encompasses - Reasons for the concept’s increasing appeal in recent years - The tension that exists between this and more “traditional” dimensions of diversity and its impact on the “Equity Conversation” - W...

Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas, Littler’s new Chief Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Officer Paul E. Bateman, and incoming Chief Equity Officer for the City of Baltimore Dana P. Moore provide an enlightening - and inspiring! - look at this new seat in the C-Suite. In this podcast, Cindy-Ann and her guests address, among other issues: Why the creation of this C-Suite position is gaining momentum...

With 2020 firmly behind us, let’s cast our minds forward into what our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion journey might look like in 2021. If you are an employer thinking about what you can do to take your DE&I goals to the next level in 2021, you are not alone. In this podcast, Office Managing Shareholder of Littler’s San Diego Office, Mishell Parreno Taylor and Shareholder of Littler’s Seattle office...

In this podcast, we tackle three intriguing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion questions. 2020 has been a tumultuous year where DE&I programming has grown by leaps and bounds in corporate cultures around the world. We discuss the hiccups that might have tripped up your past DE&I efforts, and explore avenues to ensure that your future DE&I programming flourishes in 2021 and beyond.

Littler’s Dionysia Johnson-Massie and Detrachia “Tray” André join Alyesha Asghar Dotson to discuss the rising popularity of facilitated workplace discussions about race (also known as “Courageous Conversations”) as an invaluable diversity, equity, and inclusion tool.

Littler’s David Goldstein and James Paretti join Alyesha Asghar Dotson to talk about President Trump’s Executive Order, “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,” which curbs the discussion of certain topics from diversity and inclusion training provided by federal contractors and grantees.

Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas, Mishell Parreno Taylor, Littler Shareholder, and Kiara Harlow, Senior Recruiting Director of The Partners Group, present a multifaceted examination of the diversity and inclusion challenges ahead for the legal industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. In this podcast, Cindy-Ann and her guests address the following: • How will the pandemic crisis and...

In the midst of our current global health crisis, the deliberate use of terms like “Chinese flu” and “Wuhan virus” has underscored hundreds of reports of racism and xenophobia directed to Asian-Americans. The spike has been so high that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently called on employers to be more attentive about creating “respectful workplaces” as reports continue to emerge...

Asha Santos, Shareholder in Littler’s Boston office, explains the purpose of bystander intervention training and the value of diversity and inclusion sessions in today's workplace.

Implicit bias in the workplace can start as early as the application process. A key study conducted by National Bureau of Economic Research found that significantly fewer employers responded to resumes listing stereotypically “black-sounding” names than resumes including similar qualifications but listing “white-sounding names.” Job advertisements might include words or phrases that – by accident...

A newly-released study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) states that the gender wage gap is more dismal than we thought. For every dollar earned by a man in a 15-year period, the study says, the average woman only makes 49 cents – and not 80 cents. Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guest, Littler Shareholder Yvette Gatling, examine the issue, discussing: • Some of the -...

Last month, we focused on what courageous steps organizations will have to take in response to emerging cultural shift reflected in movements that include “#MeToo” and “Times Up.” However, if meaningful culture change is going to ever happen, is too much of the national conversation focused on what companies need to do? Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and Rockhurst University Communication Prof...

It’s 2018, but the sexual harassment scandals and #MeToo movement that closed out 2017 are sure to shape the year – and years – ahead. From Hollywood Boulevard to Main Street, USA, no industry has been spared. But for all the turmoil that business leaders are either witnessing or enduring, they may have an opportunity to seize this moment and establish a dramatically new normal. In this podcast, L...

Affinity groups have been receiving mixed reviews from many of late. These groups have been lauded for improving the business, bolstering employee loyalty, and fostering a sense of community. However, these groups have also been criticized for creating employee silos, encouraging distrust and division, and functioning as mere “gripe sessions.” Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guests Patt...

Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guests Littler Shareholder Allan King, and author and historian Carroll “C.R.” Gibbs provide a multi-faceted examination of the label “People of Color.” In this podcast, Cindy-Ann, Allan, and C.R. address the following, head-on: - What are the historical underpinnings for the “People of Color” label? - Does or should any particular one racial group “own” this label? - What...

For those organizations that don’t have a dedicated Diversity & Inclusion Officer, many continue to experiment with where to house their D&I efforts. HR? Legal? Operations? Which departments are driving diversity in most U.S. organizations today, and what are the opportunities and challenges associated with those choices? Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guest, Debra Plousha-Moore, Syste...

After more than half a century of corporate diversity efforts - and notwithstanding the best of intentions - companies are still grappling with the ability to promote and retain females and people of color in their leadership ranks. In this podcast, Cindy-Ann Thomas and Gavin Appleby discuss the following: - The increasing use of "diversity bonuses" as an incentive that organizations are using to...