Honoring the Flex Trailblazers

Note: This post was first published on March 14, 2018 on 1 Million For Work Flexibility’s blog. 1MFWF is the first national initiative bringing people together to create a collective voice in support of work flexibility, and the Alliance is a supporting organization. Thank you to 1MFWF for allowing us to share our news about our 2018 Flex Impact Awards!

As an organization that collaborates with corporations and professional services firms on the development, implementation and management of their flexible work initiatives, we are thrilled when a company goes above what is required by law and beyond what is the norm in their industry. Each year at our annual conference we honor the corporations and firms that we believe are setting the trends in flexibility and truly impacting the workforce.

This year, we have selected tech giant Dell and international law firms Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and White & Case LLP as our 2018 Flex Impact Award honorees for their initiatives that we believe are poised to have a significant impact on the culture of workplace flexibility. All three of these organizations have demonstrated their willingness to invest in their employees and lead their industries with more progressive approaches to flexible work and leave policies. Each of these initiatives is aimed at better meeting the needs of a new generation of employees, while also positively impacting inclusion, recruitment and retention of top talent.

We will be honoring Dell for its worldwide flexible work initiative, Connected Workplace, which has enabled the corporation to increase employee engagement and retention, conserve natural resources and energy, cut back on real estate expenses and reduce transportation pollution. This initiative encourages all eligible employees to choose where and when they work and provides the technology needed for team collaboration and flexibility training. Additionally employees have access to a resource group, called Conexus, that helps remote team members connect to share best practices, network and develop camaraderie. Dell’s Executive Leadership team has led the initiative by working remotely themselves and emphasizing flexibility as a key component of the company’s culture and integral part of its business strategy.

Fried Frank will be honored for its full-pay, “on-ramping” policy, which allows employees returning from parental leave to gradually return to full-time over a six-month period. Caregivers are thereby allowed to slowly ease their way back into work after leave by working a 75 percent schedule while receiving full compensation. By committing to a relatively small financial investment in its employees who are new parents, Fried Frank has been able to retain employees who might otherwise have been overwhelmed with the stress of full-time work and parenthood.

White & Case will be honored for its new gender-neutral parental leave policy that eliminates the primary and secondary caregiver designation and is also offered to both attorneys and staff. The firm’s policy allows all parents to take 12 weeks of leave any time within 12 months following the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. By extending the same benefits to attorneys and staff members, no matter the level or position, White & Case has been able to foster a more inclusive environment and demonstrate its commitment to supporting all of its employees.

The 2018 Flex Impact Awards will be presented at the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance’s annual conference Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change on March 21, 2018 in Washington, DC. The conference is an interactive, one-day event delivering the latest trends, cutting-edge research and best practices in diversity and flexibility and attracts professionals from all industries. Our conference is designed to provide attendees with the opportunity to hear expert insights and first-hand perspectives from top-level executives and acquire concrete strategies to implement real change in their organizations.

More information and registration for the conference are available here.

Manar Morales is the President & CEO of The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, and a national thought leader on women’s leadership, diversity, and workplace flexibility. The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, a 1MFWF supporter, is a think tank dedicated to providing practical solutions that increase organizational effectiveness and create high performance cultures through diversity and flexibility.

Join More than 50 Law Firms & Fortune 500 Companies As We Tackle the Issues of Diversity and Flexibility

This week, in an intriguing post, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg reflected on how far (and not so far) we have come in gender equality in the five years since her book, Lean In, was released. While she cautioned that we should be both “outraged and optimistic” about the battle for gender parity, she also wisely stated:

“There are reasons to be hopeful. The facts are on our side. We know that diverse teams are more productive. We know that when organizations have more women, especially in leadership, employee benefits are more generous and sexual harassment is less prevalent…We know that when fathers invest more in their families, their children are happier, healthier, and do better in school and professionally.”

We couldn’t agree more.

On Wednesday, March 21, executives, chairs, leaders and general counsel from more than 50 top law firms and Fortune 500 companies will gather here in Washington, DC to tackle the important issues of diversity and flexibility in our workplaces. Our 2018 annual conference Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change, will empower attendees to make the changes needed to build a more inclusive environment, develop flexibility and leave initiatives that support all employees, advance diverse individuals and improve the recruitment and retention of top talent.

With limited time and resources, busy professionals often find it hard to justify spending a day at a conference. However, our conference might just be worth the investment. In just one day, our conference attendees walk away with the most effective strategies for real results. In just that one day, attendees can build a network of dozens of senior level peers dedicated to advancing diversity and flexibility from across top ranking law firms and Fortune 500 companies.

Top five reasons anyone responsible for diversity and flexibility in an organization should not miss this conference:

  1. You’ll hear about diversity and flexibility best practices from top law firms like White & Case, Fried Frank, Akin Gump, Dentons, as well as corporations like Dell, Politico, Deloitte, Intel, Lockheed Martin, TV One and more;
  2. You’ll be the first to hear what is trending in law firm flexibility and leave initiatives as we release our 2017 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study results;
  3. You’ll learn about new cutting-edge data from Gallup about employee engagement and its role in the recruitment and retention of your future workforce;
  4. You’ll obtain first-hand advice and concrete tips from our KPMG women’s initiative case study;
  5. You’ll gain insights from General Counsel on how they are embracing change and the diversity commitment they expect from their outside counsel.

As we prepare for our conference we are reminded of the eloquent words of last year’s keynote speaker, John Veihmeyer, Retired Chairman of KPMG International. In his Linked In article about the day, John stated “Unless people in your organization think you see building an inclusive culture, that stimulates diversity, as fundamental to both the organization’s, and their success, it simply won’t be a priority.”

Why not make it a priority today?

Please register here.

 

 

 

Groundbreaking Flexibility Initiatives To Be Recognized for Their Impact on Industries

Awards to be Presented at Conference on March 21

Washington, DC – March 2, 2018 – The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance announced today that its 2018 Flex Impact Awards will be presented to tech industry giant Dell, and international law firms, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and White & Case LLP. The awards, which recognize initiatives that are poised to have a significant impact on the culture of workplace flexibility, will be presented at the Alliance’s annual conference Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change on March 21, 2018 in Washington, DC. Registration information is available here.

“Dell, Fried Frank and White & Case stood out to us this year because of their willingness to take risks, invest in their employees and lead their industries by embracing more progressive approaches to flexible work and leave policies,” stated Manar Morales, President & CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. “Each of these organizations took their commitment to flexibility to new heights by expanding their initiatives to better meet the needs of a new generation of employees, while also positively impacting inclusion, recruitment and retention of top talent,” she explained.

Dell will be honored for its worldwide flexible work initiative, Connected Workplace, that encourages all eligible employees to choose where and when they work. Dell’s Executive Leadership team has led the initiative by working remotely themselves and emphasizing flexibility as a key component of the company’s culture and integral part of its business strategy. The company provides employees with the technology needed for team collaboration, flexibility training and an employee resource group, called Conexus, that helps remote team members connect to share best practices, network and develop camaraderie. Through Connected Workplace, Dell has been able to increase employee engagement and retention, conserve natural resources and energy, cut back on real estate expenses and reduce transportation pollution.

“Embracing and promoting a work flexibility culture just makes sense,” said Mohammed Chahdi, director of Global Human Resources at Dell, who leads Dell’s flexible work program (Connected Workplace). “At its core, this kind of culture is about enabling team members with the right environment and tools to collaborate and deliver their best work, regardless of where, when and how that work occurs.”

Fried Frank will be honored for its full-pay, “on-ramping” policy, which allows employees returning from parental leave to gradually return to full-time over a six-month period. Caregivers are thereby allowed to slowly ease their way back into work after leave by working a 75 percent schedule while receiving full compensation. By committing to a relatively small financial investment in its employees who are new parents, Fried Frank has been able to retain employees who might otherwise have been overwhelmed with the stress of full-time work and parenthood.

“The happiness and success of our attorneys is a top priority at Fried Frank and we recognize that parenthood is a big change,” said David Greenwald, Chairman of Fried Frank. “Our policy aims to alleviate the challenges faced by new parents as they transition back to work, striking the balance between professional success and personal fulfillment. For us, this was a common sense policy change consistent with our commitment to inclusion and retention. We are honored to receive this recognition by the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance,” he added.

White & Case will be honored for its new gender-neutral parental leave policy that eliminates the primary and secondary caregiver designation and is also offered to both attorneys and staff. The firm’s policy allows all parents to take 12 weeks of leave any time within 12 months following the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. By extending the same benefits to attorneys and staff members, no matter the level or position, White & Case has been able to foster a more inclusive environment and demonstrate its commitment to supporting all of its employees.

“We try to foster an environment of inclusion and support at the firm, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to spend significant time with their new child is one way that we can do that,” said David Koschik, member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Everyone at the firm works very hard and deserves time with their families and loved ones. While it’s a departure from how many professional services firms do business, we are committed to the idea that every person at every level at White & Case be able to participate in a program like this one.”

The Diversity and Flexibility Alliance is a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive work cultures and help to advance more women into leadership positions. The Alliance provides practical research-based solutions, training workshops, and strategic advisory services that increase organizational effectiveness through diversity and flexibility.

For more information contact:

Manar Morales

manar@dfalliance.com

202-957-9650

Spotlight on Flex – Rebecca Springer

The Spotlight on Flex showcases professionals from member organizations who exemplify personal and professional success while working a flexible schedule. Their stories illustrate the long-term benefits that flexible schedules offer to both individuals and organizations.

For February 2018, we are pleased to share insights from Rebecca Springer, Partner, Crowell & Moring  (Washington, DC). 

Diversity & Flexibility Alliance: How have you made flexibility a priority and a success through your schedule?

Rebecca Springer: I started at Crowell & Moring as a first year associate after I graduated from law school. I knew I wanted to be in DC, and I knew I wanted to focus on labor and employment law. However, I also started at the firm thinking I would stay for a few years, make enough money to pay off my student loans, grow my legal experience, and then leave to figure out what I really wanted to do! No one was more surprised than I was when the firm turned out to be a great place for me to build a career. I’ve been fortunate to work at a great firm, with great people, do really interesting work, and have a fulfilling career, all the while being able to get married, have a family, and enjoy other outside interests like performing in a local singing group.

While I was mid-career, I thought about leaving because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay on the partner track. At the time, I thought the only alternative was to leave the firm and pursue something else. I talked with my practice group leaders, and they made it clear they wanted me to stay – my trajectory didn’t have to be a traditional path to partnership. They asked me what I wanted, and what I thought would be a realistic career path in order to stay; they let me know I was valued from the start. So for the past 10 years, I’ve worked reduced hours (ranging between 75% – 85%), and while working this flex schedule, I became a partner in January 2018.

Read more

Conference to Showcase Innovative Best Practices, Latest Corporate Trends, Cutting-edge Research on Diversity & Flexibility

Washington, DC – March 2, 2018 – The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance has announced that registration is open for its highly anticipated 2018 Annual Conference, Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change, to be held on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at the Washington, DC Offices of Jones Day. This interactive, one-day event delivers the latest trends, cutting-edge research and best practices in diversity and flexibility and attracts professionals from all industries. Registration and more information are available here.

The conference is widely known as one of the DC area’s largest gatherings of prominent leaders from around the world committed to strategically addressing the critical issues of Diversity and Flexibility.  Leaders, General Counsel and Chairs from financial giants like Deloitte and KPMG, tech industry icons like Dell, Intel and EverFi, as well as Politico, TV One and Lockheed Martin and countless prominent law firms will share personal experiences and valuable insights into the evolution of their organizations’ diversity and flexibility initiatives.

“Our conference provides a unique opportunity to hear expert insights and first-hand perspectives from top-level executives and those blazing the trail in the advancement of diversity and flexibility,” said Manar Morales, President & CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. “In just one day, attendees acquire concrete strategies and critical information that enables them to implement real change in their organizations,” she added.

The Alliance will also present the following awards to individuals, leaders, and organizations that are leading the way in successfully implementing flexible work:

– The 2018 Flex Impact Award, which recognizes initiatives that are poised to have a significant impact on the culture of flexibility, will be presented to: Dell for its highly-successful flexible work initiative; law firm Fried Frank for its full-pay, on-ramping (return from leave) policy; and, law firm White & Case for its gender-neutral leave policy which is extended to both attorneys and staff. (Access detailed press release here.)

– The 2018 Flex Leader Award will be presented to Kim Koopersmith, chairperson of Akin Gump, for her unwavering support of and commitment to providing holistic flexible work options for all. (Access detailed press release here.)

– The 2018 Flex Success Award, acknowledges law firm partners who achieve success while working a reduced hours schedule and their clients who have been integral to making their flexibility a success. This year’s honorees will be Lori Mihalich-Levin, Partner, Dentons, and her client Dr. Cindy Kelley, Vice President, Medical Education, Summa Health. (Access detailed press release here.)

This year’s featured speaker, Vipula Gandhi, of Gallup Inc., will present eye-opening data and analysis on the State of the American Workplace including perspective on employee engagement, organizational culture, and performance management. Other highlights will include: the release of the results of the Alliance’s Annual Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study; a case study presentation describing the development, implementation and management of KPMG’s highly successful women’s initiative; panel discussions emphasizing the role that clients play in encouraging diversity; and, presentations on leading best practices on flexibility and leave policies.

The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance is a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive work cultures and help to advance more women into leadership positions. The Alliance provides practical research-based solutions, training workshops, and strategic advisory services that increase organizational effectiveness through diversity and flexibility.

For more information contact:

Manar Morales

manar@dfalliance.com

202-957-9650

 

Dentons Partner and Client Honored for Success While Working Flexible Schedule

Alliance to Present 2018 Flex Success® Award at Annual Conference March 21

Washington, DC – March 2, 2018 – Today the Diversity and Flexibility Alliance announced that its 2018 Flex Success® Award Honorees will be Lori Mihalich-Levin, Partner at Dentons in Washington, DC, and her client Dr. Cindy Kelley, Vice President of Medical Education at Summa Health. The award recognizes partners at Diversity & Flexibility Alliance member law firms who have achieved success while working a reduced hours schedule as well as a client who has been integral to making workplace flexibility so successful. The Award will be presented on March 21, 2018 at the Alliance’s annual conference, Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change, in Washington, DC. Registration is available here.

“Not only has Lori managed to reach high levels of career success while working a reduced hours schedule, but she is also truly passionate about helping to grow the pipeline of women leaders and supporting other working parents,” said Manar Morales, President and CEO of the Alliance. “With the support of her colleagues at Dentons and her clients, including Summa Health, Lori has grown her personal business and cared for her children while providing top-notch client service,” she added.

Lori Mihalich-Levin

Ms. Mihalich-Levin has worked a 60% reduced hours schedule while representing hospitals, academic medical centers, medical schools and health systems as a Partner in Dentons Healthcare Practice since August 2015. In just two years, she was able to bring in 20 new clients to the firm and build a premier practice around legal issues related to graduate medical education. Her reduced hours schedule has allowed her to care for her two small children, while also building Mindful Return, LLC, a personal business that assists new parents in their transition back to work from parental leave, and writing a book Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave. She is also the Chair of the firm’s Flexibility and Parental Leave Task Force, part of its Women LEAD initiative, where she champions the success of diverse attorneys and has been instrumental in updating the firm’s parental leave policies.

“Ultimately the key to a successful flexible work arrangement is to be flexible and transparent,” explained Ms. Mihalich-Levin. “I am so thankful for the trust, support and encouragement that Cindy has offered me as well as her willingness to accommodate my schedule,” she added referring to her client, Dr. Cindy Kelley, Vice President of Medical Education, Summa Health.

Dr. Cindy Kelley

“Lori and her Dentons team were critical to our success in overcoming significant challenges at our organization last year. I am so thankful for people like Lori who have a passion for finding that balance in life that allows them to pursue their careers while raising a family,“ stated Dr. Cindy Kelley. “Summa Health certainly benefited from this passion, as do all organizations that support workplace diversity and flexibility.”

“Dentons is committed to supporting our lawyers and professionals who work on a reduced hours or flexible schedule and applaud the effort of forward-thinking lawyers like Lori Mihalich-Levin,” said Mike McNamara, CEO of Dentons. “We also applaud our client Summa Health for embracing Lori’s flexible work arrangement. We firmly believe that flexibility results in positive changes that benefit the firm, the client, and our lawyers’ careers.”

The Diversity and Flexibility Alliance is a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive work cultures for all and help to advance more women into leadership positions. The Alliance provides practical research-based solutions, training workshops, and strategic advisory services that increase organizational effectiveness through diversity and flexibility.

For more information contact:

Manar Morales

manar@dfalliance.com

202-957-9650

Diversity & Flexibility Alliance to Recognize Akin Gump Chair Kim Koopersmith For Outstanding Leadership in Advancing Flexibility

Award to be presented at Conference on March 21

Washington, DC – March 2, 2018 – The Diversity and Flexibility Alliance today announced that Kim Koopersmith, chairperson of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, will receive its 2018 Flex Leader Award. The Flex Leader Award recognizes an executive who is moving his or her organization toward a more inclusive workplace through holistic flexibility. The Award will be presented on March 21, 2018 at the Alliance’s annual conference, Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change, in Washington, DC. Registration is available here.

Ms. Koopersmith is being recognized for her unwavering commitment to the advancement of women, attorneys of color and flexible work options for all. She has been instrumental in the success of Akin Gump’s Reduced Work Schedule and Agile Work Policies, which have consistently adapted to the needs of the firm’s employees and changes in technology, family dynamics, practice models and cultural norms.

“Kim is the perfect example of a leader who is committed to ensuring that flexible work options are available to everyone,” said Manar Morales, President & CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. “She understands the value of flexibility to individuals, as well as to the firm in its recruitment and retention of top diverse talent. She is dedicated to providing outstanding client service while offering forward-thinking policies to employees worldwide,” she added.

“I want to make sure I use my voice and experience as a lawyer, working mother and firm leader to address and advocate for diversity and flexibility,” said Ms. Koopersmith. “I truly believe that our success originates from our talent, and one of the best ways we can support our employees is to provide the flexibility that they require,” she notes. “Equally as important, flexibility allows us to be in sync with our clients who also value diversity and flexibility,” she emphasized.

In her role as chairperson of Akin Gump, Ms. Koopersmith heads the firm’s management committee and has been instrumental in the firm’s continued commitment to diversity, pro bono work and attorney excellence. She is involved in numerous community, civic and charitable activities, including serving on the board of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Pro Bono Institute Law Firm Committee and Her Justice, an organization dedicated to assisting victims of domestic violence.

The Diversity and Flexibility Alliance is a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive work cultures and help to advance more women into leadership positions. The Alliance provides practical research-based solutions, training workshops, and strategic advisory services that increase organizational effectiveness through diversity and flexibility.

For more information contact:

Manar Morales

manar@dfalliance.com

202-957-9650

Action Step – Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

 

Recent surveys show that men perceive greater progress towards gender equality than women do:

– More men (63%) than women (49%) think their organizations are making progress on gender diversity.[i]

– More women (83%) than men (76%) see gender diversity as moderately or very important.[ii]

– When asked about discrimination against women in the tech industry, 29% of men and 44% of women say it is a major problem.[iii]

This presents both an insight and a challenge for initiatives to advance women. For the insight: it explains in part why women’s advancement is so slow. For change to occur, there has to be a sense of necessity and urgency to overcome inertia. If men see no particular need to prioritize women’s progress in their organizations, they will be more prone to sit on the sidelines while others work to advance women. Even worse, organizational leadership may believe their organizations have done enough to ensure gender parity and actively resist initiatives to advance women.

Which brings us to the challenge: how can change advocates use this information to advocate for the advancement of women? The key foundational step is to address the disconnect through evidence and encouraging reflection. Here are some suggestions…

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