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The DEI Imperative With Cindy Owyoung
Cindy Owyoung, vice president of inclusion, culture & change at Charles Schwab, joins Steve Pemberton as this week’s guest on Keeping Workhuman.
Inclusion and Activism
“The idea that DE and I is a business imperative as opposed to compliance-regulated need has driven a lot of progress in this space,” Cindy says. “Inclusion [as a driver for innovation] has taken a stronghold in many companies who have since realized that it is a strategic part of how to do business.” In addition, employee activism and expectations have increased exponentially over time. Employees have become more insistent and vocal about companies practicing their values, demonstrated by their social media expressions and advocacy within internal employee resource groups.
Making the Pie Bigger
Steve comments on the backlash that the idea of diversifying the playing field has received in American society specifically. “I think the backlash is in part due to a lack of understanding about what DE and I actually is, and is in part due to a sense of fear that people may be losing something if other people get access to the opportunities they have,” Cindy muses. Everyone’s perception of their own experiences can result in an us versus them mentality, which is part of the fallacy of the backlash. “[DE and I] isn’t about pitting one group against another, it’s about making the pie bigger so you can create more opportunities for more people.”
A Deep Commitment
Cindy talks about Charles Schwab’s deep commitment to DE and I. When the company was founded, their main goal was bringing Wall Street to Main Street and making investing and good financial outcomes accessible to everyone. It is still a core part of who they are and what they do, she points out.
The Way Forward
Post-COVID, Cindy remarks, leaders must use empathy in designing their processes, policies and practices so that they can create ways to support all their employees. She believes that COVID will persist beyond 2021. As such, the global workplace will allow more flexibility for employees and how they work, and companies will find innovative ways to build more community within their organizations.
Stay Human.
Resources
Cindy Owyoung on LinkedIn | Twitter
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By Workhuman
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Cindy Owyoung, vice president of inclusion, culture & change at Charles Schwab, joins Steve Pemberton as this week’s guest on Keeping Workhuman.
Inclusion and Activism
“The idea that DE and I is a business imperative as opposed to compliance-regulated need has driven a lot of progress in this space,” Cindy says. “Inclusion [as a driver for innovation] has taken a stronghold in many companies who have since realized that it is a strategic part of how to do business.” In addition, employee activism and expectations have increased exponentially over time. Employees have become more insistent and vocal about companies practicing their values, demonstrated by their social media expressions and advocacy within internal employee resource groups.
Making the Pie Bigger
Steve comments on the backlash that the idea of diversifying the playing field has received in American society specifically. “I think the backlash is in part due to a lack of understanding about what DE and I actually is, and is in part due to a sense of fear that people may be losing something if other people get access to the opportunities they have,” Cindy muses. Everyone’s perception of their own experiences can result in an us versus them mentality, which is part of the fallacy of the backlash. “[DE and I] isn’t about pitting one group against another, it’s about making the pie bigger so you can create more opportunities for more people.”
A Deep Commitment
Cindy talks about Charles Schwab’s deep commitment to DE and I. When the company was founded, their main goal was bringing Wall Street to Main Street and making investing and good financial outcomes accessible to everyone. It is still a core part of who they are and what they do, she points out.
The Way Forward
Post-COVID, Cindy remarks, leaders must use empathy in designing their processes, policies and practices so that they can create ways to support all their employees. She believes that COVID will persist beyond 2021. As such, the global workplace will allow more flexibility for employees and how they work, and companies will find innovative ways to build more community within their organizations.
Stay Human.
Resources
Cindy Owyoung on LinkedIn | Twitter