WHY EMBRACING A DEIB CULTURE IN SENIOR LIVING ORGANIZATIONS
Creating and maintaining a culture where all team members feel welcome and included in an environment that allows them to bring their full selves to their work each day contributes to our brand promise of providing exceptional service and quality care.” Employers understand that workers are paying
Kristine Martel Chief Human Resources Offi cer Benchmark Senior Living
attention to DEIB and looking for companies that value it. For senior living as a whole to attract quality workers, the industry needs to demon- strate a commitment to DEIB, especially during a period of historically low unemployment and a highly competitive labor market. “It’s our people who make senior living
communities special,” Martel said. “Our suc- cess depends on continuously attracting the right talent every single day, so making DEIB initiatives part of our recruitment strategies is essential. We are looking for more and more ways to engage with four-year colleges, community colleges and local high schools – populations with tremendous diversity. We need to be able to show them that we are an industry/employer of choice and one that is inclusive to all.” Smith said DEIB plays a particularly notable
Netta Jenkins
Diversity and Inclusion Executive Consultant and Author
role in the senior living space because of the nature of the fi eld. “In senior living, unlike in some other indus-
tries, our customers live in our communities and have close, long-standing relationships with our employees,” Smith said. “This elevates the benefi t and importance of sharing our DEIB philosophy with our residents as well as our employees. In addition, just as it is important for our team members to feel welcome and a sense of belonging, it is also important for our residents to feel welcome and to be treated as a valued member of the community.”
Gary Smith President
Senior Living Operator Vi
Creating a Culture – and Starting at the Top Embracing a DEIB culture is about “promot- ing a culture of acceptance and understand- ing,” Martel said. That begins with leadership. “Is it easy? No,” Martel said. “There are
many diffi cult conversations and topics that I think many companies tried sidestepping in the past. Avoidance is no longer an option. We all need to face these topics head on and do so with the knowledge and tools necessary to make consistent progress.” In order for there to be progress, Jenkins
said it’s “incredibly important” for the C-suite to take charge and emphasize DEIB issues at an organization. She recommends that the
22 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
head of DEIB in a company report to either the CEO or COO to ensure chief leaders are involved and informed and are providing direct support to DEIB eff orts. Key decisions need “to come from the top,” she said. Smith agreed that attracting, engaging, and
retaining talent is a business imperative that should be a primary focus of an organization’s leadership. “This starts with an organization’s executive management team actively providing support through intentional communications, account- ability, and transparency,” Smith said. “With executive leadership involved, DEIB becomes a priority, and the message is consistent throughout the organization.” Martel said the C-suite simply has “to embrace and own the work.” “The ideas can come from all levels of the
organization, but it’s the corporate leaders who set the strategic tone and prioritize the work that will get [it] done,” Martel said. “In terms of priorities, education and communication are vital to truly embracing DEIB. We all need to speak a common language to understand our biases, and we all need to open our minds to what others face each day.” Jenkins said she sees a variety of
leaders
who show the drive to create a DEIB culture in their organizations. Some are honest about previously overlooking the challenges some people face in the workplace and how the existing climate might create or elevate those challenges. Others have experienced those challenges themselves and want to prevent them from being obstacles to others. When leaders are truly engaged and com- mitted, the impact is obvious, Jenkins said. “If we can break some of these systemic
barriers and remove some of those gaps, and identify them and be honest about them, then we can start to see people progress within their careers,” she said. “We can start to see that organic transformation takes place.”
Following Through on your Commitment Jenkins said a common mistake she sees orga- nizations make is rushing to make an internal hire of someone who is interested in DEIB but does not have a background befi tting the role – something that would never happen with a CFO or CMO [chief marketing offi cer] hire, she noted. “It shows inequity, and it shows organiza- tions not putting the right level of importance in that decision-making,” she said.
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