Belonging From The Beginning

A Program For New Hires

 
Research shows that 88% of new hires feel their organization's onboarding is lacking and does not set them up for success in their new environment. Some of the common challenges new hires face are effective communication, understanding the culture and values of the new organization and their colleagues, lack of confidence, and not feeling included.
Interpersonal skills greatly improve through empathy and awareness. Understanding and appreciating different perspectives, becoming aware of one's biases - including stereotypes - and navigating them, and identifying and avoiding microaggressions greatly enhance a new hire's ability to navigate the new environment successfully and with confidence, and integrate into the new organization as a value add. This StoryBolt program focuses on building empathy while creating awareness around biases, stereotypes, and microaggressions. These are the building blocks of interpersonal skills that enable effective communication, confidence, and the ability to integrate within a new environment.
 As a result of this program, participants are able to:
  • Understand the role of DEI in the culture and value system of your organization and gain a common vocabulary for better navigation, communication, and sense of belonging
  • Better recognize their biases with more curiosity and open-mindedness towards others' perspectives
  • Identify discrimination, stereotypes, and microaggressions to avoid and confront them with confidence for more effective communication

Session 1: Foundations of Bias in Communication

This Foundational session follows Robin Hauser, the filmmaker, as she investigates the science behind bias in a shocking journey of self-awareness, enabling conversations around what implicit bias is, why it happens, and what we can do about it.

Bias Poster 3x4

Format: Film Screening + Q&A
Session Duration: 90 minutes
Film: Bias
Storyteller: Robin Hauser

Session Objective:

  • Understanding and destigmatizing bias for better communication with curiosity and openmindedness

Sample Discussion Questions:

  • What does implicit bias look like in the workplace and what are its implications?
  • What prevents people from recognizing and acknowledging their biases and how can they overcome that?

Session 2: Inspiration to Disrupt Stereotypes

This Inspirational session follows the stories of six women engineers to enable discussion around stereotypes, their impact, and ways to confront them.

Trailblazers Poster 3x4

Format: Film Screening + Q&A
Session Duration: 60 minutes
Film: Trailblazers: The Untold Stories of Six Women Engineers
Storyteller: Dr. Laura Ettinger

Session Objective:

  • Understanding stereotypes to identify and avoid them and build empathetic rapport with colleagues

Sample Discussion Questions:

  • How do stereotypes show in different situations and industries?
  • How can we share our stories on a daily basis as a tool against discrimination?

Session 3: Activation to Eliminate Microaggression

In this Activation session, we follow five individuals of different racial backgrounds to enable conversations around identifying microaggressions in our environment and the strategies we can use to prevent or mitigate them.

Reveal Moments Poster 3x4

Format: Film Screening + Q&A
Session Duration: 75 minutes
Film: Reveal Moments
Storyteller: Barbara J. Diamond

Session Objective:

  • Call out and avoid microaggressions to communicate and navigate interpersonal situations with confidence  

Sample Discussion Questions:

  • How can we identify microaggressions in our home and/or work environments?
  • What are some best practices to implement the culture of inclusion?

Potential Program Facilitator:

Christina Broderick 450x450 px
Luz Gonzalez 450x450 px

Christina Broderick (she/her) is a clinically trained Licensed Social Worker who has provided mental health counseling and support for hundreds of students and employees in individual and group settings. In addition to mental health, she is passionate about social justice and was awarded a state grant for the development and implementation of the Anti-Poverty Civic and Community Engagement Fellowship.

Luz Gonzales (she/her) is the Director of Diversity and sits on the board for Project Innovate Newark, based out of New Jersey. Our emotions drive our unconscious and sometimes conscious decision-making. By developing Emotional Awareness, Luz focuses on the internal motivations creating mindful connections in individuals, which enhance professional and personal development and self-leadership. Luz empowers everyone to gain insight into their own internal dynamic, by bringing clarity and building on unique strengths to achieve desired outcomes through her EQ Refined Business Model.