On Culture: From Fragmentation to Flourishing

Myste Wylde
Sep 18, 2024
6 min read

Dear Culturati Insider,

What's holding you back from creating a workplace where everyone truly thrives?

This week, striking figures confront us. McKinsey & Company's Women in the Workplace report shows us that while women now represent 29% of the C-suite, (up from 17% eight years ago), the journey towards genuine inclusivity is uneven, especially for women of color. At the same time, Indeed's report on Global Work Wellbeing reveals that only 22% of employees feel they're thriving—a statistic that calls into question our corporate cultures.

How we structure our work and support our teams matters, and optimizing for mental health can make an impact. For example, aligning tasks with natural productivity cycles enhances performance and reduces burnout. And, with 73% of Americans reporting anxiety about the upcoming election, creating a psychologically safe, nonpartisan environment can help ease tensions and maintain focus. Even the broader discussions about the future of work are mired in division. From tech optimists to economic skeptics, the varying outlooks on what the future holds reveal sharply contrasting visions, each shaped by distinct biases.

Reflecting on these challenges, we find that they are not just operational but deeply human. They remind us that behind every policy and statistic are individuals seeking fulfillment and fairness at work. As leaders, we have the power and responsibility to align our actions with our aspirations, ensuring our teams are not only productive but valued and understood. Let's move forward with a renewed commitment to building supportive, inclusive environments where every employee can excel. And to that end, we are pleased to issue an invitation to the Director-Executive Summit for our public company board director and C-suite members (see below). Additionally, for emerging leaders, there are two seats left at the upcoming Leading with Impact workshop on September 26th.

To our collective potential,

Myste Wylde, COO

*What's holding you back from creating a workplace where everyone thrives? We really want to know. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey (if you haven't already as a member of a committee or past attendee).

University of Texas at Austin - Public Company CEOs and Board Members Invitation

On November 14-15, 2024, the University of Texas' Director-Executive Summit will take place in Austin, TX. A unique collaboration between The McCombs School of Business and The University of Texas School of Law, this summit will offer a series of thought-provoking sessions in a carefully curated, peer-to-peer environment, focusing on contemporary issues in governance, business, and the broader economic and political landscape. See the list of confirmed speakers here and registration information here. Warm thanks to Culturati: Scholar and Director-Executive Summit program committee member, Ethan Burris, for the opportunity.

REGISTRATION INFO

Women in the Workplace 2024: The 10th-anniversary Report

McKinsey & Company

By Alexis Krivkovich, Lareina Yee, Emily Field, Megan McConnell, and Hannah Smith

Summary: The 10th annual Women in the Workplace report, conducted by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org, represents the most extensive study on women in corporate America, with over 1,000 companies and 480,000 individuals surveyed. The report highlights key achievements, including the increase in women's representation in the C-suite—up from 17% in 2015 to 29% currently. And, that despite these gains, progress is fragile and uneven, particularly for women of color who confront significant barriers due to ongoing racial and gender biases. The persistence of the "broken rung" at entry levels hampers equitable advancement, impacting women of color most severely. While there have been improvements in workplace flexibility and supportive policies post-pandemic, there is a notable decline in the depth of companies' commitments to diversity programs and the implementation of effective debiasing practices. With gender parity estimated to be almost 50 years away, the data calls for a renewed and robust corporate commitment to overhauling recruitment, promotion, and management practices to create a genuinely inclusive work environment.

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What 570 Experts Predict the Future of Work Will Look Like

Harvard Business Review

By Nicky Dries, Joost Luyckx, and Philip Rogiers

Summary: In a comprehensive study analyzing 485 Belgian newspaper articles over the past five years, three distinct perspectives have emerged as dominant in the discourse on the future of work: optimists, primarily tech entrepreneurs; skeptics, mainly economists; and pessimists, consisting of authors and journalists. Each group's stance is deeply influenced by their professional backgrounds and biases. Tech entrepreneurs predict revolutionary advances led by AI and robotics, economists emphasize incremental growth through increased productivity, and writers warn of socio-economic disruptions akin to past industrial revolutions. A survey of 570 experts from these fields revealed strong alignment within groups and stark contrasts between them, highlighting the difficulty in achieving consensus on this complex issue. This division underscores the importance of broad, inclusive public dialogue to shape a future that integrates diverse visions and values, suggesting that the path forward will be determined not just by technological capabilities but by societal choices and ethical considerations.

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What Does Work Wellbeing Have to Do With Business Success? Everything

Indeed/Lead

By Indeed Editorial Team

Summary: Indeed's Global Work Wellbeing Report reveals that only 22% of employees are thriving at work, with nearly 60% reporting stress most of the time, and overall wellbeing declining over the past four years. Social factors like belonging, inclusion, and energy are the top drivers of wellbeing but remain largely unmet. Indeed's new Work Wellbeing 100 index demonstrates that companies prioritizing employee wellbeing—notably H&R Block, Delta Air Lines, L3Harris, Accenture, and Nike—not only foster happier employees but also consistently outperform stock market benchmarks like the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Russell 3000. Oxford's analysis confirms that higher employee wellbeing leads to better valuations, return on assets, and profits. Investing in employee wellbeing isn't just ethical—it's a strategic imperative that enhances productivity, creativity, and directly boosts the bottom line.

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How to Work More Efficiently, According to a Neuroscientist

Fast Company

By Mithu Storoni

Summary: Leveraging Parkinson's Law (stating that work expands to fill the time available) and the Basic Rest-Activity Cycle (BRAC), structuring work sessions around ninety-minute intervals optimizes productivity by aligning with our natural cycles of alertness. Begin these sessions with the most demanding tasks when cognitive freshness is at its peak, tackling about 80% of complex work in the first 20 minutes. Continue with less intensive tasks for the remainder, and conclude with a ten-minute break to rejuvenate. Adjustments can be made based on time of day, fatigue levels, and task nature—with shorter sessions suggested as mental resources wane later in the day. It's advisable to limit intense mental work to a maximum of four hours daily to prevent cumulative fatigue. For creative endeavors, a less structured approach allows for the natural ebb and flow of ideas without the constraints of rigid timing, accommodating the unique rhythms of creative thought and preventing disruption of deep creative processes. This tailored approach to work session structure ensures sustained productivity and mental well-being, avoiding burnout and supporting continuous performance improvement.

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What Employers Can Do To Manage Election Stress

Forbes

By Morey Riordan

Summary: With 73% of Americans feeling anxious about the upcoming presidential election (American Psychiatric Association), employers can proactively address the emotional impact on their workforce by maintaining a nonpartisan and psychologically safe environment. This involves supporting civic participation through flexible scheduling, reinforcing non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, and managing political tensions with empathy and inclusivity. By focusing discussions on issues rather than specific candidates and reaffirming shared company values post-election, organizations can navigate this period effectively, ensuring employees feel safe, included, and aligned with company goals.

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