Belonging in the COVID Age: Gen Z Is Ready to Make a Difference
Although the global pandemic has taken a toll on different segments of the population, Gen Z workers may have borne the brunt of the economic fall-out of this crisis. Companies have slashed hiring and halted college recruitment efforts. Recent data shows that one in six Gen Zs have stopped working as a result of the […]
Read MoreA Corporate Lifeline for Domestic Violence Victims
As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, remote work and learning is intended to keep us safe. For victims of domestic violence, however, it does anything but. Instead, working from home often keeps victims close to their abusers. This dynamic makes employee assistance programs (EAP) more important than ever. But while EAPs offer referrals and counseling […]
Read MoreWhen it Comes to Breast Cancer, Don’t Suffer in Silence
My name is Diana Buxton, and I am a breast cancer survivor. Although one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, I never thought it would be me. I’ve had a fortunate life. But cancer doesn’t discriminate – it does what it wants and to whom. In June 2019, I discovered a […]
Read MoreRaising Isaac
On a cold and cloudy January day in Portland, Oregon, I gave birth at home to my first child, a boy. He was perfect, and perfectly healthy, with all fingers and all toes, just as we had wished. We named him Isaac, which means, “he laughs.” And so did the universe. By six months, it […]
Read MoreRacial Gaslighting in the Workplace: It’s Real
There’s a reason racial gaslighting is so widely talked about: It’s everywhere, especially the workplace. Gaslighting is a covert form of undermining others so that they doubt what they experience, see or feel. Racial gaslighting spurs self-doubt about racist experiences. It often subtly shifts the dialog from the topic at hand to the speaker and […]
Read MoreBring Your Heritage to Work
Diversity has always mattered to me. But back in 2014, I was one of very few Hispanics working at Cognizant. As a friend and I brainstormed about ways for more diverse talent to find their way to the company, he suggested I join the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC), a professional association for senior business […]
Read MoreDissolving the Boundaries Between Us
I’m convinced that the boundaries between us are not our cultural differences at all. What really divides us are the walls of misunderstanding about our differences – and the actions we take based on those misunderstandings. I can recall with unfortunate clarity the close of my first full year in the workforce: Disbelief. Frustration. Fear. […]
Read MoreBeyond Pride: Making LGBTQ+ Belonging a Year-Round Celebration
July marks the end of Pride festivities, and for too many people, a return to the closet. But the camaraderie and sense of belonging that go along with Pride don’t have to be fleeting. Pride is loved by many for its hoopla. Last year in New York City, five million revelers filled the streets to […]
Read MoreMaking Juneteenth Count
I let out a whoop of excitement when I heard Cognizant would observe Juneteenth as a company holiday for U.S. associates. Hailing from Texas, where the historic June 19 announcement of slavery’s end occurred in 1865, I’ve celebrated Juneteenth annually since I was a child. Honoring it today as a company holiday feels like part […]
Read MoreWhat You Can Do to Create a Welcome Workplace for LGBTQ+
You don’t come out just once – each time you change projects or teams, or start a new job, you come out all over again. And each time can feel just as scary as the one before. I’ve been out since I was 18. Yet when a client or someone outside of my team asks […]
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