Mystery Date

reflecting on life

Last week I suffered celebrated my birthday. I have never felt comfortable with the commemoration of the day – no “birthday month” let alone a “birthday week” for me.

Even as a kid I never felt an overwhelming desire for anything flashy; I literally cannot remember a single specific time when I had a party or did anything beyond having a special cake for dessert. I think part of this lack of caring comes from having a January birthday – one that comes fast on the heels of all the holidays.  Festivities were held and gifts were exchanged in December…must we do it all again?

Rather – and I realize this sounds incredibly gloomy and fatalistic – my birthday has always struck me as a harbinger of my own impending mortality rather than a reason to celebrate my (inevitable) aging.  And, since it occurs 3 weeks after I’ve already gotten through New Year’s Day – with its built-in expectations to take stock of one’s life and map out resolutions – I am well past done.

Too much.

And yet…I do admit to wondering “why” I can’t just seem to embrace the excitement that could come with a New Year – New Me moment. Why do others seem to have it in them to self-reflect and self-assess? Create vision boards. Choose a “word for the year.” Set mantras and power chants and whatnot?

I sort of, for the first time, came somewhat closer this year.

Why? Because this year my January birthday not only came sliding in shortly after New Year’s and the end-of-the-year holidays but my birthday marked 57 days post-surgery.  Un-planned, un-anticipated surgery (2 days before Thanksgiving) that got scheduled after I went into cardiac arrest in early November and then spent several weeks either unconscious or in the weird state of hospital-induced delirium. Thankfully, I don’t recall these 12 or so days because I was, apparently, an atrocious patient.  But surgery went great (shoutout to Dr. B. and team!) and I am now the proud owner of an ICD.

I was, literally, on death’s door on November 10th. Knocking and ringing the doorbell. Trick-or-treating on the doorstep in my “lounge around the house and watch the Saints game cuz it’s Sunday” attire while life-threatening arrhythmia did a dance amongst my ventricles.

Life-changing (one would think) and somewhat momentous events.

Naturally, I assumed when New Year’s Eve arrived, I would be taking stock of my life and jotting down some resolutions. When that didn’t happen, I figured that surely, when my birthday rolled around (harbinger of my impending morality! Remember?), I would become super reflective and think about how I wanted to spend the the rest of my life.

But nope. Nothing struck me.

Rather I got to thinking about why I didn’t feel compelled to take stock. Nor, quite frankly, have I ever. Why is that?

Am I shallow? Am I a fatalist? Do I wonder if, when looking at my life too closely, I won’t measure up to my own – or others’ – expectations?

So I tried to force it. I even went old school and grabbed a journal-type thing (one benefit of going to so many HR conferences is I have a massive stockpile of quite high-quality notebooks) and put pen to paper. Surely, I thought, this will kick-start something.

What did I come up with?

  • An afternoon nap is life’s greatest pleasure.
  • I frankly don’t give a shit what other people think. Tho I do hope they think I’m kind.
  • I’ve spent my life working in HR and, by and large, am glad I did.
  • If my time on this mortal coil were to end right now, I hope I’ve left a nugget of a memory (laughter, happiness, joy) behind for others.
  • When we go…we go.  No need to worry about it.

As for resolutions to do ‘something’? I decided I needed to begin writing again.  That seems to have taken hold as this is the second post since my birthday.

Let’s see what other mysteries life will bring.

The SPACE We’re In: DEI Version

DEI ...NASA...space

When the Trump administration came into power earlier this week (good lord; has it ONLY been several days?), loads of folks were fired and moved around into “acting” positions with various agencies. One such person was Janet Petro, Center Director at Kennedy Space Center, who was moved into the role of Acting NASA Administrator.

Here is the memo she sent out, via e-mail, to agency employees:

Granted, these agency directors (acting or not) had no choice; they received a directive from the US Office of Personnel Management with sample templates. Janet, apparently, simply cut and pasted the “sample.” She didn’t editorialize or add any personal comments to the memo even though, as we will see below, she apparently has some different strong beliefs.

Do we blame her? The boss tells you to do something and you either acquiesce or you are gone. We’ve all seen, in our companies, the co-worker who pushes-back or voices their discontent about the-powers-that-be a bit too loudly and is (soon) the next victim in a round of RIFs.

Janet was probably pretty freakin’ excited, on a professional level, to get this promotion. Then, on day 2 into her tenure, she was required to do something that, based on what she is on the record with previously, appears to be the opposite of her personal belief system and morals.

What would you do?

And what, when our country’s survival depends on it, (it’s only day 4…) will OTHERS do?  

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From an article at Engineering-News Record (dated Nov. 10, 2021), Editor-in-Chief Janice Tuchman exchanged emails with Janet Petro who, at that time, was Director of Kennedy Space Center.

Among the quotes from Petro:

“At NASA and Kennedy Space Center, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility has been paramount to mission success. The entire NASA leadership team stands behind this commitment.”

“KSC has embraced the link between diverse teams and innovation. We reinforce this message with our entire workforce by including it as one of our DEIA Crucial Topics: ‘NASA sees DEIA as a mission imperative. Our commonalities unite us as a team, and the universe of our differences gives us the perspectives and insights that mitigate group think and confirmation bias.’”

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DEI and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

NDEAM

There’s been an accelerating trend amongst organizations, large and small, to cut and/or eliminate some (or all) of their stated commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. A recent letter sent and co-signed by twenty civil rights organizations to Fortune 1000 companies put it this way:

“These shortsighted decisions make our workplaces less safe and less inclusive for hard-working Americans.”

Often, in the minds of right-leaning and conservative politicians, influencers and a certain segment of a US political party, DEI has become “shorthand” for anyone who is “non-white.” We hear the dog whistles (and sometimes the blaring foghorns) when individuals are referred to as “DEI hires.” Or, another popular phrase along the line of “an organization/government agency has gone ‘woke’ and now they only want DEI hires.”

These comments are then latched onto by individuals with no concept of why, precisely, an organization commits to DE&I. There are also, most certainly, folks who are simply afraid that “an other” will receive support that in their mind THEY won’t receive.

But DE&I commitments benefit everyone working in an organization while also acknowledging that there are still people who remain on the margins.

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The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 61 million people in the US have a physical or mental disability. “Disabled,” of course, means many things but generally refers to a person with any significant physical, cognitive, mental health, learning, hearing, seeing, or communication impairments.

In 1945, for the first time, the United States set aside a national week to recognize the contribution of people with physical disabilities.  In 1988, Congress expanded the commemoration to a full month and the created NDEAM – National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Then, in 2021, we saw the creation of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

The World Health Organization reports that approximately 15% of the global population experiences some form of disability. However, the representation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce is markedly lower than that of their non-disabled counterparts. In the US, approximately 21% of people with disabilities are employed, while about 65% of those without disabilities are in the workforce. This gap underscores the critical necessity of prioritizing disability inclusion within DEI initiatives.

Unfortunately, mis-characterization of the true meaning and intent of DE&I, has led to the shuttering of departments, programs and offices in organizations and universities…harming additional individuals who could benefit from understanding, support, resources and acknowledgment of their worth and value as human beings intent on contributing the the success of their organization.

In the Workplace

Disability inclusion can include things like:

Companies can also a participate in the Disability Equality Index – a benchmark that helps companies build a roadmap of actions to improve disability inclusion.  

As with anything this should not be a “one month per year” endeavor; celebrating the value and talent workers’ with disabilities add to the workforce – and to our society – should be all year round.

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Resource: Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) – National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2024

Navigating the Digital Divide

I wonder how many times, during an ordinary day, I’m using a device or logging in to yet another site…without even thinking about it. Let’s take a quick inventory, shall we? As I’m writing this:

  • Chrome (6 tabs) and Edge (7 tabs) are open
  • Outlook and Teams are open and active
  • 3 SharePoint files are open (in desktop version)
  • Skype (yes… Skype!) is running silently in the background
  • Zoom is open and at the ready
  • Phone is propped next to me (and a text message just came in)
  • TV in home office is streaming some background noise
  • I’m sitting in the “waiting room” to be a guest on a podcast

And if (when?) the WIFI or platforms go DOWN it ruins my whole day.

We used to call this sort of stuff “first world problems” – and it still pretty much is when you think in the grander scheme of things.

BUT…with the omnipresent need for technology in ALL our daily living, within the US…right here at home…we are in danger of widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

A Wide Chasm

The digital divide highlights the disparity in access to information and communication technologies, with significant impacts on socioeconomic groups, geographic locations, education levels, and more. Research from The Pew Research Trust shows that millions of Americans, particularly those from low-income households and rural areas, are disproportionately affected by this divide. In 2024, an estimated 24 million Americans lacked fast internet, with many in both rural and urban areas unable to afford broadband, despite its growing necessity​.

This divide – manifesting as unequal access to the internet and digital devices – leads to disparities in opportunities, information, health care, education, and participation in government and the digital – and knowledge-based economy.

The other day, while doing some grocery shopping, I used the store’s app on my phone to take advantage of in-store specials by electronically “clipping” coupons and thus applying savings at checkout (on that trip I saved $20’ish on a $100’ish tab). The lady next to me? No app – no savings – even though she had some of the same items in her cart as I did.

That’s some disparity right there. The digital divide in action due, admittedly, to unknown factors – lack of knowledge? ease of use? access to a smart phone in the first place?

Folks need to eat (and hope to do so economically) but folks also need to find and secure jobs. And that’s where we come in. 

Recruiting and Hiring

Long gone are the days of wandering into an office/warehouse/store and filling out an application – although those places DO still exist!

Today, job seekers must navigate digital platforms – QR codes! Click to Apply!_ – to express their interest, and for those affected by the digital divide, applying for a job can be a significant hurdle.

Here’s a reminder – not EVERYONE works in tech. Not EVERYONE is applying to companies that have tens of thousands of employees with a sexy top-of-the-line ATS. Not EVERYONE makes top dollar: the median wage in my state is $19.87 per hour. That’s $41.330 annualized.

And, as mentioned above, socioeconomic conditions are a factor in the digital divide. As of Pew’s latest research, a large portion of lower-income adults (43% of those earning less than $30,000 annually) do not have home broadband, and many rely on smartphones as their primary way of accessing the internet​.

So yes – the digital divide creates substantial barriers. These applicants are often applying for jobs using smartphones, relying on sporadic Wi-Fi at public places, or using pay-as-you-go phones. When employers require extensive online applications, log-ins, or long assessments, it further disadvantages those with limited access. Employers may believe they’re streamlining their hiring process with technology, but they may unintentionally exclude candidates who don’t have the resources or digital literacy to keep up.

Some of the most motivated and qualified individuals may be overlooked simply because they lack access to the tools/technology that are needed to even apply.

Humanizing the Process

It’s easy, for those of us sitting behind keyboards. to become disconnected from the struggles of our own applicants. We may think we’re perfecting our tech stack and workflows (automation! AI!) but sometimes we get so caught up in the tech that we forget the PEOPLE on the other side of that keyboard.

People who may be juggling multiple jobs, caring for children or family members, and trying to do everything from a smartphone while on-the-go,

This is why, before flipping a switch on our new process/workflow, we need to reflect on whether our hiring process is truly accessible:

  • Are we requiring applicants to create a login (and verify) before they can even apply?
  • Are we asking them to complete long assessments on a small smartphone screen for a job that pays $10 or $12 an hour?
  • Are we expecting applicants to navigate complex scheduling systems to book interview slots, then penalizing them if they miss the appointment because notifications went to spam? Or they couldn’t connect with the nonsense Teams or Zoom invite we sent them?

If our systems are built to exclude people who already face challenges with digital access… aren’t we failing them when we fail to recognize the humanity behind every job seeker?

It Doesn’t Stop There

Once we’ve successfully brought candidates on board, the digital divide doesn’t disappear. In fact, it continues to play a role in critical steps like onboarding. Imagine you’ve just hired someone, and the next step involves sending them documents to sign electronically, providing information for background checks, or setting up payroll details—all online. For many, especially those with limited access, this can be a logistical nightmare.

Onboarding should be a smooth and supportive experience, but for those on the other side of the digital divide, it’s often a frustrating, overwhelming process. Employers can make onboarding more inclusive by offering alternatives such as in-person options, mailed paperwork (really!) or the ability to complete forms on-site. It’s important to provide flexibility in communication—don’t assume every new hire has consistent access to email or digital platforms. Providing multiple ways to complete each task ensures that every employee, regardless of their digital access, can fully participate and thrive.

Moving Forward

Bridging the digital divide requires more than just acknowledging its existence. As employers, we have a responsibility to design hiring processes and employee lifecycles that are inclusive and mindful of those with limited access to technology. This means rethinking our reliance on tech-heavy solutions, offering multiple application methods (in-person? the horror!!) and ensuring that every step of the process—whether it’s applying for a job, interviewing, or onboarding—can be completed by someone with minimal digital access.

The digital divide isn’t going away anytime soon, but we can mitigate its impact by being more conscious of the challenges our applicants face. By leading with empathy, we can create hiring practices that are not only efficient … but truly equitable.

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