Summary of We Can Do Better | Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. SHRM-SCP SHRM Pres. & CEO at World Human Resource Congress

00:00:00 - 00:20:00

In the "We Can Do Better" speech by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. at the World Human Resource Congress, he underscores the significance of enhancing workplace culture as people spend a considerable amount of time at work. He highlights the growing issue of incivility, conflict, and bullying in workplaces, which is leading to a crisis point with over 171 million acts of incivility in the US workforce daily. HR is being called upon to address this issue, as employees feel no action is being taken. Taylor also discusses the shift from a pandemic era of caring for each other to an era of conflict and the importance of active listening, empathetic conversations, and civility in the workplace. He calls for HR professionals to lead the way in teaching employees how to disagree better, emphasizing the power of apologies and modeling civil conversations. Taylor also launches an initiative for one million civil conversations to encourage inclusivity, bridge divides, and build understanding. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of introspection and fairness in HR practices, urging HR professionals to examine their policies and ensure equitable treatment of employees in the face of challenging times.

• 00:00:00 In this section of the "We Can Do Better" speech by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. at the World Human Resource Congress, he emphasizes the importance of improving workplace culture as people spend a significant amount of time at work. He notes that workplaces have become battlegrounds with increasing incidents of incivility, conflict, and bullying. According to SHRM's Cultural Civility Index, there are over 171 million acts of incivility in the US workforce daily, which is driving employees to quit. Nearly 70% of workers have experienced or witnessed incivility in the last month. HR is being called out to address this issue, as employees believe no one is taking action. Taylor also discusses the shift from the COVID-19 pandemic era, where people were more concerned about each other, to an era of conflict, where people no longer care about their neighbors and colleagues.
• 00:05:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "We Can Do Better" by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., the SHRM-SCP and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), discusses the current state of empathy and workplace civility. He highlights how despite increased diversity in workplaces, there is a significant divide among employees, leading to a climate of trauma, fear, uncertainty, misinformation, anger, and isolation. This issue is not limited to any specific demographic or industry but is a global problem that is fast approaching a crisis point. Taylor emphasizes that workplace civility is not just unpleasant but increasingly dangerous, leading to heavy consequences for employees and even potential violence. He calls upon HR professionals to lead the way in teaching employees how to disagree better, emphasizing the importance of active listening and understanding the emotions and intentions behind someone's words.
• 00:10:00 In this section of the World Human Resource Congress, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. emphasizes the importance of active listening and extreme empathetic listening in civil conversations. He encourages putting aside judgments and assumptions to engage with speakers on a deeper level. Taylor also stresses the need for a workplace culture where feedback is seen as a gift and constructive conversations are the norm. He advocates for the power of apologies and the importance of HR professionals modeling civil conversations. Taylor believes that HR leaders have a unique position to influence employees' lives and calls for defining civility in workplaces, teaching employees to recognize incivility, and having a plan for addressing it. He concludes by launching an initiative for one million civil conversations to encourage inclusivity, bridge divides, and build understanding.
• 00:15:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "We Can Do Better" by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., the SHRM-SCP and CEO of SHRM at the World Human Resource Congress, he challenges the world to have 1 million civil conversations in workplaces as part of a campaign to combat incivility. He believes that empathy is the foundation for civility and that it has become increasingly important due to the blurred lines between work and home life brought about by the pandemic. Empathy, according to Taylor, is an inherent human trait that can be strengthened, and HR professionals have a role to play in helping employees tap into this resource. He encourages the use of tools and resources provided by SHRM to start civil conversations and turn discord into dialogue. The campaign aims to carry the message to workplaces around the world, starting with the HR community.
• 00:20:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "We Can Do Better" by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., the SHRM-SCP and CEO of the World Human Resource Congress, emphasizes the importance of introspection and fairness in HR practices. He criticizes the judgment and incivility that can arise when assessing employees based on their college degrees or technical skills. Taylor urges HR professionals to examine their policies and ensure they are treating people equally and equitably, as the world's workers face challenging times, including the impact of AI on jobs and the fragility of education systems. He emphasizes HR's unique role in building meaningful human interactions and promoting civility in the workplace, encouraging empathy, extreme listening, and 4.5 billion civil conversations with the global workforce.