IPR is featuring some of the many Native American and Indigenous pioneers and modern-day heroes to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. This post appears courtesy of The Seattle Times and The History Channel.

Chief Seattle, or Sealth, was a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes in what is now Washington State. He is well-known for a famous speech he made in 1854 that was resurrected in the 1970s during the environmental movement and noted as the “embodiment of all environmental ideals.” Chief Seattle was well-known for being a warrior, orator, and diplomat. According to Historynet:
When white settlers came to Washington in the 1850s, he welcomed them, arguing that resistance would hasten the tribes’ demise. According to biographer David
Buerge, Chief Seattle was strategic and encouraged one of the area’s first pioneers to move their fishing business to Seattle. The Duwamish saved the settlers’ lives that first winter. To honor his leadership, the settlers named Seattle after him. His decisions and intercession paved the way for Seattle to be the city it is today.
Source: Historynet
Felicia D. Blow, Ph.D., APR, Hampton University; Christopher F. Bonney, President, Bonney & Company; Meghnaa Tallapragad, Ph.D., Temple University; and David W. Brown, Temple University
This blog is based on the original journal article in the Public Relations Journal.

There is a saying that asserts this: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” The message here is that you cannot know whether you are successful in your efforts – whatever they may be – unless success is defined, tracked, and measured.

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) set out to measure diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts in the field. In 2019, the organization began a year-long effort to better understand PRSA members’ thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes in the areas of D&I. To obtain this information, PRSA executed a comprehensive, three-phased study to assess D&I perceptions.

This article analyzes PRSA’s process and goes into detail regarding the 2019 study findings. It examines details on the discoveries uncovered and concludes with insights on how PRSA can best utilize the data to build programs that will be meaningful in the organization’s long-term D&I strategies.
The Harris Poll and Talkspace
Talkspace commissioned a survey with The Harris Poll to explore current employee attitudes toward mental well-being and work. 

A survey of 1,015 full-time employees in the United States was conducted July 29 - Aug. 2, 2021.

Key findings include:
  • 41% of employees are likely to consider a job change to resolve stress.
  • Employees are bypassing company policies, such as changing teams or short-term leaves, in favor of resignation.
  • Nearly 60% of employees believe that supportive management can improve retention.
  • When it comes to retention and engagement, "a manager that prioritizes mental health" is more highly ranked by employees than both a strong culture and mentorship.
  • 2-in-3 employees who consider leaving their job agree their employer has not followed through on early pandemic promises to focus on employee mental health.
 
PRovoke Media examined the extent of the pay and promotion gap at Asia-Pacific PR agencies.

A survey of 1,100 employees at 24 PR agencies across Asia-Pacific was conducted.

Key findings include:
  • 68% of the industry are female, but all positions above director comprise proportionately fewer females than the industry at large.
  • 42% of white men and 25% of white women report earning over $125k per year – far higher proportions than other groups.
  • 13% of East Asian men and 6% of East Asian women earn over $125k per year.
  • 10% of Southeast Asian men and 8% of Southeast Asian women earn more than $125k per year.
  • 4% of South Asian men and 6% of South Asian women earn over $125k per year.
  • Although only 1-in-5 (17%) industry members identify as white, white employees comprise more than a third of EVP and partner-level positions.

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