The Diverse Employee Experience

Angela Solomon • April 1, 2019

The experience of an employee can make or break a companies image. Over the years, I have spoken with plenty of candidates about their workplace conditions, but I am choosing to focus this article on the experiences diverse employee have at the companies they work for, and how Companies can create inclusive environments for all their employees. Company HR departments are scrambling to expand their diversity and inclusion initiatives, while also looking to retain the small diverse employees pool they currently have in place. Employee’s experiences with diversity in the workplace span the range from pleasant, to absolutely unbearable. A workplace that makes an employee feel isolated, invisible, question their self-worth, and feel unrewarded for hard work, can make for a miserable experience. A workplace where stereotypes and xenophobic insensitivities constantly come into play, while departments like HR look the other way or sweep things under a rug, can be hostile and dismissive. An HR department where, 9 times out of 10, complaints of racial, gender, or xenophobic actions result in the victim(s) being victimized again by being ostracized, or even worse, losing their job and being blackballed from other companies. 


Present day HR departments are always striving to improve the employee experience by wrapping quality of life perks into compensation packages for new employees, and by maximizing the employee productivity and wellbeing experience. They are also starting to take into account their diverse employee experiences, and seeking to make a comfortable workplace for all. At the end of the day, we must not lose sight of creating true diverse, corporate representation, as it is essential to company survival and success.


Here are four quick tips for Companies to keep in mind when trying to understand and include their diverse employee workplace experiences:


1) Internally audit all your employees, but especially your diverse employees. This means bring someone from outside to conduct confidential audits on the employee experience. Anonymous surveys, highly confidential groups, and out of office forums can get to the heart of what your diverse employees feel and have experienced at your company.


2) Transforming mindsets involves HR taking the compilation of the audit findings in mind when implementing no nonsense policies and procedures to fight workplace discriminatory practices. Encourage other employees to speak up and speak out when they see injustices, ensuring that they too won't be punished or fired.


3) True inclusion involves candid understanding of your diverse employees' experiences, and creating a workplace that is welcoming. Create a job that understands and respects difference of management styles, work ethic, opinions, upbringings, dialects, hair, dress, etc.


4) Teamwork is understanding that every member of that team has ideas and concepts to be brought to the table and heard; as a collaborative being able to turn out the best concepts that are beneficial to overall health and success of the company.


Diverse employees seek, like everyone else, to go to work and do their job; to be seen, heard, recognized and awarded accordingly. They yearn to be compensated with an amount that aligns their colleague at the same level and go home. It's just as simple as that. Workplaces that accept and work to create diverse representation are profitable. HR departments are working hard to understand the complexity and hard work that is diversity and inclusion. However, it is with this, they are seeking to tighten the gap and dig deep to increase racial and gender group percentages at their respective firms. I'm hoping that the tips I provided are taken in to consideration when trying to get to the heart and repair the diverse employee experience. We are better together!


I AM someone who sees incredible potential and opportunity in places where some people don't think to look. Minorities and women are still marginalized in the working world. As an owner of a diversity staffing boutique, my team and I walk alongside our Clients in creating professional environments that are truly for ALL. I believe in our interconnectedness as a human race and strive every day to use my gifts to empower the workplace’s invisible and powerless. I rarely bet on certainty and always root for the underdog because, after all, those are the best stories to tell.


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The Evolving Landscape of Corporate DEI: Key Insights from Recent Reports

By Angela Solomon • October 10, 2024
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From Stale Bread to Fresh Ideas: The DNA of Today's Thriving Professional

By Angela Solomon • September 26, 2024
As a career coach and self-proclaimed lifelong learner, I’m always telling my clients, “If you’re not growing, you’re going stale—and let’s face it, nobody likes stale bread.” In today’s fast-changing workforce, it’s not enough to just show up anymore. Success now means adapting, learning, and constantly evolving with the world around you. The DNA of today’s working professional is in constant motion, and if you’re still running on yesterday’s playbook, you might just miss out on what’s ahead. Today’s workforce looks nothing like it did a decade ago. Tech is transforming every industry, and there’s a bigger focus on values like flexibility, inclusivity, and personal growth. People want more from their careers—they want purpose, not just a paycheck. The DNA of today’s working professional is all about adaptability, self-motivation, and being comfortable with change. So, let’s dive into how today’s professional DNA stacks up against the past: 1. Adaptability vs. Stability Today : Flexibility is everything. Whether it’s technology, business practices, or job roles, change is constant. Professionals need to be able to pivot and pick up new skills quickly. If you're not evolving, you're likely being left behind. Yesterday : Stability was the goal. You stayed in one job or industry, building deep expertise in a specific area. Specialization was the key to success, and change was something you tried to avoid. 2. Continuous Learning vs. Credential-Driven Success Today : Learning never stops. Whether it’s through online courses, certifications, or simply staying on top of industry trends, professionals are expected to keep their skills fresh. It's not just about what you learned in school—it's about what you keep learning. Yesterday : A degree, especially from a well-known school, was often enough to get you through your career. Once you had the right credentials, continuous learning wasn’t a huge focus. 3. Agility in Technology vs. Traditional Tools Today : Being tech-savvy isn’t optional. From automation to collaboration tools, technology is part of almost every job. You’ve got to be able to use these tools to stay relevant. Yesterday : Tools like spreadsheets and email were enough for most roles. Technology was there, but it wasn’t deeply integrated into non-tech jobs the way it is today. 4. Values-Driven Work vs. Hierarchical Loyalty Today : People want purpose, not just a paycheck. Employees are looking for work that aligns with their values, and companies that support things like work-life balance and mental health. It’s not just about loyalty anymore—it’s about feeling good about where you work. Yesterday : Loyalty to a company was a major factor. You worked hard, stayed loyal, and didn’t necessarily expect the company to care about your personal values. The focus was on putting in the time and doing the work. 5. Diversity & Inclusion as a Key Focus vs. Homogeneous Workplaces Today : Diversity and inclusion aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential. Today’s professionals expect their workplaces to reflect a wide range of perspectives, genders, and experiences. Everyone wants to feel seen and valued. Yesterday : Diversity wasn’t as much of a priority. Many workplaces were homogenous, and inclusion wasn’t discussed the way it is today. 6. Agile Leadership vs. Command-and-Control Management Today : Leadership is about collaboration and empathy. Today’s leaders are facilitators, mentors, and motivators. They encourage open communication and care about the people, not just the tasks. Yesterday : Leadership was more about control. It was top-down, with leaders making decisions and everyone else following orders. The focus was on managing tasks, not people. 7. Freelancing & Flexibility vs. Full-Time, Traditional Employment Today : Flexibility is the name of the game. Freelancing, contracting, and remote work are all becoming more popular as professionals look for control over their schedules and projects. Yesterday : Full-time employment with a single company was the norm. People worked their way up the corporate ladder and stuck around for the long haul. 8. Networking & Personal Branding vs. Quiet Expertise Today : Building a personal brand is important. It’s not enough to do great work—you need to make sure people know you’re doing great work. Networking on platforms like LinkedIn has become a key part of staying visible in your industry. Yesterday : You could quietly focus on your expertise. Long-term relationships and internal company networks were often enough to advance your career. 9. Emphasis on Soft Skills vs. Technical Mastery Alone Today : Emotional intelligence, communication, and collaboration are highly valued. You’ve got to be able to work well with others and adapt to different working styles. Yesterday : Technical skills were often enough to get by. Soft skills mattered, but they didn’t get the same level of attention as they do now. 10. Entrepreneurial Mindset vs. Following the Corporate Playbook Today : Whether or not you’re starting your own business, having an entrepreneurial mindset can make a difference. Professionals today take ownership of their work, innovate, and even pursue side projects. Yesterday : Following the established corporate path was expected. You worked your way up within existing structures, and entrepreneurship was considered a more niche career path. The DNA of today’s working professional is all about adaptability, purpose, and continuous growth. In contrast, yesterday’s professional valued stability, loyalty, and expertise in a more rigid structure. The modern professional thrives in a world that’s always changing, where technology and values shape careers as much as hard skills. Whether you’re freelancing, leading a team, or climbing the corporate ladder, the message is clear: if you’re not learning and evolving, you’re getting left behind. I empower the Invisible. I ignite Success. As a Black woman, small business owner, and advocate for inclusion, I’ve built my career around seeing potential where others may overlook. Through my staffing boutique and professional development/coaching service, I focus on creating real opportunities for marginalized communities, including women, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, disabled, and veteran professionals. I root for the underdog because they have the best stories to tell—and the most untapped potential.  #CareerGrowth #AdaptabilityMatters #LifelongLearning #ProfessionalDNA #ThriveAtWork #FutureOfWork #EvolveOrFade #InclusiveWorkplace #LeadershipEvolution #TechSavvySkills
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