Ultimate Software, Kronos Equity at Work Council Seeks to Address Workplace Inequities, Invites HR Leaders to Join Conversation
Interdisciplinary group explores science behind diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging in the workplace
June 29, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
WESTON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ultimate Software and Kronos Incorporated today announced the Equity at Work Council (EWC), an interdisciplinary group of innovators and practitioners working together to understand and develop the science underpinning diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B). Formed in November 2019, bringing together renowned thought leaders, the goal of the EWC is to educate employers on evidence-based strategies to achieve and maintain more open, inclusive cultures. The council comprises a blend of academic, not-for-profit, and business leaders who share a passion and commitment to eradicating all workplace inequities.
“Transformative insights from research rarely translate to action in organizations”
“We are encouraged to see so many organizations taking steps toward implementing diversity programs over the last decade, and we believe that incorporating the best available science will help organizations realize their goal of truly inclusive workplaces,” said Dr. Jarik Conrad, executive director, Equity at Work Council. “The Ultimate and Kronos Equity at Work Council is unique because it uses a multifaceted approach to get a more complete understanding of who we are and why we behave the way we do.”
The EWC, funded and operated by Ultimate and Kronos, will focus on three primary initiatives:
-An annual research study to explore the multidimensional aspects of DEI&B at work
-An Equity at Work Index (E@W Index) to establish and benchmark the quantitative and qualitative drivers of workplace equity
-A series of open-source tools and resources that help organizations identify and overcome barriers to DEI&B
Work has already begun to develop the E@W Index through a partnership with the non-profit Science of Diversity & Inclusion (SODI) Initiative. A comprehensive literature review is being conducted to identify existing diversity measures, indices, and methods used to measure equity at work. The E@W Index is expected to be available by the end of 2020.
“Transformative insights from research rarely translate to action in organizations,” said Neela Rajendra, executive director at SODI. “Our partnership with the Equity at Work Council will help us create tighter collaborations between researchers and companies, which will, in turn, lead to faster discovery, adoption, and traction of evidenced-based methods for success across all sectors.”
The EWC’s 15 founding members bring together organizations across industries and academia, including Jordana Kammerud of Claire’s, Stanford T. Williams, Jr., of Messer Construction, Colleen Wood of Level Access, Natalie J. Egan of Translator Inc., and Marco Iacoboni of the UCLA Brain Research Institute.
To get involved, individuals can join the Equity at Work Social Room LinkedIn Group, an online destination for global conversations about how #justnessforall can be actively advanced, and a future of work can be created that works for all people.
The EWC complements The Workforce Institute, a think tank established by Kronos in 2007 that provides research and education on critical workplace issues facing organizations around the globe, with a unique focus on providing a voice for frontline employees.
To learn more about the Equity at Work Council, visit www.equityatworkcouncil.com.
About SODI
The Science of Diversity & Inclusion Initiative (SODI) is a living lab to catalyze high-impact innovations in diversity and inclusion. SODI brings together select companies and top researchers to identify, accelerate, and apply new approaches that advance diversity, inclusion, and belonging. With a network of over 100 behavioral science researchers from all over the world, and companies such as BlackRock, Carlyle Group, Google, GE, and Ultimate Software, SODI is closing the gap between research and practice to transform our places of work and learning. More information on SODI’s work can be found at www.sodi.org.
About Ultimate Software
Ultimate Software is a leading global provider of cloud human capital management (HCM) and employee experience solutions, with more than 51 million people records in the cloud. Ultimate’s award-winning UltiPro delivers HR, payroll, talent, and time and labor management, as well as HR service delivery solutions. Founded in 1990, Ultimate is headquartered in Weston, Florida, and employs more than 6,000 professionals. Ultimate merged with Kronos Incorporated on April 1, 2020, to create one of the world’s most innovative HCM and workforce management companies. To learn more, visit www.ultimatesoftware.com. Ultimate Software: People First.
About Kronos Incorporated
Kronos is a leading provider of workforce management and human capital management (HCM) cloud solutions. Kronos industry-centric workforce applications are purpose-built for businesses, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and government agencies of all sizes. Tens of thousands of organizations—including half of the Fortune 1000—and more than 40 million people in over 100 countries use Kronos every day. To learn more, visit www.kronos.com. Kronos: Workforce Innovation That Works.
UltiPro is a registered trademark of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.
Follow Ultimate Software on Twitter: www.twitter.com/UltimateHCM and on LinkedIn: https://ulti.pro/LinkedIn
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Contacts
Ultimate Software Contact:
Darlene Marcroft
Phone: 954-331-7444
Email: darlene_marcroft@ultimatesoftware.com
For Sales Information:
Ultimate Software
Phone: 800-432-1729
Website: www.ultimatesoftware.com
