It’s Time to Champion Underrepresented Talent

Diversity, or the lack thereof, has been the topic of conversation as the highly anticipated Silicon Slopes Tech Summit came to a close. Though tech companies in the Silicon Slopes area have provided an influx of new jobs in Utah, the amount of underrepresented talent employed by these companies is low. We could blame it on Utah’s general “lack of diverse population”, on the homogenous religious communities, or on the difficulty of finding qualified underrepresented talent. We could  blame it on numerous factors, but it doesn’t change the fact that underrepresented talent in Utah is just that—underrepresented.

While Utah’s startup community is on the road to becoming the next Silicon Valley, companies face significant recruiting challenges in the most competitive talent market since 1969. “Leaders can no longer afford to ignore any opportunity that could present qualified candidates. This includes creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels like they have a place”(Mentorli, 2020). The truth is, Utah is 78% white and predominantly Mormon. While many of the cultural responsibilities that come with Utah’s dominant religion prove beneficial for entrepreneurs, “the very thing that is transforming Utah into the next tech mecca could be the very thing that ends up holding it back” (Bluestein, 2020). 

It’s no question that the companies on the Slopes are in need of cultural pivots to better recruit, hire, and retain more underrepresented talent. The call for diversity has been issued, and a new company, called Mentorli, appears to have the solution. Through their mentorship platform, Mentorli increases a candidate’s chances of landing a job by 15x. “We’re leaning into that power to close the opportunity gap underrepresented candidates face,” says CEO Luke Mocke.

Creating equal opportunity for job seekers is simply the right thing to do, but it turns out there’s a significant business case too. For one, there’s a linear relationship between earnings and racial diversity on the senior leadership team—to the tune of .8% in earnings for every 10% lift. However, the most compelling reason for fast growing companies in the US, and Utah specifically, to hire diverse talent is to open their talent pool for future hires. Homogenous organizations unknowingly marginalize talent that looks different to them. To ensure they’re creating an inclusive environment for all qualified talent, they need to create a representative workforce. Failing to do so is already creating monumental challenges as minorities in the US become the majority. 

Mentorli supports this philosophy by empowering underrepresented employees to recruit candidates from similar backgrounds—showing candidates how to set themselves up for success in the interview process and thrive in a new environment—building diverse networks from the grassroots level. Read Mentorli’s full press release here. As a participant in the recent Silicon Slopes Tech Summit, Mentorli is offering a FREE first hire to companies that schedule a demo before February 7, 2020. Check it out today!

Social Sensitivity in the Workplace

As defined by researchgate.net, Social sensitivity is the personal ability to perceive and understand the feelings and viewpoints of others. Why is social sensitivity important in the workplace and specifically when working with a team? Here’s what we found. 

On September 19th, Emily Gregory, VP of Development and Delivery at VitalSmarts, presented at the RevRoad Revation Summit. During her presentation, Gregory stated the following, “When team members have a higher degree of social sensitivity it predicts a higher rate of team success.” 

Social sensitivity demonstrates that one is aware of other people in both business and social settings. Below are two examples. The first demonstrates conversational qualities of someone who lacks social sensitivity. The second demonstrates qualities of someone who is socially sensitive. 

Example 1: Lacks social sensitivity

During a team meeting, a co-worker gets defensive about the progress of his/her tasks. Rather than mentioning where they are at in relation to task completion and an updated timeline/completion date, the coworker gets more upset and their voice begins to raise. It’s frustrating that they don’t have as much done on their assigned task as was expected. Soon, the energy in the room takes a turn for the worse as you raise your voice back in an effort to “put them in their place.” 

Example 2: Demonstrates social sensitivity

During a team meeting, a co-worker gets defensive about the progress of his/her tasks. Rather than mentioning where they are at in relation to task completion and an updated timeline completion date, the coworker gets more upset and their voice begins to raise. Though you’re frustrated that they don’t have as much done on their assigned task as expected, you calmly respond, “I understand this week has been stressful and we really appreciate your hard work. Based off what is on your plate right now, what would be a reasonable target completion date for these tasks?” 

Example 3: Lacks social sensitivity

At a networking event, a conversation between you and another attendee has sparked.  However, only five minutes into the conversation you feel undervalued and unheard as the conversation consistently circles back to the other attendee. Not only are they continuously talking about what they are doing and what they are interested in, they also bulldoze over anything you attempt to add to the conversation. You start to deliver verbal and physical social cues demonstrating you’re losing interest, but those are also ignored. Soon, the conversation becomes awkward as you search for a segway out of the “conversation.” 

Example 4: Demonstrates social sensitivity

At a networking event, a conversation between you and another attendee has sparked.  Five minutes into the conversation you feel valued, heard, and appreciated. The conversation is evenly focused and you both have the opportunity to talk about what you’re working on and what you’re interested in. You both take turns talking, listening, and responding. After wrapping up, you leave the conversation appreciating the new connection and excited to continue networking.

The ability to understand and demonstrate social sensitivity on a team will increase the overall rate of success.

Discover your own social intelligence by taking the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test. Take the test here.

For more information on workplace social skills and building great leaders, visit vitalsmarts.com.
For more information about business and entrepreneurship visit RevRoad.com or email info@www.revroad.com