Unplugged

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In 2022, just two years after Tesla recommitted to DEI, Elon Musk decried “wokeness.” Kristen Kavanaugh, Tesla’s head of inclusion at the time, recently spoke to HR Brew about the shift at Tesla, how misinformation fuels anti-DEI rhetoric, and why executives should show more courage.

Like many major companies after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Tesla spoke out in support of racial justice. “We reaffirm our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),” the company stated. “We are proud to employ people of all backgrounds who possess the talent, energy and focus to accelerate our vision forward.”

According to the company’s first DEI impact report, published in 2020, the majority of Tesla’s employees were BIPOC, although 59% of the leadership team was white. And while women accounted for roughly one-in-five employees, the company appeared to be on the road to improvement. Tesla’s report mapped out a plan for inclusion, focused on attracting and retaining diverse talent, integrating DEI principles across the company through training opportunities, and working with its seven employee resource groups.

By 2021, the company’s commitment to DEI appeared less clear. A court awarded $137 million to a Black former Tesla employee who had accused the company of racial discrimination and harassment (later reduced to $3.2 million in a second 2023 hearing).

For insights from Tesla’s former head of inclusion on the company’s DEI pivot, keep reading here.—KP

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Show ’em the money

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TOTAL REWARDS

A very modern(a) approach

The exterior of a Moderna office is pictured.

Veronique D/Getty Images

The biotech firm, which is perhaps best known for making Covid-19 vaccines, has partnered with OpenAI since 2023, and has designed more than 3,000 custom versions of ChatGPT to perform functions specific to the company, according to the Wall Street Journal.

And that’s not all. Its head of HR, Tracey Franklin, now oversees both HR and technology functions as Moderna’s inaugural chief people and digital technology officer. In its annual report last year, the company touted the fact that 4,500 of its employees “were actively engaged with AI tools each month..”

Of the “GPTs” Moderna has designed, those that fall under HR are the most popular among employees, according to the company’s VP, HR business partner for research and executive compensation, Hem Patel.

For more on how Moderna is making use of AI to maximize total rewards, keep reading here..—CV

BOOK CLUB

Finding meaning

Two hands holding on opened book with text highlighted

Emily Parsons

What if there was a simple way for HR to help employees derive meaning from work? It sounds easier said than done.

But there are three key ways leaders can help employees feel more connected to their work, according to Wes Adams, CEO of consulting firm SV Consulting Group, and Tamara Myles, a business consultant, speaker, and Boston College professor. In their graduate psychology program, Adams and Myles connected over a passion for helping company leaders create meaning for employees, which led them to co-author, Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee.

The duo highlights how community, contribution, and being challenged helps employees find meaning and purpose on a daily basis.

For more on what HR pros can learn from Adams and Myles, keep reading here.—MC

WORK PERKS

A desktop computer plugged into a green couch.

Francis Scialabba

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: More than one-third (35%) of employees are impacted by bullying in the workplace. (Success Magazine)

Quote: “This is such a simple idea, but I’ve been stunned at how powerful it is…It doesn’t cost money. It’s easier to actually change [that] than culture, which is really hard to change in an organization.”—Jane Dutton, an organizational psychologist at the University of Michigan, on the importance of building connections with others at work (the New York Times)

Read: Layoffs have caused severe mental health effects on former federal workers. (the Washington Post)

Pay = Stay: Subpar pay and benefits is one of the top reasons why employees leave their companies. Want perks that work? Create a better compensation strategy with tips from ClearCompany’s compensation management guide.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

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