With over 15 years of experience in communications at public companies, Rachel Ceccarelli currently serves as the Vice President of Engagement at DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) based in Denver, Colorado. In this role, Rachel focuses on advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives, driving employee engagement through training and cultural initiatives, and overseeing programs which create an equitable and attractive workplace for DHI employees. She shares: 1. Establishing a channel for employees to provide feedback is free. Be prepared to listen and take action, while also recognizing limitations due to budgets, resources, etc. 2. Employees are the greatest asset and should be the source for feedback and be included in the solution to move forward. Employee Resource Groups can be low cost, yet incredibly valuable. 3. DEI has gotten a bad reputation partly because companies fall back on their promises and partly because professionals feel it is just a buzz term with no action. Real DEI embraces the differences of people, recognizes that equity is essential to moving forward as a culture and business and values inclusivity not just in words but in practice. Find Rachel on LinkedIn and Julie at https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

Shari Foos is the founder of The Narrative Method, an award-winning 501C3 that addresses the crisis of loneliness through profound and fun group experiences. Salons, workshops and retreats invite diverse individuals to deeply connect to themselves and each other through sharing their stories, creativity and humanity. She shares: The importance of having the experience of being seen and heard without judgment Why creative expression is a way to deepen your relationship with yourself How to practice Relational Mindfulness to be a better ally Follow Shari at https://www.thenarrativemethod.org/ and Julie at https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

By shifting the focus from short-term tactical initiatives to longer-term strategic commitments, organizations can develop a more thoughtful DEI strategy. Full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/07/28/dei-is-a-long-game-how-to-budget-strategically/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

Diversity-and-inclusion problems cost organizations in higher turnover and less innovation, and they lose the competitive advantage. Read full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/09/01/5-clues-to-determine-if-your-team-has-an-inclusion-problem/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

Hiring quotas, “bad guy” training, diversity tokenism and public-education overstep are four legitimate concerns organizations can use to avoid DEI backlash.  Read full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/08/25/dei-backlash-4-legitimate-concerns-to-avoid/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

With anti-DEI messages dominating the headlines, it's critical that leaders show the importance of DEI work through its impact. Read full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/06/19/dei-may-be-challenged-but-its-impact-is-undeniable/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

Language matters. If DEI is the right acronym for your organization, don't let the naysayers force you to pivot. If people understand what it means, why it matters and how the organization is using DEI to create a competitive sustainable advantage, it is likely a long-term fit. If you're getting resistance where people are not willing to be allies, perhaps pivoting to a word like “inclusion” or “belonging” might be a better fit.  Read full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/08/21/is-it-time-to-rename-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

The business case for diversity is not new. It has been around for decades. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leaders have been sharing the same business case for years. It has been demonstrated time and again that diverse-led organizations are: Thirty-nine percent more likely to outperform those lacking diversity Twelve times more likely to engage and retain employees Nearly eight and a half times more likely to inspire a sense of belonging Eight and a half times more likely to satisfy and retain customers Read the full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/06/26/why-are-we-still-talking-about-the-business-case-for-diversity/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

Successful organizations embed DEI into their cultures to avoid political polarization and keep a steady drum beat of DEI communications. Read full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/07/14/how-to-talk-about-dei-work-in-a-polarizing-political-climate/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ 

Psychological safety, simply put, means creating a place where people can share hard things. In the workplace, that means employees feel safe to speak up about mistakes, weaknesses and failures, and they feel they can challenge the status quo openly without fear of retribution.  Julie unpacks what it is and why it matters in this week's podcast. Read full article at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/03/08/how-psychologically-safe-is-your-workplace/ Find Julie at: https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/