"Diversity" and "inclusion" are easily misused in the industry as buzzwords if not supported with ardor, action, and collaboration. In these instances, Medallia elaborated on improving the workplace to become inclusive and diverse.
Medallia, based in San Mateo, set up a shop in Austin around the summer of 2017 with a strategic recruiting for sales focus. Lauren Jackman, the company's inclusion practice lead, is responsible for executing all activities related to Medallia's diversity and inclusion. For example, there is a clear statement of equal pay commitment, installation of non-binary restroom signs, and an attitude that searches for what value an applicant adds to the culture rather than how they will conform to the existing culture.
We employ more sophisticated methods to get rid of unintended biases and make sure that there is justice and equity within the process. A gendered language decoder is utilised for our job advertisements to not appeal to certain types of job searchers unfairly, which we might have a chance of doing unconsciously.
We also shift the perspective of what someone can contribute to the organisation rather than how they would comply with the existing culture, which can offend individuals from diverse backgrounds. We currently focus on ensuring that our interview process is structured and that there is clarity on the criterion for assessing the interviewees.
More than that, we collect data to monitor results such as employment for specific demographic categories, occupations, and other cross-sectional characteristics. We are always trying to think of ways that the program can be improved upon. There is one more commitment that is adherent to our operational outlook towards diversity from the top management to the ground level.
We have the fundamental building blocks in place to protect and promote the dignity and safety of all staff through policies like a code of behaviour, campaigns to prevent sexual harassment and bullying, anti-discrimination policies, and training necessitated by these policies. We have also been more responsible in allowing employees to share information about and espouse equitable pay practices. We met our responsibilities by conducting our first pay gap analysis to ensure that medallion women and men are equally compensated in the United States. We are committed to regularly reviewing our processes and practices so that Medallians continue to earn decent salaries.
Regarding advantages, we have set policies for six weeks of parental leave for all new parents and a program called MilkStork to help lactating Medallians who must go to work. Last year, we participated in the Corporate Equality Index for the first time, and as a consequence, we are proud to say that it is the best place to work for LGBTQ Equality. This is partly due to the benefits offered to same-sex couples and transgender people that we provide. There are provisions for Medallians who transition at the workplace, and there are Non-binary restroom signs located at the headquarters to make sure that everyone is comfortable within the space.
One of the things we offer is several employee resource groups, all of which are voluntary. These communities do more than create awareness; they also support our community by coordinating internal events such as the Pride parade and talent show, offering skill enhancement programs like the Medallia mentorship program WIRED, and offering Medallians opportunities to serve. Parental Rights Involvement; Accessibility Advocacy; A People Shift; Speed of Culture; Intersectional Diversity Leadership Council; Gender in Technology; and Aging in a Technological World.
To locate candidates, we actively engage with three partner organisations – Year Up, which aims to eliminate the opportunity gap for minority youth; Path Forward, which supports caregivers in their efforts to re-enter the workforce; and Breakline, which helps veterans transition to the technology sector. Additionally, events are hosted and sponsored by us in partnership with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, among other organisations and events such as Geek Girl Dinners, so that we can reach out to and recruit people from groups we know are under-represented in the company. We are considering extending these partnerships with local branches to address new office cuts.
In conclusion, Medallia is worlds apart in demonstrating inclusive practices, which can become a source of engagement for organizations in the pursuit of growing diversity across their workplaces. What is more striking is that Medallia has built a culture of inclusion and success by engaging in two-way communication through progressive initiatives. Inclusivity goes beyond ethics today; it is a competitive edge that organizations must pursue upon entering the market. Other organisations can make real progress towards building cultures where employees do not have to compromise their identities to fit in by utilising the Medallia strategy.