WHY EMBRACING A
CULTURE IN SENIOR LIVING ORGANIZATIONS STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP
BY TOM GRESHAM
a spotlight on equity in their organizations with a focus never seen before. “The tragic death of George Floyd coalesced our society, expediting
T
demand for equity in all aspects of life, including the workplace,” said Gary Smith, president of senior living operator Vi. Organizations began to recognize with new clarity that “the same people who are facing some of these societal challenges are the same people who are also employed with us,” said Netta Jenkins, a diversity and inclusion executive consultant and the author of the upcoming book, “The Inclusive Organization: Real Solutions, Impactful Change, and Meaningful Diversity.” “That was a major wake-up call for so many organizations and their
leaders,” Jenkins said. “It had leaders asking themselves, ‘How has this happened? In my organization, we’re not talking about race, we're not talking about gender – we’re not talking about these topics. These people that are employed at my organization are experiencing these challenges. If we’re not talking about it, then do we really care about these people?’” As a result, the fi eld of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
(DEIB) has taken a more prominent place in workplaces and prompted organizations to adopt and embrace a DEIB culture that is more than window dressing.
20 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
he murder of George Floyd in 2020 led to widespread pro- tests and an intense new reckoning for the United States amid fresh pressure to confront the country’s shortcomings related to race and equity. For employers, including those in the senior living fi eld, Floyd’s death and its aftermath shone
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