Create your own adventure.

Let’s start off on the right foot

“If you do not answer the noise and urgency of your gifts, they will turn on you. Or drag you down with their immense sadness at being abandoned.” — Joy Harjo

The skinny

Let Monday be a reminder to invest in employee training—both cultural and professional.

♥

Reputation.

Columbus Day is the most inconsistently recognized of all the U.S. holidays. In some states, Monday will be like any other workday, some employees will enjoy paid time off, and still others will appreciate native communities with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Bank Holiday.

Hawaiians honor Discoverer’s Day and Latinx folks similarly celebrate Día de la Raza. No matter where you live in the nation, you’ll still need to make those deposits today before financial institutions close until Tuesday.

You've got a friend in me.

As diversity becomes a more nuanced topic in the workplace, remember it’s all about how underrepresented employees actually feel at the end of the day. Well-intentioned enough, too many DEI initiatives aren’t fostering new friendships and developing a greater sense of belonging.

Buzzword alert.

Belonging is one way to measure the real impact of DEI efforts. When employees aren’t represented at all levels of the business, moving up the corporate ladder results in a weaker sense of connection. By the time Indigenous professionals make it to mid-level management, their sense of belonging has decreased by a factor of nine.

Outside the box.

HR must get creative to develop cultural competence in the workplace. When employees are culturally educated, opportunities arise every day to share ideas and listen to each other.

Create your own adventure.

Workers may not have the same access to education, but their character, eagerness, and skills are in high demand. Lots of you probably already offer professional development opportunities, but are your practices truly embracing nontraditional career paths?

Owe you one?

It’s tempting to think of education benefits as a favor to employees… reality is education not only promotes equity, but without it, all employees are at a disadvantage. The people are craving knowledge, so let’s give it to them!

Date with Data: Degree requirements adjust as 16% of American Indians have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 32.1% of the overall adult population.

Double Date: Of workers with employer-sponsored health coverage, nearly one-third are underinsured and likely declining essential care.