Long-term and post-acute care publication
Start your organizational journey to lasting diversity and inclusion by having those sometimes difficult conversations about inequities, racism, and related issues in your workplace. Then prepare to do the hard work to create lasting change.
At the start of the 2020 Annual Summit of the Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Collaborative (AELTCC) late last year, Larry Minnix, author, consultant, and former CEO of LeadingAge, shared a hard truth: “If you are a person of color, you are likely to get poorer quality of care, fewer choices. We have people providing care who aren’t getting adequate benefits or play. This is where we need to start.”
Jack is upset. At a meeting yesterday his boss put the blame on Jack’s team for a project being behind schedule. Jack confronts his boss, who denies the allegations and pretty much tells Jack he didn’t really hear what he heard. He suggests Jack is too sensitive; and he says he won’t hold Jack’s allegations against him or his team. Jack leaves the office frustrated and confused.
This is classic gaslighting; and it can damage morale, engagement, motivation, and productivity at work; and it can lead to turnover.
The holidays can be chaotic, particularly during challenging times like we’re currently experiencing. Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sent out a notice reminding employers about their responsibility to protect worker safety during the holidays.
As COVID-19 rates surge throughout the country, medical experts and others are discouraging large gatherings such as parties. No doubt, you want to recognize the hard work of your teams and treat them to some fun and R&R; but you’ll have to find alternatives to traditional holiday parties.
Businesses have learned much more about cybersecurity over the past year. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news? So have cybercriminals. New threats are ahead in 2021, but you can prepare now to protect your data and your company.
Maria signs onto Zoom for her department’s weekly staff meeting. She is caught up on all her projects, and she’s feeling confident about her performance and her value to the organization. Suddenly, out of nowhere, her boss says that one of their clients is upset and accuses Maria of being responsible. He says she’s fallen behind on deadlines and didn’t return key emails. None of this is true. Marie is shocked. She realizes she is being scapegoated, but she doesn’t know how to respond.
If this sounds familiar, either because it’s happened to you or a colleague, you know that scapegoating can hurt morale and engagement and contribute to turnover. Addressing it promptly and appropriately is key to a healthy workplace.
You just have to spend five minutes on Twitter or Facebook to see how divided Americans are and how passionately people hold their beliefs. In the days and months to come, these feelings aren’t just going to disappear. To keep differences, disagreements, and even grudges from growing and festering in the workplace, it’s essential to start building bridges and healing rifts now.
According to a new survey, one-fourth of U.S. workers say they’ve considered quitting their jobs during the pandemic. As to why, about 70% cite the challenges of juggling work, childcare, and other responsibilities. Some say that fears of being infected with COVID-19 are a major concern. As a temporary solution, about a fifth say they’ve taken leave until they figure out what their next step should be.
COVID is unlike any challenge employers and their employees have ever faced. Every day, there are new questions. Many of these involve legal rights and responsibilities. Know the answers so that you can protect everyone and avoid workplace woes that hurt your teams and your company.
