Let’s be honest. Investing in corporate culture can be, even if well-intentioned, a largely performative exercise.
Times are tough and the way forward is uncertain. The staffing industry has seen monumental changes at a breakneck pace, with no calm in sight. It comes as no surprise that many of our collective efforts toward combating burnout and injecting stability into tumult have fallen flat. With women, especially mothers, churning from the workforce at record levels, and representation of diverse groups in leadership still painfully low, no amount of free beer, ping pong at the office, or free subscriptions to services no one needs are going to move the needle.
No one understands this better than DeLibra Wesley, a storied name in healthcare staffing and the founder of WOCIS (Women of Color in Staffing). DeLibra has seen it all and climbed every ladder, rising from recruiter to COO of the Delta Companies, and founding the fast-growing National Recruiting Consultants (NRC) at the height of the pandemic. DeLibra pulls no punches in our conversation, talking honestly and from the heart. We’re fortunate at RefAssured to speak with so many wonderful and accomplished leaders for Ref Around the Edges, but this is the only conversation thus far that made Vinda cry (in a good way). Tommy teared up but later denied it.
In Episode 7 of RATE, DeLibra talks with us about:
- The meaning of work – it’s not about staying busy; it’s about facilitating the lifestyle and priorities that are important to you. At the end of it all, we remember our loved ones and our relationships. Nothing more.
- The importance of knowing the problem you’re solving, and giving working parents, particularly moms, benefits that they actually need, like generous leave and food and childcare help, not reductive pandering.
- Why craving responsibility and leadership advancement can be a slippery slope if you don’t also realize your value and the worth of your time.
- How to walk the walk as a founder and CEO, creating a culture that rewards high performance but celebrates your people and their authentic selves.
- The obligation that staffing companies have to their internal employees and their talent, and why she chose to focus on special education – and combating burnout among educators – when starting NRC.
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