Blue Signal Women of the Workplace 2021 Year in Review

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Blue Signal’s own female empowerment initiative, BSS Women of the Workplace, has just concluded its best year yet! Founded in 2019, BSS WOW has not only impacted those within the organization, but also the greater community as a whole. With the mission of “promoting the education, connection, and empowerment of women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal and beyond,” we’ve supported our goals through several purposeful actions. Despite being geographically dispersed, BSS WOW was able to meet virtually to discuss important topics, bond as a team, and participate in philanthropy. 

 

BSS WOW Learning Opportunities  

This year, we did an activity on gendered language in the workforce where we examined the unintentional yet inherent biases that many work-related terms hold. By examining these terms and their biases, we as a team were able to better understand equity and how we can combat gendered bias in our communication with clients, candidates, internally with colleagues, and externally as a whole. As a group, BSS WOW completed a LinkedIn Learning Course and certified 100% of our members on Women Helping Women Succeed in the Workplace.  

Additionally, we reviewed several articles surrounding similar topics. In one meeting, the group read “She Wants to Kill the Girl Boss.” The article sparked thoughtful conversations surrounding confirmation bias, intersectionality, discrimination, and privilege and how that all plays into labels. In another meeting, we reviewed a summary of the popular Sheryl Sandberg book, Lean In. We discussed gender inequality, factors that can help or hinder women’s careers, and how we can all help women to achieve their goals. Another hot topic surrounded the child-care crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This Washington Post article predicted that COVID-19 would dramatically set women back, given that many mothers had to choose between motherly duties and their careers.  

Finally, at our end-of-the-year holiday party, we discussed women who we admire. Many notable professionals were named, including Brittney Packnett Cunningham, Abby Wambach, Sara Blakely, and Rachel Hollis. Each of these articles and discussions facilitated actionable insights into bettering ourselves as people and as professionals.  

 

BSS WOW Team Building  

In creating a safe space to discuss such topics, it’s important to make it fun — it’s simply good strategy! We found so much joy in conducting alternate activities that they’ve become a staple in every meeting. We bonded over things like Secret Santa; the Rose, Bud, and Thorn activity; and more. Our members shared feedback on Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace, stating that they “truly enjoy the bonding exercises. It can feel extremely isolated when working remote - so it's helpful to have the connection with others on a deeper level.” Others said they “always leave the conversations feeling refreshed with a new perspective and feeling closer to the team!” By becoming exactly what our company needed, either through connection or just as a good mental reset, this group has become its own community.  

BSS WOW Testimonial

Blue Signal Gives Back – BSS WOW Edition  

Giving back has been a cornerstone to Blue Signal’s company culture since our inception. It’s no wonder that BSS WOW would want to participate, but with their own unique spin. Since 2020, BSS WOW has been supporting Live and Learn AZ. Live and Learn is a local non-profit that seeks to empower women in the Phoenix area to break the cycle of generational poverty. This year we continued our resume writing support and interview coaching collaboration, effectively helping 18 women with their resumes. Of those 18, six were hired into new roles.  

One Live and Learn client was very discouraged about applying for jobs and wasn’t sure when she would be able to find employment to support her family. She was referred to the BSS WOW resume writing service, where she learned to tailor her resume to the job she would be applying for. After speaking with BSS WOW, she found renewed energy and confidence in the job search, and she was able to nail a job in healthcare. Stories like these are what inspire us to work to support those in our community. This year, with our newly developed career service, we were able to also refer these Live and Learn clients to Resume and Career Services, powered by Blue Signal. With this, we hope to get even more women educated, empowered, and employed.  

But we didn’t stop there. BSS Women of the Workplace also donated four laptops to the cause. We donated three full Thanksgiving meals for Live and Learn’s Give Thanks food drive. We went live with Live and Learn on Instagram to help them generate donations for Giving Tuesday. Their movement to #EmpowerWomen and #BreakTheCycle resulted in $5,160 in overall donations! For Christmas, BSS WOW also sponsored three families from Live and Learn. The entire Blue Signal organization stepped up to help create an incredible holiday for these women and their families.  

BSS WOW Adopt a Family

Reflecting on 2021 and The Year Ahead 

2021 brought with it so many new opportunities for growth. Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has been humbled by this experience, and we are all excited for what’s next. We plan on continuing our virtual meetings, planning more exciting activities, and finding new ways to give back to our communities. For 2022, we want to focus on topics such as mental health, financial literacy, and equity. We will continue to learn more about women in leadership, and hope to make our own mark on that space.  

If this purpose and these projects speak to you, contact us to see how you can get involved. Whether that means joining in on the fun yourself by applying to work with us, or by educating us on your own current organization and how we can partner, don’t hesitate to reach out. 

 

Resources 

Here are several resources BSS WOW discussed and collected throughout the year. Please leverage these to explore on your own the topics we covered.  

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace, 2021 Update

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Since the beginning, Blue Signal has worked to advocate for women - both internally within our company, and externally within our greater community. In 2019, this took a more official form with the founding of Blue Signal Women of the Workplace (BSS WOW). 

This female empowerment initiative brings together everyone in the company, with the working purpose “to promote education, connection, and empowerment for women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal… and beyond!” Just like Blue Signal’s other DEI initiatives, BSS WOW has an impact that extends beyond just the internal organization. Below is an update on the projects we’ve worked on over the last year.

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace Purpose Graphic

BSS WOW Partnering with Live and Learn AZ 

Live and Learn is a local non-profit organization that was created to empower women in the Phoenix-metro area to break the cycle of generational poverty. They support the financial independence and career growth of women in our community by offering classes, workshops, and training geared toward accomplishing each individual woman’s goals. Their incredible education programs have resulted in life-changing successes, like earning degrees, landing jobs, and so much more. 

Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has been supporting Live and Learn in this mission since 2020, by providing resume writing tips and interview coaching. Through collaboration and a little bit of recruiter magic, Blue Signal has been able to walk these women through the resume writing process and renew their confidence to dive into the job market. In 2021, we are excited to continue this partnership and plan to provide as much value as possible to the clients of Live and Learn AZ. 

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace, Live and Learn Testimonial Graphic

BSS WOW Education and Certifications 

Despite COVID-19 changing the way we meet, Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has continued to come together since our company moved to a fully remote work model. We meet virtually once every other month to discuss updates on our Live and Learn philanthropic work, learn about issues surrounding women, and empower one another through discussion and shared experiences.

In our meetings, BSS WOW has discussed gendered language and its impact on how we understand and represent the workforce overall. We have examined articles, like this one from the New York Times that has stirred quite a bit of commentary surrounding gendered titles like “Female CEO” in corporate leadership. We’ve also covered difficult topics like biases, intersectionality, discrimination, and privilege. Through prioritizing these meetings, we’ve discussed everything from #GirlBoss to “fireperson,” learning along the way about inclusivity and empowerment. These topics have also led to conversations about ways we can implement better industry practices for emailing candidates, addressing clients over the phone, and writing job descriptions to advertise online. 

During a recent meeting, the entire BSS WOW group became LinkedIn certified in helping Women Succeed in the Workplace by taking this course as a team. The course was aimed toward helping women (and their male or non-binary allies) advocate for success within their careers. By learning about better practices surrounding self-confidence, executive presence, and pay equity, Blue Signal is continuing our education on how best to support our candidates on their career paths, and our clients in fostering success throughout their teams. 

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace LinkedIn Learning Course Certification Graphic

Summary

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace seeks to create an assembly that unites our workplace to further the goals of each other as individuals, and propel Blue Signal to be the best recruiting firm on the planet. We believe that connected, empowered women, and those who support them, are unstoppable. BSS WOW has served as a platform to give Blue Signal colleagues the tools and resources needed to support their growth and to build long-term relationships while reaching new heights within professional development. BSS WOW has helped us improve the way in which we support our clients, candidates, colleagues, and community. We are excited to continue in our mission to be a resource for supporting and advocating for women in any workplace. 

Blue Signal Gives Back 2020

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Closing out 2020 on a high note, we completed our 3rd annual company-wide event for Blue Signal Gives Back (BSGB). Giving back to the community is a shared passion among our employees, and each year we work to incorporate those values into what we do as a company. In 2018, Blue Signal donated $1,632.50 to the American Parkinson Disease Foundation. In 2019, we donated $2,052.50 to the Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation. This year, proving to be a 3-year trend, Ryan Walsh has won a whopping $3,986.50 to donate to the Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation on his behalf - all thanks to the combined efforts of the Blue Signal team. 

 

How BSGB Works 

Starting on November 16, 2020 and running through December 25, 2020 - every Blue Signaler was given the chance to choose a nonprofit charitable organization to represent. They certainly were off to the races! Employees were able to earn money based on metric points that were each assigned a dollar amount. Employees could earn points through correctly answering trivia questions, or even hitting goals like landing a placement! All efforts made an impact, and the competition was fierce. Each week our Human Resources Director, Jessica Walsh, sent out a progress report - building the excitement for the announcement at the beginning of the new year. 

BSGB Week 5

In the end, the team with the most points wins - taking all money earned from all teams and putting it towards the winning charitable organization. Blue Signal then makes a donation to that organization in the name of the winner! 

BSGB 2020 Blog Graphic

2020’s Winning Organization - The Smith Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation 

The SKS Foundation was established in 2019 as a non-profit foundation for children and families affected by Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome. SKS is a rare genetic condition that can cause a wide range of medical, intellectual, and behavioral challenges. The foundation is working to improve the quality of life of children affected by SKS by supporting cutting-edge research, collaborating with medical professionals, and strengthening community through worldwide awareness.

Researchers are continuing to learn more about SKS and are working to help special needs families gain more understanding/earlier diagnosis. The goal is to better understand the characteristics and the differences of MTOR conditions like Smith-Kingsmore syndrome to be able to design well-informed treatment plans.

The SKS Foundation happens to be very near and dear to Blue Signal’s hearts. 4-year-old Jameson “JJ” Walsh, the youngest son of CEO, Matt Walsh, was diagnosed with Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome in 2019. Early on, JJ had hearing loss and has undergone two cochlear implant surgeries to allow him to hear, which were a triumphant success! Despite his diagnosis, and with the support of the SKS Foundation and its incredible, growing community - JJ is a happy and healthy boy and is making great progress with the help of the amazing medical support he receives. 

BSGB 2020 JJ Collage

If you are interested in learning more about SKS and the Foundation, please follow this link. 

Donate to the Smith Kingsmore Foundation, here!

Help Us Help Others

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Blue Signal has been working to support coronavirus relief through recruiting efforts in critical infrastructure industries including healthcare, critical communications, telehealth, logistics and supply chain, food and agriculture, biotechnology, hospitals, and other key areas. We have a successful track record of filling searches in these areas, and understand that now more than ever those roles cannot afford to be left open. By recruiting the nation’s top-talent to help front-line efforts - and with several placements made in critical infrastructure, healthcare, and public safety - our people are helping to save lives. 

But we cannot do it alone! If you or someone you know possesses critical business operations skills, we would like your help! Through referrals, contracting, and even permanent placements, we can work together to support COVID-19 relief. We have openings nationwide in first response and crucial roles - and our clients are moving fast. We urge you to explore our open jobs page on a regular basis, and if you feel you or someone you know is a fit - please reach out. Anything you can provide can make a difference. 

In an attempt to stretch these efforts to the most support possible, Blue Signal is excited to announce recent donations made to Feeding America, UNICEF USA, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, and the Arizona Community Foundation to support COVID-19 relief. We donated a portion of our earnings from placements made with our critical infrastructure clients - making sure that money spent during the pandemic works to support its relief efforts. Here are some of the ways those organizations are putting donations like these to life-saving use. 

BSGB COVID-19 - Feeding America

Feeding America 

On March 13th, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization announced the establishment of the COVID-19 Response Fund to support food banks across the country as they work to feed communities impacted by the pandemic. Feeding America has a network of over 200 member food banks across the country. This fund of $2.65 million will enable food banks to secure the resources they need to serve the most vulnerable members of the community during this difficult time. With the COVID-19 Response Fund, Feeding America is launching national food- and fund-raising efforts to support people facing hunger and the food banks who help them. If you would like to contribute, follow this link. 

BSGB COVID-19 - Unicef

UNICEF USA

UNICEF has been helping fight the coronavirus pandemic through several initiatives. To date, they have delivered nearly 6 million protective items to health workers, and over 6 metric tons of medical supplies to front line efforts. As the lead humanitarian agency for children’s wellness, they operate in over 190 countries by responding to as many as 300 emergencies per year. Fortunately, they are poised for assisting in COVID-19 relief efforts because they have years of experience supporting similar initiatives. To learn more, or contribute to the cause, follow this link. 

BSGB COVID-19 - CDP

Center for Disease Philanthropy 

The CDP has created a COVID-19 Response Fund that works to support preparedness, containment efforts, response, and recovery activities for those affected by coronavirus as well as the responders on the front lines. With each of their initiatives, the CDP seeks to use philanthropy to shorten the recovery period from the event, and achieve full recovery as soon as possible. Their work helps to support improving communities’ resilience and the well-being of the people who live there. To support their mission, follow this link. 

BSGB COVID-19 - ACF

Arizona Community Foundation

The Arizona Community Foundation has created a COVID-19 Response Fund to support nonprofit organizations as they respond to the pandemic. Partnering with several local corporations and foundations, the fund will be used to support gaps in relief not covered by federal or state funding. Donations to the COVID-19 Response Fund help Arizona communities educate and provide support to healthcare front lines within the state to combat coronavirus. If you would like to get involved, follow this link. 

Blue Signal Gives Back 2018

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In November 2018, Blue Signal launched its first ever Blue Signal Gives Back initiative. In an effort to give back to our community, we implemented a program where the entire team worked together to raise money for a charitable organization of their choosing.

Blue Signal’s company culture is unique in many ways. While we do have four brick and mortar offices – two in Illinois, and two in Arizona including our new HQ – we also find our workplace all across the US in the homes of our remote workers! Because of this, it has been important for us to remain a close-knit company in many creative ways. The Blue Signal Gives Back Initiative allowed us to work as a team to accomplish one major goal – giving back. And we learned a lot about one another along the way!

Here’s how it worked: The program ran for 6 weeks from November through the end of December 2018. All recruiters chose a nonprofit charitable organization that was important to them, and teamed up with members of the support staff. Each team was able to earn money through Send-Outs, Placements, and various metric benchmarks and company trivia. Every week a progress report was sent out to the company, keeping track of which team was in the lead. At the end of the year, the points were added up and the team with the most cash won! The best part? Blue Signal took all the money earned from ALL teams, and donated it to the charity chosen by the winner – placing the donation in their honor. That meant that every send out, every placement, regardless of the winner, translated to a win for one lucky charitable organization.  Each employee’s hard work directly benefited the winning organization.

Blue Signal Gives Back Results

At our year-end holiday party, the Blue Signal Summit – Ryan Walsh was announced the winner. His efforts put him and his organization, the American Parkinson Disease Association, in the lead. Ryan and the entire Blue Signal team was able to raise $1,632.50 to donate to the cause. We are so proud to have had this opportunity to work together as a company to give back to our community!

 

More about the American Parkinson Disease Association – The APDA is the largest grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) and works tirelessly to assist the more than 1 million Americans with PD live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $177 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and ultimately put an end to this disease.