Coworking with Nicole Hill

On Wednesdays, we schedule our weekly 1:1 with HR Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Nicole Hill is the diversity, equity, and inclusion manager at financial services company DailyPay. She started out her career in public relations before taking a “leap of faith” into the world of recruiting.

How would you describe your specific job to someone who doesn’t work in HR? As the diversity, equity, and inclusion manager at DailyPay, I’m accountable for leading the charge in creating a workplace of inclusion and belonging. To support DailyPay and its commitment to DE&I, I’m responsible for curating education programs that provide a deeper understanding of DE&I [and] promote inclusive behavior. In addition, I work with our employee resource groups (ERGs) to empower them to create positive experiences that enrich our culture and community to advance an equitable and inclusive workplace.

What’s the best change you’ve made at a place you’ve worked? One of the things that I’m most proud of is that I was able to develop a sustainable sponsorship program that led to the development and promotion of employees from underrepresented groups. Furthermore, the sponsorship program created opportunities for employees to forge relationships with senior leaders. The participants received coaching from senior leaders, who also advocated for the individuals.

What’s the biggest misconception people might have about your job? The biggest misconception about working in a DE&I role is the expectation that change will happen overnight. While this is the hope for many, change occurs when the organization prioritizes DE&I and organically embeds it into everything they do to foster a sense of greater belonging. At DailyPay, one of our core values is: “We win with diversity.” This is front and center, from new hire orientation through the full employee experience.

What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your job? I’m most fulfilled and enjoy the fruits of my labor when someone says they’ve learned from a DE&I training and will incorporate those learnings into their professional and personal life. I also get excited when leaders show support as an ally and advocate for individuals and groups.

What trend in HR are you most optimistic about? Why? I’m optimistic about many trends in HR, which I hope outlive the cycle of a “trend” and become ingrained in the way we operate and our best practices. For instance, at DailyPay, we’re incorporating DE&I into every aspect of HR to foster a workplace of inclusion and belonging, including the recruitment process!

What trend in HR are you least optimistic about? Why? Burnout! Employers have experienced the effects of what burnout can do to their employees and how it impacts their business. Thankfully, employers are now eager to put their best foot forward to have employees take care of themselves and end the cycle of burnout. We’re seeing companies implement mental health days, wellness benefits, generous PTO, [and] offer benefits like on-demand pay, etc.

Tell us one new or old HR tech product or platform that’s made your life easier, and why. Employee engagement surveys provide an opportunity for employees to be heard and for the company to respond to their needs to improve employee engagement. Furthermore, when a company responds and takes action, the employee feels valued. Additionally, the surveys can be useful in gaining employee perspectives on DE&I.

Want to be featured in an upcoming edition of Coworking? Click here to introduce yourself.