UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

J. P. Rizal Ext., West Rembo, Makati City

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Course Title Title
Module
6 LATEST TOP TRENDS IN TOTAL REWARDS IN
No. THE CORPORATE JUNGLE
HRDM ELECTIVE 2
Prepared by DR. BERNIE E. BALMEO

At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the latest important trends in total rewards in the corporate

jungle.
2. Design an attractive total rewards in this trying time.
Learning Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

In 2022, the workplace saw a shift towards more flexibility and autonomy for employees.
Remote work became the norm, with many companies transitioning to a hybrid model of in-
person and remote work. This change was initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic but sustained
by a growing recognition of the benefits of remote work, such as increased productivity and
job satisfaction. However, 2022 brought a number of challenges for the global economy
including the outbreak of war in Ukraine, disruption of global supply chains and rising
inflation. These events had a significant impact on the workforce, leading to a number of
changes in the way that people worked and lived.
With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, many companies faced disruptions to their supply chains
and increased costs as a result of tariffs and trade restrictions. This led to widespread job
losses, as companies struggled to stay afloat in the face of these economic challenges.
Additionally, the ongoing conflict caused widespread displacement and disruption of people's
lives, making it difficult for many to find and maintain employment. Inflation, on the other
hand, caused a decrease in purchasing power, making it harder for people to afford basic
necessities.
These events had a number of consequences for the workforce, including increased stress
and burnout, as well as decreased job satisfaction and productivity. Additionally, the
 economic instability caused by war and inflation led to a lack of investment and a lack of
confidence in the future, which further undermined the workforce.

CONTENT

I. Important Trends in Total Rewards

1. Be more inclusive

The last couple of years have seen a big emphasis on creating a more equitable
society, both at a political and corporate level.

Inclusivity is key to rewards and recognition in 2022. With this in mind, make sure your
organization is offering a wide range of rewards that take into account the diversity of
your workforce.

This might sound like a daunting prospect, and that’s understandable, especially if
you’re responsible for devising a rewards programs for a larger business. Make sure
you work with an experienced recognition platform vendor that works with you to
identify the best solutions for your organization and that doesn’t just provide a set
platform of generic rewards.

2. Rewards should support every aspect of employee wellbeing

It’s no longer enough to simply reward a job well done with vouchers—you need to
look at recognition in a more holistic way.

This includes supporting each pillar of your employees’ wellbeing: physical, mental and
financial.

There are business benefits to making sure your people feel looked after too. A study
by the HAAS School of Business at UC Berkeley found that employees who felt valued
and cared for were 43% more effective and productive.

3. Link recognition to business goals

Your employees want to see hard work rewarded, but do you know what else they
value? Understanding what their purpose is.

When your team sees that their work matters they’re 4x as engaged and 175% more
productive, so when recognizing employee success make sure you’re also tying it back
to the impact they’re having on the business and its overall goals.

4. Accelerated digitalization
 With remote and hybrid working far more prevalent than before the pandemic, the
digitalization of the workplace has been accelerated. In 2022, it’s likely we’ll see this
trend in action when it comes to rewards, with digital recognition platforms that are
accessible from anywhere in the world being far more sought after.

5. Increased preference for digital gift cards and vouchers

A part of this push for digitalization will be an increased preference for digital gift cards.

Vouchers often get accused of being impersonal, but when you consider the
distributed nature of the post-Covid workforce, the immediacy and range of choice they
offer is a major plus for employers and employees alike.

The IRF Industry Outlook for 2021: Merchandise and Gift Cards report showed that
more than one quarter (27%) of respondents had shifted travel incentives budgets to
merchandise and gift cards.

Why is it important to remain on top of trends.

Rewards and recognition isn’t a set-and-forget process, and you need to ensure the business is
staying on top of trends in employee recognition to keep your policies and processes relevant.

The consequences of failing to effectively reward your employees are clear, but there are also a
number of benefits for your business if you get it right.

Reduced staff churn

Reducing staff churn is a big issue for organizations at the moment.

Last year, research found that a quarter of all employees were considering leaving their
jobs within three to six months. However, effectively rewarding staff can have a big impact
on this.

In fact, the presence of a recognition programs has been shown to reduce voluntary staff
churn by 31%.

Better business outcomes

If you’re struggling to secure buy-in from senior management, either for updating your
rewards programs or implementing one in the first place, this stat will help.

As part of their longitudinal survey series, Talent 2020, Deloitte found that organizations
with an effective recognition platform are 12x more likely to see ‘strong business
outcomes’.
 Improved talent acquisition

The most effective companies have access to the best and brightest talent, but how can
you ensure your business is competitive when it comes to acquisition?

We’ve already touched on how a lack of recognition affects retention, but it’s also key
when it comes to acquisition. In fact, WTW found that recognition was a key driver of
talent acquisition.

II. Employee Mental and Emotional Wellness

As the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus is felt around the world and governments
implement “social distancing” and quarantine measures to help stem the spread of the
disease, concerns about the long-term effects of the virus - on both physical and mental
wellbeing - are being raised.

The link between an individual’s mental health and every other aspect of their wellbeing,
from physical to financial, has long been discussed. Organizations are recognizing the
very real impact wellbeing can have on health as well as workplace performance and
productivity. As they do so, many employers are coming to understand the importance of
addressing employees’ mental health alongside other aspects of wellbeing.

The impact of mental and emotional health is significant. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), depression is one of the leading causes of disability, affecting 264
million people. Meanwhile, the global economy loses $1 trillion annually due to depression
and anxiety, according to WHO.

There is a broad range of issues that can have an impact on a person’s mental health.
These can include: divorce and separation, the 24/7 “always on” culture and its effect on
sleep, the need to juggle multiple responsibilities and roles in addition to work, financial
pressures, and, for many, the despair of isolation and loneliness.

Aon’s 2019 Emotional Health Survey found that 86 percent of employers surveyed rated
emotional health as one of the top three drivers of overall employee wellbeing, while 85
percent believe the employer plays a key role in supporting employee emotional health.
“We’re seeing more and more employers paying attention to mental health, whether it’s
increasing awareness, anti-stigma campaigns or, on the other side of that, better training
managers and supervisors to respond,” says Matthew Lawrence, chief broking officer for
health solutions in Europe, Middle East and Africa at Aon. “And given mental health’s
impact on our overall wellbeing, there’s a lot more work to be done.”

Bringing Our Whole, Emotional Selves to Work

Employees’ emotional distress can be reflected in a number of common symptoms. Each
can have an impact on core business processes, compliance requirements and workplace
safety.

 Sleep problems can result in safety-related mishaps or tardiness.

 Lack of concentration can result in procrastination and distraction.
 Slowed cognition can lead to indecision and project delays.
 Aches and pains can result in more frequent trips to the doctor and increased
health care costs.
 Forgetfulness can cause errors and omissions.
 Self-medication can result in missed deadlines and absenteeism.
 Irritability and tearfulness can strain work relationships with colleagues, supervisors
and clients.
 Low motivation or morale can result in reduced productivity.

“All dimensions of wellbeing – financial, social, physical – as well as how employees

experience their roles, will be affected by issues involving emotional or mental health,”
says Violetta Ostafin, chief executive officer for health and retirement solutions, Latin
America, at Aon.

Deploying Technology For Better Mental Health

Though some aspects of technology may increase loneliness, others are helping to build
communities and enabling individuals and employers to make better decisions.

For example, some mHealth apps allow users to interact not only with medical
professionals but also support groups of individuals with shared experiences and
conditions. These social interactions can help keep individuals engaged and feel
supported to better encourage behavioral change.

In the Asia Pacific region, technology already plays an important part in employers’
wellbeing efforts. “From access to user experience to analytics, technology has
revolutionized the way employers approach preventive health care and wellbeing,” says
Dr. Amitabh Deka, head of Wellbeing Solutions, South Asia and Aon Care at Aon.

“Counseling services is another area where mHealth apps and technology have gained
momentum,” adds Max Maggio, chief commercial officer for health and retirement
solutions, Latin America, at Aon. “Employers can deploy the technology to give employees
access to confidential counseling whenever and wherever they need it.”

Five Reasons to Include Emotional Wellness in Employee Wellness Programs

Companies who ignore emotional health do more than put their employees’ mental well-
being at risk. If stressed, unhappy employees spread negativity throughout the
organization, companies may find their complacency over their employees’ emotional
health also puts their business at risk.
Let’s explore five ways emotional wellness can help employees thrive in the workplace,
and how employers can help make it a priority:

Resilience

Sometimes, things don’t turn out the way people expect, and it’s not uncommon to take
these failures personally. When this happens in the workplace, it’s critical for employees
to have the coping skills in place to manage the missteps, learn from the experience, and
move on. What if they don’t have these skills? They can feel helpless and frustrated—
especially if they feel they’ve given 110%. And that sets up a “Why bother?” defeatist
attitude that decreases future performance.

On a recent webinar, executive coach Stella Grizont said, "Managing your mind and your
mood is the key to flourishing." Otherwise, we tend to have a negativity bias that can lock
us into a "negative mind trap vortex.

How Employee Wellness Programs Can Help

Emotional Resilience, or the capacity to calm your mind after a negative experience, is a
major factor in emotional health and job satisfaction. A wellness program that
helps develop emotional resilience will equip employees to deal with disappointment,
failure, or crisis, learn from it, and continue to move forward. This skill is not only valuable
at the workplace, it also helps staffers cope with personal crises or challenges.

Problem-Solving

Who hasn’t woken up in the morning after a good night’s sleep with the perfect solution to
a problem they’ve been brooding about all week? Often, taking a break lets employees
relax and rest their brains, which gives their subconscious the chance to see past
preconceived solutions and objectively evaluate the task at hand.

But some employees are incapable of giving themselves that kind of breathing room
during work hours, and that’s when trouble can brew. The more they overthink a task, the
more their performance and outcomes also worsen. This fretting is not only unproductive,
it can also damage the employee’s emotional health, potentially leading to sleeplessness,
panic attacks, and even depression.
How Employee Wellness Programs Can Help

A wellness program can provide strategies for stopping the cycle of negative, obsessive
thoughts. One effective method is distraction: When negative thoughts take over, have
employees engage in a new task that requires complete concentration. This could be a
completely unrelated work task, or it could be a simple brain-resetting trick, like saying the
ABCs backwards. Simply redirecting the focus for just two to three minutes can often be
enough to unclench the psyche, so that creativity and problem-solving skills can resume.
Sense of Self-Worth

Many people don’t realize that the brain recognizes rejections and failures the same way it
recognizes physical pain. While most people know to take care of themselves when
physically ill, they don’t always think to give themselves the same level of care when
they’ve taken a hit to their self-esteem. In fact, as self-esteem decreases, we tend to be
even harder on ourselves, creating a vicious cycle that makes us even more vulnerable to
stress, anxiety, and depression.

How Employee Wellness Programs Can Help

When employees experience low self-esteem, they become more vulnerable to feelings of
stress, rejection, and failure. Emotionally healthy individuals, however, know how to be
gentle, kind, and loving with the way they view themselves. Teaching self-compassion and
giving employees the tools to help their self-esteem recover can provide a big boost to
their emotional health, which in turn makes them more productive employees.

A helpful exercise is to have employees list on paper the positive qualities they know they
possess. Sometimes just the simple act of seeing these positive words written down can
improve emotional well-being. Make sure managers reinforce employee self-esteem by
showing appreciation and admiration for their team’s strengths, and that they treat
setbacks as an opportunity to teach, not berate.

Stress Management

Even in the most positive workplaces, a certain amount of stress is inevitable—but many
employees just aren’t very successful at managing it. Instead, they become overwhelmed,
unproductive, and anxious. When left unaddressed, this workplace stress can quickly lead
to burnout and create health issues.

Employees might love their workplace and their role, but even the most dedicated staffer
will burn out if overworked by long hours, poorly-scheduled shifts, or constantly recurring
“crunch” times. Companies might pride themselves on their hard-driving environment, not
realizing that overwork tends to come with rapidly diminishing returns on actual
productivity.

How Employee Wellness Programs Can Help

Corporate wellness programs should teach employees effective ways for dealing with
everyday stress, for example, by taking regular breaks, meditating in the morning or at the
end of the day, or practicing a daily stretching routine. Any one of these strategies can
help employees maintain a work-life balance, reduce negative thoughts, and calm frazzled
nerves.
 Employers also need to walk the walk, implementing humane work schedules and
workloads so that their people can recharge their batteries and come back to work fresh
and focused.

Workplace Support

Successful, loyal employees want to feel supported and valued, “emotional flaws” and all.
But emotional health can be a sensitive topic. Employees may be reluctant to share their
struggles, as they may be concerned their supervisors will see them as weak, unstable, or
incapable. Instead, they may cope by disengaging, doing only the bare minimum and
interacting with coworkers and managers as little as possible. Other employees may cope
with their emotional health struggles in unhealthy ways, turning to drugs or alcohol as an
escape.

In these circumstances, what appears to be a performance issue may in fact be an

emotional health crisis in disguise.

How Employee Wellness Programs Can Help

Management should promote a company culture that encourages openness and

acceptance. Employees who feel safe and supported will be more engaged and more
likely to seek out the support they need.

Employers can also add emotional health screenings to their wellness program. For
employees concerned about privacy, encourage them to use the company’s employee
assistance program (EAP). These programs have access to a large network of mental
health professionals and adhere to strict confidentiality standards.

Incorporating Emotional Well-being Into Your Employee Wellness Program

Employees need to hear a clear and consistent message that you care about their
emotional health.

The good news? You’ve probably already started to address mental health via employee
assistance programs, flexible work schedules, work breaks, and more.

But now’s the time to make a conscious push toward emotional wellness. Making
emotional and mental health a pillar of your wellness program can result in happier,
healthier employees, who also happen to be more engaged, productive, creative, and
loyal.
At WellRight, we understand emotional health is just one of the six components of
employee wellness that must fit together to develop healthy habits for life. View our
webinar, “The Science of Happiness: How to Build Resilience and Flourish at Work,” to
learn how to motivate employees to use positive psychology principles to support their
emotional wellness.

III. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace

In the complex, dynamic and diverse world we live in today, the more interconnected we
seem to get, the more polarised or segmented our communities have seem to become.
Which makes it standard for HR policy to state, “We are an equal opportunity employer.
We believe in diversity and believe in creating inclusive cultures.” While these buzzwords
are casually used in daily corporate lingo, actively incorporating Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion in the workplace is crucial for enterprises to succeed.

Around 78% of employees in the tech industry shared that DEI initiatives are very
important to them when considering whether or not to accept a job offer. For Black,
Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), this number jumps to 88%. Organizations can
no longer afford to only showcase inclusivity statements.

Leaders need to live it – build diverse workplaces, create equal opportunities, and
inclusive work cultures. Companies with more inclusive business cultures and policies see
a 59% increase in innovation and are 62.6% more likely to see increased profitability and
productivity.”

Understanding Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (DEI)

Diversity is defined as the presence of differences within a given setting. This includes
gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, communities, sexual orientation, place
of practice, and practice type. An organization creates a diverse workforce by recruiting
employees from various social and cultural backgrounds. This ensures that varied voices,
experiences and opinions contribute to building the company.

Inclusion refers to the intentional, ongoing effort to ensure that people with different
identities can fully participate in all aspects of the work of an organization, including
leadership positions and decision-making processes. It refers to the way that diverse
individuals are valued as respected members and are welcomed in an organization and/or
community.

Equity refers to an approach that ensures that everyone has access to the same
opportunities. It recognizes that advantages and barriers exist and that, as a result,
everyone does not start from the same place. Equity is a process that begins by
acknowledging that unequal starting place and works to correct and address the
imbalance. Equity ensures that all people have the opportunity to grow, contribute, and
develop, regardless of their identity.

Why diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace are central to organizational success?

As per a McKinsey Global Institute report, it has been estimated that closing the gender
gap would add $28 trillion to the value of the global economy by 2025 – a 26% increase.

1. DEI Affects Financial Viability

 Besides the fact that building inclusive environments helps employees feel a sense of
belonging and increases empathy among teams, DEI companies are doing financially
well.

Credit Suisse’s CS Gender 3000 report offers unique insight into the gender diversity
mix among 30,000 senior executives at over 3,000 companies across the world. The
2019 report findings show that Companies with women occupying 10% or more board
seats outperformed those with fewer than 10% women or with no women at all.

Companies in which women represent 20% or more in management have enhanced

their share price performance compared to companies in which women are 15% or
below in management.

2. Welcoming Skills and Talent

Organizations that build strong HR policies around diversity and inclusion attract the
right talent. Glassdoor’s D&I workplace survey reported 76% of job seekers and
employees consider a diverse workforce as an important factor when evaluating
companies and job offers. To this effect, Glassdoor added a new workplace factor
rating for companies in 2020 called – Diversity & Inclusion Rating. Salesforce has
the highest D&I rating at 4.6, with Google and Accenture not too far behind.

3. Millennial Workforce

Tapping into the millennial workforce – almost 75% of the workforce – requires
organizations to be ready with strong DEI in the workplace. Millennials have a different
view of DEI. About 86% of millennials feel that differences of opinion allow teams to
excel. Around 83% of millennials are actively engaged when they believe their
organization fosters an inclusive culture. Millennials expect their leaders to create
supportive work environments that respect their identities and opinions.

4. Balanced Teams Thrive in Crises

Covid-19 changed the way teams function worldwide. Remote working provided
leaders a window to look through the lives of their teams. Organizations that created
diverse groups and inclusive leaders, found that this diversity in the workforce enabled
them to solve complex problems. Companies with inclusive cultures leveraged skills
across teams to mitigate risks and identify new business opportunities.

While your hiring practices play a crucial role in fostering a diverse and inclusive
workplace culture, there are other diversity initiatives you should be putting in place for
your current workforce.

The following are some effective steps to managing a diverse workforce.

1. Compelling Communication
 Building good communications at all levels is critical to maintaining a diverse team
engaged and everyone on the same page while managing diversity in the workplace.

HR management must prioritize communication, consider feedback, and make use of

the data to foster diversity and positivity in the work environment.

Ensure that the employee is aware of the procedures, policies, security standards, and
other relevant information.

Focus on overcoming linguistic and cultural obstacles.

Have important documents, like security information, translated if necessary. Ensure

that everyone understands a warning, including images and icons on the sign.

2. Foster Open-Mindedness

A company that wants to promote employee diversity and inclusion must help staff
members accept one another for who they are while managing diversity in the
workplace.

Each employee in your company has a unique background, skin tone, and other
characteristics. They also all identify with a specific ethnic group. To fully utilize the
distinctive contributions that they make, it is crucial to embrace their originality.

Diversity is real, but don’t let it split your company apart. Instead, emphasize how
unique each individual is in their way and how their differences don’t matter.

When interacting with one another at work, let all employees maintain an open mind.
In this approach, they view their diversity as a tool that should be seized and used to
promote corporate development.

3. Leadership

It will be impossible for every employee to acquire diversity if the leadership team
doesn’t actively model and promote diversity from the start.

Leadership must grasp what diversity means for their business and how it affects the
organization’s actions, attitudes, and outlook.

Workforce diversity in management can be booming if top leadership adopts a

common aim, as the creation of policies falls under the purview of the organization’s
leaders.

Based on that, they can implement policies that either encourage or discourage
workplace diversity. The diversity project will be severely constrained if management
does not show initiative to action while managing diversity in the workplace.
4. Maintain Transparent Policies

Make sure your staff policies are in line with your equality documentation, which
should cover recruiting, compensation, and promotions. The employee handbook
should place a strong emphasis on diversity and cover the following topics:

 The company’s diversity strategy must get outlined in the code of conduct.
 Non-discriminatory communication must get covered in the communication
plan.
 A non-discrimination policy helps individuals understand the law and what is
prohibited.
 Salary and incentive policies.
 Regulation of unemployment and termination based on behavior.

5. Take a Cue from the Businesses that are Doing It Well

It becomes simpler to understand when we put it into practice, just like with any new
learning material. There are countless books on managing diversity in the
workplace, but until you understand how the ideas translate actually, it can be
demanding to put them into practice.

So, take a cue from the businesses dedicated to and committed to workplace diversity.
Do not be reluctant to get in touch with educational organizations that can offer training
to the business and instruct employees on how to cultivate a culture that celebrates
diversity rather than runs from it.

6. Encourage Employees to Report Instances of Bias and Discriminatory at Work

Any concerns sensitive to a particular tribe or culture must be taken with zero
tolerance by the organization while managing diversity in the workplace.

Promoting diversity at work requires proper sanctions. It seems there will be a

decrease in the frequency of such situations if employees are encouraged to report
discrimination and workplace biases.

Every employee has the right to an office environment free from prejudice. Therefore,
it is necessary to outlaw any jokes that use demeaning verbal or nonverbal clues
based on race.

7. Equality

Treat each organization member fairly and with respect.

Put an end to stereotypes, both positive and negative. Please refrain from concluding
someone’s class or cultural background. Put your biases to the side.

Respond to employee biases or preconceptions right away and decisively. Recognize

that your laws forbid discrimination. Encourage employees to evaluate coworkers
 based on their performance on the job rather than on their attributes while managing
diversity in the workplace.

Our unconscious prejudices and opinions can frequently cause us to misinterpret a

scenario. As a result, the management must be sincere and careful.

8. Sensitivity Training

You must provide the necessary teaching if your company is new to workplace
diversity. Due to being accustomed to a uniform culture, the older staff may be hesitant
to adhere to the new standards.

Spend money on sensitivity training and develop a respect- and equality-based culture
for managing diversity in the workplace.

Help your people capture the dos and don’ts of diverse workplace culture by providing
online awareness training focusing on-

 How do we respect the views of others?

 How should one respond to offenders?
 How can one be adaptable to beliefs that are different from their own?

9. Encourage Diverse Teams

Making your mixed employees collaborate in diverse teams will help to foster their
individuality. Teams with a diversity of backgrounds foster respect and camaraderie
among the members.

Additionally, diverse groups broaden the team’s perspectives and convictions and
value the power of their innate talents and insights.

Businesses must take advantage of the beauty and strength of having an assorted
workforce in managing diversity in the workplace. And it all begins with inclusivity
and providing equal opportunities to all employees.

10. Hiring

The right talent is drawn by their employer brands thanks to a diverse workforce.

Glassdoor research found that 67% of job searchers accepted that a diverse staff was
essential when evaluating employment offers, and 57% believed that their employers
should be more diverse. Employing a variety of labor pools helps find qualified
candidates more quickly.

As a result, hire and seek out individuals from different cultures to foster a diverse
workplace. It encircles people in positions of authority and those who decide who to
interview and test for expertise to address prejudice.
 Employers managing diversity in the workplace should put aside their prejudices
and select the finest individuals; those with the required credentials, competence,
skills, and abilities may create a diverse workplace.

Some Inspiring Brands

Leading tech companies such as Apple, IBM, Airbnb, Netflix, and Google have solid DEI
manifestos. They have built DEI strategy teams that actively work towards adhering to them.
The State of DEI in Tech 2021 report by Built-in shows that 46% of companies have a DEI
manifesto in 2020 and is expected to be around 56% by the 2021-year end. 66% percent of
tech companies plan to implement DEI metrics reports in 2021 to measure the credible DEI
efforts. (Source)

1. Netflix inspiring cultural change: It lives by its manifesto of diversity. The Netflix Fund
for Creative Equity is committing to invest $100 million over the next five years in
organizations that help underrepresented communities train and find jobs in TV and
film. Earlier in January, the streaming giant released its first-ever inclusion report
– Inclusion Takes Root at Netflix: Our First Report. The report takes you through the
numbers and D&I initiatives in Netflix. Inclusion recruiting programs, equitable
pay, flexible parental leave policy, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and more.

2. Slack: The collaboration and project management tool app keeps its DEI initiatives
close to its core values. As per its 2019 DEI published reports, women constitute
45.8% of their workforce and 50.2% of the managers (employees with direct reports)
are women, globally.

The Slack for Good initiative aims at increasing the number of historically
underrepresented individuals in the technology industry. Few of their initiatives include:
pledging 1% of company equity, time and product to the community, offering grants to
local organizations. They also have a pilot programme that aims to help ex-offenders
find long-term skilled employment in the technology sector
3. Interpublic Group (IPG): Driving D&I since 2005: A leading advertising company IPG
has close to 55,000 employees with 22% in People of Color in total management. For
the last 15 years, IPG has actively worked towards building diversity, equity and
inclusion. This has resulted in IPG earning a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality
Index.

They’re also the first global marketing services holding company to be included on the
HRC’s list of ‘Best Places to Work’ for LGBTQ+ people. In 2021, IPG was named to
the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index for the second year in a row. (Source)
What can you do to adopt diversity equity and inclusion in the workplace?

First, start asking the right questions and begin the introspection. What are the unconscious
biases we need to unpack? Where can the organization start with its DEI efforts? Can the
organization assemble employee resource groups (ERGs) to create more inclusive language
within each department?
 Secondly, analyze the human resources data. What have been the hiring practices? Is the job
posting language inviting hires from diverse communities? What demographics is the talent
acquisition team working within? Are we creating balanced teams at the top and across the
hierarchy?

Additionally, tailor DEI programs as per departments, demographics, and regions. Not every
team faces the same challenges. Developing a curious approach and empathy towards
employee experiences will enable leaders to create personalized yet leveled initiatives for
diversity equity and inclusion in the workplace.

And finally, don’t restrict to just diversity hiring – trying to fit an employee into the
organizational culture. Change the hiring lens to recruit employees from diverse backgrounds
as contributors to the culture instead.

Judith Williams, Global Head of People Sustainability & Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
at SAP shares, “In tech, we often hire for culture fit. Instead, we should hire for cultural
contribution. Ask: ‘What does this new hire bring to my team that I don’t already have; what
skills, background, and perspectives?’

Getting started with DEI initiatives: learn with Emeritus

Learn how to design DEI strategy in your organization with Cambridge Judge Business
School – DEI certificate program offered through Emeritus. Through the program, leaders and
HR professionals study biases and practices that hinder diversity in organizations. Learners
can also learn about strategies to diversify the workforce and the role of data in planning DEI
initiatives.

IV. Career Development Opportunities

After graduating from college one thinks that it’s all figured out and you’re ready to take on
the corporate beast. Lucky you! if you have been selected through campus placements to the
company of your choice and the role that you dreamed of always.

But god forbid if you don’t have much of a choice in the company that you want to work for
and you’re placed in the job only to find later it’s not to your liking or interests. The struggle to
find a job is real.

The competition is cut-throat and the term “skillset” is thrown around a lot as if you’re a
machine with the wrong specifications. Job descriptions aren’t much help either. They seem
to be written in some Greek and Latin and especially for a fresher the term “work experience”
stings like a bee.

Tips on How to Survive in the Corporate World

Work on Personality
The first thing is to brush up on your soft skills. Smart people don’t have it all figured out.
They have to work hard too, just like everyone else. However, what sets them apart is the
way they do things. Confidence is key, positivity is key and proactiveness is key.

Can’t stress this enough. Having a positive mindset, a confident approach and a can-do
attitude is what will set you apart from the crowd. It gives your personality that extra shine to
be noticed. Over time, these 3 things will help you create that eminence and a personal
brand.

Be a lifelong learner

Inculcate a cradle-to-grave approach to learning. This is going to get you great results
throughout your career. Always say yes to learning new skills, attitudes, habits, and
approaches. Be open to learning at any point in your career. There’s always scope for
improvement so there are always new things that you can learn. It not only helps broaden
your viewpoint but also helps gain invaluable knowledge.

Technology is your friend

Be on top of the tech game. Whatever field you choose, research the top tech skills needed
and learn them. In case you missed my second point about learning – go back to point 2.
Being technically literate helps you in more ways than one, it gets your work done faster and
saves you the manual effort.

It gets you two steps ahead of the other candidates. Other benefits like a good pay package
will follow. Some of the most basic skills that every organization looks for in a potential
candidate is Excel.

Of course, there are more advanced technical skills like VBA and SQL that you can learn as
well to make your resume stand apart. Do yourself a favor and start being technically literate
in the field of your choice.

Be all ears for feedback

Learn to take feedback and criticism with a pinch of salt. Listen to what is being been being
said and not who is saying it. Welcome feedback whether positive or negative as both will
help you improve in your career. Do not get defensive or react to negative criticism rather
thinks and respond in a suitable manner.

If you have retrospected and found the feedback to be true then take proactive steps to
improve on it. If you feel after pondering on it that the feedback was unfair then prove the
critics wrong by becoming even better at what you do. Eventually, your biggest critics will
become your greatest admirers.
 Networking is not a puzzle

Networking is not as difficult as it’s made out to be. You just need to be yourself and be
authentic. Don’t put on an act to impress people, it doesn’t work and almost always fails. You
can’t pretend to be someone you’re not all the time.

The best person you can be is yourself. Get to know people and listen actively. Listening
helps you connect in a real way, and remember small things and key information. Be genuine
when meeting people. Follow the basic etiquette like thank you and please. Be open to
making new connections always.

Don’t have a mindset of “what I will gain but rather think about what you can give”. You will
gain immensely with an attitude of giving and gaining friends along the way. Have an attitude
of gratitude.

Don’t say “Yes” when you should say “No”

There will be numerous situations throughout your career where you are expected to say
“Yes”, however, don’t say “Yes” just because a higher-up is asking you to do something.
Question yourself if this is something that is ethically correct if you’re having the time to
complete it without burdening yourself and if there is a better way of doing the task.

Say yes when you find yourself answering “yes” to these questions. Of course, the questions
may differ from person to person based on your own career path and personal values. But in
the end, be true to yourself and bring a personal touch to everything that you take up .

V. Benefits for Remote Workforce

As we’ve long known, remote work has a host of advantages for workers. We’re listing out the
best of the best benefits of working from home—some you may already be aware of, and
some that may open your eyes even more to remote work’s impact on employers,
employees, the economy, and the planet.
1. Better Work-Life Balance

Many remote jobs also come with flexible schedules, which means that workers can
start and end their day as they choose, as long as their work is complete and leads to
strong outcomes. This control over your work schedule can be invaluable when it comes
to attending to the needs of your personal life.

Whether it’s dropping kids off at school, running some errands, attending an online
fitness class in the morning, or being home for a contractor, these tasks (and more!) are
all easier to balance when you work from home.

2. Less Commute Stress

The average one-way commuting time in the U.S. is 27.1 minutes—that’s nearly an hour
each day spent getting to and from work, and it really adds up. According to the Auto
 Insurance Center, commuters spend about 100 hours commuting and 41 hours stuck in
traffic each year. Some “extreme” commuters face much longer commute times of 90
minutes or more each way.

But wasting time commuting is just one of the downsides of getting to and from
work. More than 30 minutes of daily one-way commuting is associated with
increased levels of stress and anxiety, and research shows that commuting 10 miles
to work each day is associated with health issues like:

 Higher cholesterol
 Elevated blood sugar
 Increased risk of depression

Ditching the commute helps you support your mental and physical health. The time
savings can allow you to focus on priorities outside of work, like getting extra sleep in
the morning, spending more time with family, getting in a workout, or eating a healthy
breakfast.

3. Location Independence

One of the considerable benefits of telecommuting is having access to a broader range

of job opportunities that aren’t limited by geographic location. This can be
especially helpful for job seekers living in rural communities and small towns where
there may not be many available local positions.

Having no set job location means that, pre-pandemic, fully remote workers could also
travel and live as digital nomads while having a meaningful career. Though a full nomad
lifestyle is currently on hold, as borders begin to open up, it’s still a definite perk.

People who have to move frequently, such as military spouses, can also benefit from
having a remote job that can be done from anywhere, without having to start over at the
bottom of a new company with each move.

In addition, remote work is a great way to avoid high-rent and high-mortgage areas,
especially for positions (like tech) that used to require living in a city with a high cost of
living. With remote work, you no longer have to live near a major metropolitan area to
have a career you love. (See work from anywhere jobs).

4. Improved Inclusivity

Remote work enables companies to embrace diversity and inclusion by

hiring people from different socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural
backgrounds and with different perspectives—which can be challenging to
accomplish when recruiting is restricted to a specific locale that not
everyone wants, or can afford, to live near.
 And by hiring employees who can work from home in the communities where
they feel the most comfortable and supported, companies choose to support
diversity, community, and family.

Telecommute jobs give people who may have a hard time finding steady
employment at an onsite job, like those with disabilities or caregivers who
need a flexible schedule, the opportunity to follow their career goals without
having to worry about commuting back and forth to an office. It also gives
workers the flexibility to get to doctor’s and other healthcare appointments
when needed.

5. Money Savings

People who work from home half time can save around $4,000 per year. Gas, car
maintenance, transportation, parking fees, a professional wardrobe, lunches bought out,
and more can all be reduced or eliminated from your spending entirely. These savings
add up and put more money back into your pocket.

And the savings aren’t just for employees, either. As more and more companies allow
employees to continue working remotely post-pandemic—like Twitter, Square, Shopify,
and Facebook, to name just a few—they’ll also see significant long-term cost savings.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, a typical company can save around $11,000
per year for every employee who works from home at least some of the time. In fact,
FlexJobs has saved more than $5 million from remote work on things like:

 Overhead
 Real estate costs
 Transit subsidies
 Continuity of operations

During the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. employers are saving over $30 billion per day by
allowing employees to work from home. This major economic benefit of remote work
could continue as more companies make it a long-term solution.

6. Positive Environmental Impact

The 3.9 million employees who worked from home at least half time before the
pandemic reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking more than
600,000 cars off the road for an entire year. A whopping 7.8 billion vehicle miles
aren’t traveled each year for those who work at least part-time from home, 3 million tons
of greenhouse gases (GHG) are avoided, and oil savings reach $980 million.

And by making environmentally sound choices—like opting to use less paper and
monitoring their air conditioning, heating, and lighting—telecommuters have the same
potential impact on air quality as planting an entire forest of 91 million trees.

7. Impact on Sustainability
 Remote work supports a variety of sustainability initiatives, from economic growth and
reduced inequalities, to sustainable cities, climate change, and responsible
consumption.

One of the fastest, cheapest ways for employers and employees to reduce their carbon
footprint and affect climate change is by reducing commuter travel. In fact, the world
is already seeing markedly reduced pollution, congestion, and traffic during the
pandemic response, and being able to experience the results firsthand may be a driver
of remote work for everyone involved.

8. A Customize Office
Being able to create a comfortable home office is an excellent benefit of remote work.
Whether you simply want a more ergonomic chair or you have health issues that require
specialized office equipment, you can set up your home office and make it whatever you
want.
9. Increased Productivity and Performance

Telecommuting usually leads to fewer interruptions, less office politics, a quieter noise
level, and less (or more efficient) meetings. Add in the lack of a commute, and remote
workers typically have more time and fewer distractions, which leads to increased
productivity—a huge benefit of working from home for both employees and employers
alike.
When done right, remote work allows employees and companies to focus on what
really matters—performance. Unfortunately, the office environment can create “false
positives” that can lead to bias and favoritism. After all, coming in early and leaving late
may “look” like more work, but actual performance is a much better indicator of
productivity.

And FlexJobs’ 2020 survey found that workers who thought they might be more
productive working from home actually were more productive when working remotely.
Just over half of respondents (51%) said that they are more productive working
from home during the pandemic. When asked why, many cited fewer interruptions and
quiet work environments (68% for both) as part of the reason for their increased
productivity.
10. A Happier, Healthier Work Life

Remote, flexible workers tend to be happier and more loyal employees, in part
because working from home has been shown to lower stress, provide more time for
hobbies and interests, and improve personal relationships, among other things.

In addition to personal health and well-being, coworker and manager relationships can
be more positive without the distractions and politics that come along with an in-office
job. A reported 72% of employers say remote work has a high impact on employee
retention—plainly put, employees are sticking with their employer when they have
remote work options.

Working from home can also lead to better health in a variety of ways:
  More time for physical activity
 The ability to eat healthier
 Can recover from illness or surgery at home
 Less exposure to illnesses
 Ease of caring for a health issue or disability
 The option to create a comfortable and ergonomic workspace.

ACTIVITY/ASSIGNMENT

REFERENCES

Human Resource Management Revised Edition; Ferrer, Arcega &Pereda, Copyright

2020, Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing Inc., Intramuros, Manila.

Strategic Human Resource Management; Montoya, Dela Cruz, Sergote, Banaag,

Casas, Copyright 2017, Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing, Inc.,
Intramuros, Manila.

The Talent Management Handbook; Berger, Lance A. & Berger, Dorothy R.,

Online Sources:
https://www.sodexoengage.com/blog/the-latest-trends-in-employee-recognition-and-reward-strategy

https://www.aon.com/wellone/resources/impact-of-mental-health-on-employee-wellbeing.aspx

https://www.wellright.com/blog/5-reasons-to-include-emotional-wellness-in-wellness-programs

https://emeritus.org/blog/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-workplace/

https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/benefits-of-remote-work/