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It\u2019s episode 30 of Blended: I\u2019m joined by a brand new panel of inspirational professionals and, today, we\u2019re talking about classism.

Now, some people believe that we\u2019ve left classism behind. But, sadly, studies show that it\u2019s alive and well \u2013 and its impacts are huge. The bottom 80% of the United States holds only 12% of its wealth; the bottom 60%, is just 3% of its wealth. And despite this huge disparity, little is being done to drive change.

In a world where we\u2019re working hard to tackle issues around gender, race, sexuality, religion and more \u2013 why are conversations around socioeconomic groupings still so often missing from the conversation? Surely it\u2019s high time we address class barriers, build bridges and work harder to become a more equitable society.

So today, our guests will be diving into classism and what it means to them; sharing their personal experiences; reflecting on education, privilege and pedigree; and discussing what organizations can do to tackle classism in the workplace and create more truly diverse communities.

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[01.01] Introductions to our Blended panelists.

• Elise \u2013 VP of Customer Experience at Parade
• Courtney \u2013 Co-founder and CEO of Renewal Logistics and ReNew
• Amanda \u2013 Associate Director at Savills
• Christine \u2013 VP of Product Marketing and Go-to-Market at Nulogy

\u201cWhen I think about classism, it\u2019s really class discrimination. We live in a system where people are valued and treated differently based on their perceived class\u2026. It\u2019s so systemic and it reaches every single part of our system.\u201d \xa0Elise

[05.27] The group discusses classism, the complex issues that feed into it, and what classism means to them.

\u201cIt goes beyond how others perceive you \u2013 classism is also about how you perceive yourself. You grow up in a particular socio-economic group, and often you can self-limit.\u201d

• How others see us
• How we see ourselves
• Self-sabotage
• Imposter syndrome and mindset
• Privilege
• Access to/relationship with education
• Etiquette and formality
• Generational money/mindset/networks
• Communication between classes
• Building communities and relationships
• Meritocracy
• Criminalization of poverty
• Entrepreneurship, financial security as a safety net and how money allows you to take more risks
• Perceptions, and Illusions of social media
• Power of networks

\u201cWe would be so much further along as a society if everyone was comfortable talking to other people with an open mind, more like \u2018what can I learn from this conversation\u2019 rather than \u2018what am I going to disagree with.\u2019\u201d Courtney

[47.17] The panel shares their experiences of classism in the workplace, and the impact of pedigree and education.

\u201cI didn\u2019t think I was enough, I\u2019m not good enough, I don\u2019t have the pedigree \u2013 I never saw myself being someone that could be at an elite level. And it wasn\u2019t because intellectually I wasn\u2019t enough, it was because of that class that I was born in and what I saw all around me.\u201d Christine

• Christine\u2019s experience of educational hierarchy and her reflections on classism in the Ivy League
• Elise\u2019s experience of start-ups, the \u2018typical\u2019 type of founder, leader and C Suite member, the \u2018boys club\u2019 and how she developed her own biases
• How we can work on ourselves and tackle bias

[58.02] The group share their ideas for how organizations can help to tackle classism in the workplace.

• Amanda shares how Savills are helping to support young people entering real estate
• The importance of mentors
• Stepping out of your comfort zone
• Celebrating small wins and sharing expectations
• Creating opportunities for success
• Creating development plans for staff
• Respect
• Thinking about people holistically and making changes
• Innovative thinking
• Potential classism in remote work
• Ensuring class is part of DEI policy
• Team-building
• Education and training
• Translating values into behaviors
• Tackling classism through supplier diversity

\u201cIt\u2019s the subtle shift from looking for culture fit, to looking at culture add\u2026 we want someone to both support and challenge.\u201d

[1.22.37] The panel sums up their thoughts from today\u2019s discussion.

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You can connect with Elise, Courtney, Amanda and Christine over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, why not check out 215: Blended \u2013 Shining a light on social inequality, or 323: Blended \u2013 How to Foster an Inclusive Workplace.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.