Two individuals reading books

How we promote diversity and inclusion through reading

 

With six offices nationwide, Hero Digital employees are a diverse bunch, and we want our world to mirror that. This year we’ve taken our core value of diversity & inclusion and made it literary with the start of our new book club.

At this year’s first book club, Hero employees gathered both physically and virtually to compare perspectives. The group included members ranging from CEO Dave Kilimnik to then-newest employee Caroline Suh (on her third day of work!). The book: Results at the Top: Using Gender Intelligence to Create Breakthrough Growth by Barbara Annis. The discussion: phenomenal.

We kicked things off with a lightning round of two minutes per person to share initial impressions of the book before hopping into a meatier discussion on gender bias. One important point in Annis’s book is to avoid confusing equal with same; differences between men and women can complement each other to create higher performing teams.

The discussion also focused on how gender affects our productivity and self-perception, effectiveness of gender bias training, and the generational impact on expectations. With a group spanning ages, job titles, and genders, our book club conversation went beyond the book’s data into a comprehensive look at workplace gender relations.

As the year continues, the book club will continue to use reading to catalyze important conversations on how to emphasize diversity and inclusion in employee recruiting, retention, growth, and development. The club is open to all Hero employees, and anyone can suggest a book that brings awareness front and center.

Recent studies repeatedly show that companies that seek and embrace diversity are more successful in creating a collaborative culture, increasing retention, and improving bottom line. We’re very excited about our book club’s productive and engaging conversation on gender in the workplace, but we acknowledge that diversity and inclusion is a pursuit that is never “complete.” Our book club is just one way to sharpen our commitment to diversity & inclusion, both in the office and beyond.

The diversity & inclusion book club is just one of the ways we create an awesome culture at Hero Digital. See more perks and apply for open roles on our Careers page.