Inclusive Books for Business
by various authors
2023/Various publishers/$28.99-$30
Unless you fall into the non-white, non-cisgender male category, you may not realize the amount of extra labor that women and minorities do at work and do to be able to work. It’s hidden, and few folks discuss it but those who experience it, know it. “Emotional Labor” by Rose Hackman (Flatiron Books, $28.99) helps you recognize those burdens and, if you’re someone dealing with the issues, learn how to regain your sanity and your strength.
Women are asked to “smile more” and are often talked over. People of color feel that they need to code switch and talk differently in the presence of their white co-workers. Assuming who brings the coffee to a meeting is an issue. None of this is new; in fact, emotional labor has a long, long history and Hackman unpacks it with firmness.
And yet, this is not an anti-white-men rant kind of book. The author has a lot to say and she’s respectful, and though a good amount of it may be uncomfortable, leaders, supervisors, business owners and C-Suiters will be glad they read what she and her case-study subjects have to say.
You know you need to make change, but you’re not sure where to get started. In “Rising Together” by Sally Helgesen (Hachette Go, $30), you’ll see why you’re stymied and learn how to move forward.
There are, says Helgesen, eight barriers to making change, including gender and age. You’ll learn how to spot the most common walls between you and an inclusive workplace, and how to knock them down. The author offers tools to implement everyday until inclusivity feels natural.
Current Issue - May 2024