Kayla Vatalaro

Not sure what to track to prove the ROI of Employee Resource Groups? This guide will give you the clarity you need. One of the biggest challenges in DEI work is the lack of quantifiable data to demonstrate impact. This is where metrics come in. Tracking the right metrics is important for showcasing the value of your ERGs and securing continued support. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐑𝐆 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬⬇️ 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐑𝐆: 1/ Overall membership: ↳ How many people are in the group shows how much interest there is and how many people the ERG could reach. 2/ Number of events held: ↳ This metric demonstrates the group's activity level and commitment to providing value to its members. 3/ Event attendance: ↳ Measuring attendance helps assess the effectiveness of event promotion and the relevance of topics to members. 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐑𝐆: 1/ Recruiting referrals: ↳ Tracking referrals shows how the ERG helps find new employees and if it attracts diverse candidates. 2/ Mentorship: ↳ This metric demonstrates the ERG’s commitment to professional development and its role in career growth for its members. 3/ Community service: ↳ Measuring community engagement shows how the ERG makes a difference outside of work. 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐑𝐆: 1/ Product suggestions: ↳ This metric demonstrates how the ERG influences products and if it represents diverse users. 2/ Sales leads: ↳ Tracking leads shows the ERG's contribution to business development and its potential to drive revenue growth. 3/ Promotions from mentorship: ↳ This metric demonstrates how the ERG helps develop future leaders and makes leadership more diverse. Track these metrics and you will gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your ERGs and their impact on your organization. This data-driven approach will help you make informed decisions, secure resources, and ultimately drive meaningful change. Got a question about measuring ERG ROI? Ask away – I'm here to help.

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"It's Lonely at the Top." This phrase is one I hear often from C-suite leaders, and a recent conversation at a Blend member event in New York really brought it into sharp focus. A member really opened up to me about the isolation that comes with leadership. As a C-level executive, finding a safe space to share real challenges, express doubts, ask the stupid questions, or simply be vulnerable isn’t easy. In most environments—whether it's within your organization or industry forums—there's an underlying sense of competition, even among peers, and that creates barriers to truly opening up, and since covid this hasn't got even easier. She shared that Blend is the first space where she’s felt truly heard. As a founder who's striving to build something different and authentic this floored me, feedback like this makes all the late nights long days and travel schedule all worth while. What makes Blend different is the diversity of roles and experiences around the table. It's not just about connecting with people in similar positions, but having the space and opportunity to expand perspectives, evolving thinking, and finding solutions together. For leaders like her, finding a C-suite community that’s safe and inclusive for authentic, open dialogue is rare—and essential. This is why Jeff Tepel and I founded Blend. The community exists, to create the space where C-suite leaders can come together and grow, not just as executives, but as people. We are proud to be building Blend, and even prouder to be trusted by our members to support them on their leadership journeys. It turns out it doesn't have to be lonely at the top anymore... #JoinBlend Learn more here - https://lnkd.in/ebE_XVQX #LonelyAtTheTop #LeadershipGrowth #InclusiveLeadership #ExecutiveDevelopment #PeerSupport #DiscoverDifferent

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*New Drop* Talking #Mentorship with Elizabeth Fleming, PsyD. An important part of anyone's life or career trajectory is being a mentee, and, sometimes, being a mentor. What does your mentorship experience look like, from either side? #iopsychology #hr #peopleops #mentor #career #planning

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Pivot Point: In the tumult of modern discourse, where the voices of exclusion and division echo relentlessly, there exists a sanctuary of profound wisdom, nestled within the sacred pages of John 15. As the tendrils of Christian nationalism entwine with rhetoric that opposes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, it is imperative to turn to the timeless teachings of Christ for guidance and illumination. Amidst the din of intolerance, John 15 emerges as a beacon of hope, offering not only solace but a compelling narrative that intricately weaves together the spiritual essence of Christianity with the principles of DEIB. As we embark on a journey through this sacred text, we are called not only to reflect on its profound truths but to confront the stark realities of our time, challenging us to transcend the barriers of prejudice and embrace a vision of unity and justice. Thus, it is within the depths of John 15 that we discover a transformative power, igniting within us a fervent resolve to champion the cause of inclusion and equality, and to stand steadfast against the forces of division and hatred.

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The connective tissue of your people and your strategy is manifest in the structure and operating model you build to support them. And the success of those tools are revealed through your results. Check out my recent conversation with Erin Mies, SHRM-SCP,MHRIR and Kristen Ireland of People Spark Consulting as they share how to align your people and people processes with business strategy to deliver better outcomes. https://lnkd.in/gmKb3ZQt Highlights include: • How to leverage a people-and-strategy roadmap [04:21] • The art of org design with Jay Galbraith’s Star Model [13:02] • Dive into role–strategy alignment in tasks and goals [15:54] • Navigating uncertainty in strategy execution [00:24:29] • Tips to iron out decision-making process complexity [28:10] • The “one butt, one seat” rule for accountability [33:11] #agribusiness #strategyexecution Mosher Consulting Group

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Pivot Point: How do we pivot and stay true to our calling as DEI practitioners and change agents? How do we manage our own self care as we face unprecedented push back? https://lnkd.in/gMD65kjM

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This is such a great article from Brian Beutler, CEO of Alianza, Inc. on creating psychological safety in your organization. Every leader should read this! Brian outlines several key aspects of psychological safety, including: >> Giving your team time to work through things and not always focusing on speed. Sometimes you need to let your team think fast, and slow. >> Providing room for team members to ask for help. The fallacy of independence is real. Teach your team to reject it. >> Learning from mistakes. Easier said than done. One way to do this is to model this behavior as a leader. This is a topic I covered last week in my leadingmatters newsletter. Great article from an experienced and enlighted leader. What would you add to the list? #leaders #leadership #culture #innovation #psychologicalsafety #williamkilmer #leadingmatters https://lnkd.in/eQgHSt3e

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I'm excited to share a recent conversation with Peter Winick on the Thought Leadership Leverage podcast. 🎙 In this episode, we explore: -- The power of live, interactive learning vs. pre-recorded training content --> More than 9 out of 10 employees prefer live.   -- Why we need to change the definition of who a "corporate trainer" is and can be --> there are too many amazing experts overlooked in this market simply because they don't have "corporate trainer" on their LinkedIn profile. -- Solving the "content curation" problem instead of the "content creation" problem for People/HR/L&D teams who can't keep up pace with the demands of today's workforce. -- The future of Electives, including our AI-driven approach to aligning business objectives with necessary skills and classes to achieve goals. #CorporateTraining #ProfessionalDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork #AI https://bit.ly/45TxmXX

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Ensuring Pay Equity: Essential Design Principles What do you consider when designing compensation structures that attract and retain talent while also ensuring fairness and equity? First determine what factors are most important to you as an employer. That list may look something like this. 1.        Alignment to Organization Strategy and Goals: Influences compensation philosophy and incentive metrics 2.        Affordability: Impacts budget for annual salary increases and market/equity adjustments 3.        Competitiveness: Percentile of the external market targeted 4.        Decisions Are Equitable and Fair: Consistent use of standard pay decision making processes. 5.        Transparency: How openly you communicate to employees Your pay related decision processes should include statements like this. ·        Determining the value of the job is based on the external market and what is competitive given the pay practices of other employers balanced with internal equity. ·        Determining where to pay the employee in the base salary range assigned to the job is typically based on factors like performance, tenure, work location, education, and/or relevant experience. The part we don’t spend enough time on is often the change management and stakeholder conversations. This includes showing them where you are today and your vision for the future. Then telling the story about how you are going to close the gap. And, of course, what you need from them, when, and why. https://lnkd.in/gcppRjEs #compensation #rewards #hr #humanresources #payequity #fairpay #paytransparency #pay #changemanagement #incentives #salary

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Want to be featured on our podcast? I'm interviewing Alim A. Dhanji, the chief people officer at Equinox, next week. He’s had a remarkable 25-year journey crafting diverse, high-performance teams that deliver stellar results. Before his time at Equinox, he led as president of adidas Canada, guiding business strategy across multiple channels. Do you have questions you would like to ask during the show? For example: -How do you nurture a thriving workplace culture? -What are the most effective strategies for driving performance? -How do you get your people to care about work? Submit your questions here: https://lnkd.in/eVMrazhd This is a fantastic opportunity to make your voice heard and gain insights from a seasoned leader in the industry. Feel free to jot down your queries in the comments below. #cultureleaders #podcast #qna #culturekeynote

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On my way to CIPD / MindGym first CHRO roundtable on the future of DEI with Trevor Phillips and Peter Cheese. It's very appropriate timing after MindGym CEO Christoffer Ellehuus and I were quoted in this morning's The Telegraph article on the emergence of less political and more performance driven HR teams. Are we heading towards a less populist and more commercial HR? https://lnkd.in/dUFSuMZ9

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✅ Representation. ✅Visibility. ✅Co-creation. ✅Belonging. My prediction is that in the near future #DEI won’t be controversial in any way because every organization will embed it in every business process and workflow. That’s why I’m loving this blog post by the team over at Gather Voices. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/dTKYUtZZ

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🤔 As a TA leader, how are you optimizing your support from VC Talent Teams?Dive into our "VC Talent Teams" episode, where we explore the dynamic strategies VC Talent Teams use to support startups in their recruiting efforts. 🌐 👉 Listen now on: Spotify 💚 https://lnkd.in/g8Va3NZZ Apple Podcasts 🍎 https://lnkd.in/gmj8_Krx Don’t miss out—tune in to “Recruiting Roundtable” for insightful conversations every week! 🎧 #RecruitingRoundtable #VCTalentTeams #StartupRecruiting #Podcast #Spotify #ApplePodcasts

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POV: You have fantastic collaboration partners like @Angels Speaking and @Deondra Wardelle who invite you to deliver assessments for their clients. If your organization wants to know who feels included at work (and who doesn't and why), DM me to find out how a Spectra Diversity Inclusion Assessment can help you build a more inclusive workplace!

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POV: You have fantastic collaboration partners like @Angels Speaking and @Deondra Wardelle who invite you to deliver assessments for their clients. If your organization wants to know who feels included at work (and who doesn't and why), DM me to find out how a Spectra Diversity Inclusion Assessment can help you build a more inclusive workplace!

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POV: You have fantastic collaboration partners like @Angels Speaking and @Deondra Wardelle who invite you to deliver assessments for their clients. If your organization wants to know who feels included at work (and who doesn't and why), DM me to find out how a Spectra Diversity Inclusion Assessment can help you build a more inclusive workplace!

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POV: You have fantastic collaboration partners like @Angels Speaking and @Deondra Wardelle who invite you to deliver assessments for their clients. If your organization wants to know who feels included at work (and who doesn't and why), DM me to find out how a Spectra Diversity Inclusion Assessment can help you build a more inclusive workplace!

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🚨 Are we facing a Leadership Crisis? APA President thinks so! 🚨 In a thought-provoking message, Jennifer R. Brown, President of the American Psychological Association (APA), addresses the dire state of modern leadership. She maps out the landscape of today's leadership challenges—from the sheer complexity and rapid changes to the intense public scrutiny leaders endure. 🔍 One profound takeaway for me has been the emphasis on emotional intelligence, empathy, and ethical grounding in leadership. It’s a reminder that leadership isn't just about steering projects but about nurturing the team's morale, well-being, and psychological safety. In the fast-paced technology sector where everyone’s team is working against the pace of change, the constant evolution sometimes leaves little room for reflective practice and emotional engagement. However, adopting an empathetic approach transforms team dynamics, leading to improved problem-solving and innovation. Brown calls for a shift in how we perceive and enact leadership roles: 1. Leaders must prioritize the psychological well-being of their teams. 2. Openness to diverse perspectives and feedback is crucial. 3. Psychologists are vital in shaping effective leaders through development and consulting roles. 💡 What can we, as professionals, do to foster this new wave of ethical, empathetic leadership in our spheres? As someone keen on advancing leadership intelligences, I champion this call to arms to promote healthier workplaces and more effective leaders. Your thoughts? 🤔 #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #EthicalLeadership #WorkplaceWellness #APA #PsychologyInLeadership #Detroit #KirkMayes

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