--- title: "Onboarding for Inclusivity: Creating Equitable Work Environments" description: Michelle Bess focuses on creating systems and processes to ensure an equitable company as VP of Talent and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at OppLoans. image: https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Michelle%20Bess_announcement%20image_20210204.png --- [![Website Logo - White-1](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact/Website%20Logo%20-%20White-1.png?width=1827&name=Website%20Logo%20-%20White-1.png "Website Logo - White-1")](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/) ![HEADER - Podcast 2](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact/Headers-Backgrounds%20-%20UI/HEADER%20-%20Podcast%202.jpg "HEADER - Podcast 2") # Onboarding for Inclusivity: Creating Equitable Work Environments Posted by [Deanna Singh](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/author/deanna-singh) | Feb 4, 2021 3:00:00 AM ![](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Michelle%20Bess_announcement%20image_20210204.png) I am so delighted to share with you the recent conversation I had with Michelle Bess, the Vice President of Talent and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at OppLoans. In her role, she focuses on creating systems and processes to ensure an equitable company where individuals from all backgrounds are seen, validated, and where they’re able to succeed. In this episode, we talk about the work that OppLoans is doing, what it looks like doing DEI within a company with a very small team, and some often overlooked areas of inclusion within organizations. ## Topics in this episode - Prioritizing mission-based work within your career - Economic inclusion and the ripple effect it has on families and their communities - Techniques Michelle has found to be successful in her DEI work - The importance of creating allies and ambassadors of DEI work within your organization, and the process of getting them plugged into doing the work - The wide scope of what inclusion means - Thinking about off-boarding and re-onboarding parents around times of leave - another area of inclusion to consider for companies - Having to be more intentional when employees are distributed and aren’t in a central location ## Connect - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleybess/) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/michellebess) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mbess1987/) **Other recent conversations we really enjoyed:** - [Let's Link Arms to Bridge the Gap and Transform Ourselves](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting_impact/lets-link-arms-to-bridge-the-gap-and-transform-ourselves) - [Creating Equity and Social Justice Must Be Intentional, Methodical, and Continuous](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting_impact/creating-equity-and-social-justice-must-be-intentional-methodical-and-continuous) #### Written by [Deanna Singh](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/author/deanna-singh) Deanna Singh is a business consultant, speaker, and podcaster who is internationally recognized for her work in leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Deanna helps her clients create more equitable and inclusive work environments and engage more authentically within their internal and external communities. A gifted communicator, she is a champion for marginalized communities through her work. Her podcast, Uplifting Impact with a focus on looking at the intersection of Leadership and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, focuses on solutions and is directed at people who want to break the status quo. Singh earned her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Fordham University, a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University. 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