Dec. 22, 2020 7:30 am ET
Chief information officers in 2020 helped introduce or bolster initiatives to increase the ranks of minorities and women on their technology teams, as well as programs designed to retain and advance those underrepresented groups.
Also, in a year in which the police killing of George Floyd prompted many companies to address racial disparities internally and across American society, CIOs took steps to educate themselves about race and bias.
“While we’ve always talked about [diversity, equity and inclusion],” the killing of Mr. Floyd was “a real wake-up call,” said Maya Leibman, chief information officer at American Airlines Inc., one of 45 information technology executives who responded via email to CIO Journal’s annual end-of-year questionnaire, which surveyed them on diversity and other topics.
Dec. 21, 2020 7:30 am ET
This year, many chief information officers gave priority to the mental health and well-being of their employees more than ever before, offering access to psychological resources and sharing personal experiences to strengthen bonds.
Social distancing, enforced isolation and the stress of working from home while managing oneâs personal life in the midst of a deadly pandemic has taken a toll on mental health. Psychologists say confinement can take a psychological toll, including depression and compulsive disorders, WSJ has previously reported.
âThe new approach for CIOs must be technology plus empathy,â said Carol Juel, CIO of Synchrony Financial, one of 45 information technology executives who responded via email to CIO Journalâs annual end-of-year questionnaire. Employees at Synchrony have been offered virtual mental health counseling services and therapy, and self-care tools such as Talkspace and Sanvello.
CIO Journal
PREVIEW
SUBSCRIBE
“I challenge my teams from the most junior to the most senior staff to disconnect, even using some of the most simple, key directives: ‘Take your vacation! Don’t check email at night!’”
Erik Bailey,
software company Anaqua
“I feel strongly that you need to start the day by turning on the machine and working through your daily routine, but whenever possible at the end of the day we need to find a way to wrap up the work routine. Personally, I find that I best make that shift when I can end the day with a run, walk, some quick meditation or other activity that helps me make that separation more formally.”
Curated news and analysis for wealth advisers and their clients from WSJ reporters and columnists By WSJ Staff Updated Dec. 21, 2020 6:02 am ET
Resilience: That’s the essential word for our times, John Evans, a consultant for Blue Granite Capital, an investment manager specializing in the 401(k) space, told Barron s.
Dealing with Covid, the election, and hurricanes, many advisers and clients need a strategy to bounce back. Too many people are counting on us. We can be either victims or victors through all of this, so let’s choose the latter.
Below, some of the best analysis and insight from WSJ writers and columnists, the Dow Jones Newswires team and occasionally beyond, on investing, the wealth-management business and more.