Wow! This has been a year for the record books, and we’re forever changed as individuals and organizations.

As we look ahead to the new year, let’s commit to strengthening the fabric of our corporate cultures to emerge more vital than ever with a mosaic of employees and experiences that bond together to accomplish more than we ever imagined.

Diversity initiatives have historically focused primarily on fairness for legally protected populations, and organizations now have an opportunity to capitalize on a more powerful aspect: diversity of thought, which addresses essential areas of bias that aren’t always apparent on the surface but can prevent employees from coming together for the common good. The upside can be unique, but we must evolve to break through barriers.

It can be more challenging in distributed work environments. Still, the upshot is there are many ways to build and improve workplace cultures where employees are treated respectfully and encouraged to voice their perspectives and promote their organization’s vision and mission. Ultimately, you’ll transform your culture into a strategic asset that drives tremendous success.

So, as you thank your colleagues for pulling together this year and consider how you’ll move forward in 2021, we’d like to pass along some heartfelt words of wisdom from Gary Burnison, CEO of Korn Ferry. Gary shares his views about our undefeated human spirit and reminds us to nurture it with humility, empathy, and resilience.

May you have a wonderful holiday season filled with peace, health, and happiness. Let’s agree to come together in the new year and Let Our Cultures Shine!