Trust and Inclusion in a Hybrid Environment

Last month, the Tech Accountability Coalition hosted quarterly meetings of our three working groups: Product Equity, Pathways Into Tech, and Inclusive Cultures.

As part of its yearlong focus on improving trust within the workplace at all levels, the Inclusive Cultures Working Group’s June convening focused specifically on building trust and inclusion in a hybrid work environment. Nicole Cuellar-Lopez, Director of DEI from Etsy and the Co-Chair of the Working Group, kicked off the discussion with key industry insights.

This was followed by an inspiring dialogue (listen below!) on the often unseen challenges facing employees with disabilities between Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), and Beth Wiesendanger, the Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility at Etsy.

Watch Session on Trust in a Hybrid Workplace

This illuminating conversation was followed by a robust, off-the-record discussion among Working Group members. To learn more about how to participate in future Inclusive Cultures Working Group meetings as well as the work of the broader Tech Accountability Coalition, please reach out to us at techaccountabilitycoalition@aspeninstitute.org.

GET TO KNOW THE EXPERTS

Nicole Cuellar-Lopez
Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Etsy, Inc.

Read about Nicole Cuellar-Lopez

Nicole Cuellar-Lopez (she/her/hers) is Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion at Etsy, Inc. Born in the Bronx, raised in Florida, and educated at Howard University. She’s a parent to two young children. Nicole held similar roles at high growth startups such as Peloton and Uber. Prior to that, Nicole worked at an international education non-profit. She lived and taught in a Siberian university on a Fulbright fellowship. Nicole earned her BA in Spanish and Russian. She’s passionate inclusion in all aspects of work life from the corporate level to investing and entrepreneurship.

Maria Town
President & CEO, American Association of People with Disabilities

Read about Maria Town

Maria Town is the President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Town previously served as Director of the City of Houston Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, advocating for citizens with disabilities. Town was also the senior associate director of the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, managing the disability community engagement and coordinating federal engagement.

Beth Wiesendanger
Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility, Etsy

Read about Beth Wiesendanger

Beth Wiesendanger, a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, is currently serving as the Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility at Etsy. As a double amputee and prosthetic user, Beth’s personal journey has shaped her commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities are seen, heard, and advocated for. With a successful career in corporate America, Beth is breaking barriers and leading the way for disabled individuals in the diversity and inclusion space. Her work emphasizes the importance of representation and the creation of inclusive spaces.

The rise of remote work has sparked a critical conversation about the future of employment and its impact on building trust and inclusion within a hybrid environment. This is particularly relevant for people with disabilities as they have often encountered obstacles to employment resulting from employers’ insufficient efforts to establish and nurture an inclusive work environment and as a result of widespread systemic inaccessibility of transit and housing which are often required to seek, get, and maintain employment. Many of the workplace policy advancements that were experienced during the pandemic incorporated accommodations that were originally designed and deployed for people with disabilities. These include remote work, regular use of captioning, and flexible workplace policies.

These accommodations were long requested and often denied to people with disabilities. However the widespread implementation of a variety of accommodations during the pandemic highlighted the curb-cut effects of so many tools and resources that are ubiquitous and essential to the ways of work today. This demonstrates the importance of building with people with disabilities to benefit all workers- especially given the rise in the number of people with disabilities since the pandemic.

In hasty return to office policies, some companies are reversing a lot of these policies to the detriment of those with disabilities and the trust employees had with their companies. This conversation examined the considerations that HR teams and strategic leadership could take when thinking about place of work policies to ensure that the innovation around accessibility made during the pandemic is not lost.

The conversation highlighted the importance of transparency when establishing or shifting place of work policies. When leadership openly shares goals, challenges, and successes with employees, it creates a sense of partnership, trust, and psychological safety. This trust is further bolstered by open communication channels that allow employees to provide feedback, raise concerns, and suggest improvements. However, fostering a genuinely inclusive hybrid work environment requires more than good intentions.

Keep reading for key takeaways on workplace accommodations, open communication, and human-centered approaches.

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