On my way into work this morning, I made my usual stop at Dunkin’ Donuts and bought a medium $2.11 cup of coffee for the hour ride into work. At 7:08 am, I had already spent more money on a cup of coffee than many individuals in America have available to spend in an entire day. I was thinking about this more, having just read $2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, by professors Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer. $2.00 A Day is readable, understandable and enlightening.
Category: Social Good
Could Your Financial Success Begin with a Coach?
At Goodwill Industries International, we believe that having a job is not enough. The path to self-sufficiency and financial independence requires more than just a paycheck. One of our primary focuses, financial coaching, has taken the asset building world by storm in the last decade. There are several characteristics associated with a successful coaching relationship.
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February's Good Links
Each month, the Social Good Blog highlights news and resources on a specific topic. In February, we are exploring diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
February’s Good Links
Each month, the Social Good Blog highlights news and resources on a specific topic. In February, we are exploring diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Why Culture Impacts Your Organization
Leaders working to create diverse and inclusive workplaces must make the connection between diversity initiatives, cultural differences and their organization’s business goals. Effective business cases set the context for diversity and identify organizational challenges that must be addressed in order to create change. Building inclusive workplace cultures requires far more than a strong business case, the “right” program, or even the most sophisticated assessment tools or metrics. To create high-performing work cultures, business leaders must pay attention to the people side— how employees connect to company values, its social impact on the broader community, the workplace role models employees are exposed to, and employees’ willingness and ability to participate in culture change efforts.
Mini-Documentaries Tackle Big Topics of Race and Diversity
“Work for All,” is a collection of 11 mini-documentaries (each running between approximately 3-15 minutes). Produced by the National Film Board of Canada and with the participation of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the examines topics of racism and diversity in the workplace through multiple lenses.
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Fostering Diversity of Thought for Creative Business Solutions
What if the next best idea or great app for your company is just waiting to be revealed, but the employee who created it is not a part of the conversation because their title just doesn’t fit with your idea of who should be in the room? Gallup surveys show that 68 percent of U.S. employees are either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged”—resulting in lost organizational productivity and industry competitiveness. Keeping this in mind, a growing number of companies have open platforms for anyone in or outside of the organization to submit ideas.
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Interstate Hotels & Resorts Talent Acquisition Leader Discusses Hiring Trends, Skills for Success
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company, managing major global brands such as Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton, recently teamed up with Goodwill® to launch a unique pilot program, a customized jobs portal created in conjunction with Hospitality Online. The portal is available exclusively to Goodwill member staff through the GoodProspects® career navigation platform, which allows Goodwill staff across the country to access details about open positions at Interstate-managed hotels in their region. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to speak with Nigel Williams, vice president of human resources for Interstate Hotels & Resorts and a 25-year veteran of the customer service industry, to learn more about this collaboration, as well as how he and his team think about attracting the best talent amidst a fluctuating job market.
Interstate Hotels & Resorts Talent Acquisition Leader Discusses Hiring Trends, Skills for Success
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company, managing major global brands such as Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton, recently teamed up with Goodwill® to launch a unique pilot program, a customized jobs portal created in conjunction with Hospitality Online. The portal is available exclusively to Goodwill member staff through the GoodProspects® career navigation platform, which allows Goodwill staff across the country to access details about open positions at Interstate-managed hotels in their region. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to speak with Nigel Williams, vice president of human resources for Interstate Hotels & Resorts and a 25-year veteran of the customer service industry, to learn more about this collaboration, as well as how he and his team think about attracting the best talent amidst a fluctuating job market.
Older Workers No Longer ‘Set for Life,’ Documentary Demonstrates
What do you think of when you hear the words ‘the American dream’? For most of ourselves and the people we serve at Goodwill®, the definition would include being able to hold a job that provides long-term support and security for ourselves and our families. For older workers profiled in the documentary Set for Life, the definition of the American dream shifted drastically due to periods of unexpected unemployment they experienced during the Great Recession.
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Introducing Social Good: Our New Digital Series Promoting Big-Picture Social Change
As we enter a new year, it's important to reflect on where we are as an organization and whether our efforts are as effective and far-reaching as they could be. With that in mind, it's my pleasure to introduce you to our new blog, Social Good. Goodwill® has been devoted to social good for more than 113 years with a core focus on providing employment services to local job seekers. Moving forward, we want to ensure that we continue to be a leading voice and a force for change on a grand scale, bringing the issues that are important to Goodwill to the forefront of a national dialogue.
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ForTheFit.com Donates 1,400 Pairs of Athletic Pants to Traverse City, MI Goodwill
ForTheFit.com, a company that designs, manufactures and sells short men’s clothes (under 5’9”) and tall men’s clothing (over 6 feet, slim to big), recently donated 1,400 pairs of new athletic pants to Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan (Traverse City). The pants, which are made of heavy fleece and jersey, regularly retail for $53,200 — or $38 per pair.
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