The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance is a think tank dedicated to creating work environments centered on inclusion and innovative thought leadership. The Alliance empowers organizations with the tools necessary for advancing women, fostering flexibility, and retaining top talent.
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Action Step – Feedback: Key to Performance, Engagement & Inclusion
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.
Delivering effective feedback is critical to developing and enhancing employee performance and engagement. Most organizations and leaders know and understand the importance of feedback. The vast majority of organizations have an annual performance evaluation process, where employees receive feedback on their areas of strength and development over the year. While annual performance evaluations are necessary, feedback needs to be given much more regularly – even daily. According to research, employees who receive daily feedback are 3x more likely to be engaged than those who receive feedback once a year or less.
However, unconscious bias can negatively impact our ability to provide fair, objective feedback. Common bias patterns that impact feedback may include:
Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center
To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. To learn more contact Manar Morales.
Action Step – Engaging Affinity Group Leaders
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.
Many organizations are creating and revitalizing their affinity groups, also known as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), to foster connections, build community, and provide career development opportunities. Further, affinity group and ERG leaders can serve as advocates as they gain insights from their members about what’s working and what needs to be fixed. To be successful, affinity groups/ERGs need engaged leaders. Organizations can provide affinity group/ERG leaders with the right support and resources to foster engagement in the following ways:
Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center
To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. To learn more contact Manar Morales.
Action Step – Maintaining & Fostering Gender Diversity Through Difficult Times
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.
Our 2023 New Partner Report and 2024 New Partner Summit highlighted positive data and trends in the advancement of women in law firms last year. Significant metrics were robust; notably, the share of women among U.S.-based new partners increased substantially by 3.5%, and the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50, AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 firms demonstrated similar increases in the shares of women new partners. We should celebrate these bright spots and wins. However, we should also proceed with caution, as the results of our 2022 report were quite concerning; specifically, there was a decrease in the share of women new partners from the 2021 figure, and a significant year-over-year dip in the share of women new partners at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms.1 We must ponder whether this year’s strong data demonstrates true upward momentum in gender parity, or whether it is simply adjusting for last year’s troubling results. Further, we are concerned with current market responses, including layoffs, deferral of incoming attorneys, and tightening of hybrid work environments, and how these responses will impact women in leadership in future years.
1 The share of women among new partners was 40.2%, demonstrating a 0.7% decrease from the previous year’s figure. There was a significant year-over-year dip of 4.2% at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms. The average new partner class increased substantially – 14.1 attorneys in 2022 vs. 11.7 attorneys in 2021.
Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center
To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity &