Myers always has an eye on the future. A staunch advocate of both mentorship and recruiting more women into technical fields, he recently led a successful expansion of the region’s Diversity and Inclusion Council to include a cross-generational, cross-functional group of employees dubbed the Generational Alliance. “Not only do Millennials and Gen Z make up a large base of our employees, they are also our future leaders—engaging them now and making adjustments ensures we’re meeting the current needs of the business but also preparing for the next generation,” he notes.
What does your company/organization do to ensure all employees feel included?
You have to give your employees a seat at the table. It sounds basic but giving employees access to senior leaders through an effective open door policy, regular meet & greets, and executive visibility can help ensure employees have the voice they need to feel empowered.
How can diversity be better incorporated into the recruiting process?
When recruiting, you have to hold yourself accountable to make sure you have a diverse candidate pool to choose from. I’ve been known to send potential candidate lists back over and over until it comes back with a diverse group of equally qualified candidates ensuring that we are selecting the very best person from a well-rounded group of applicants.
Can you share a successful diversity program at your company or one you’ve observed at another company or organization?
We’ve seen great success with Millennial Council/Generational Alliance in Cox Virginia. Not only do Millennials and Gen Z make up a large base of our employees, they are also our future leaders—engaging them now and making adjustments ensures we’re meeting the current needs of the business but also preparing for the next generation— recent changes include updates to our recruiting process and time away policies that better reflect the needs of our employee base.
