Labor Day dialogue: What’s the reality of working in labor advocacy?

In a rapidly changing world with increasing awareness of social injustice, a shift towards hybrid working, and the rise of AI, it would seem that labor advocacy has never been more important. After all, our workplaces would be far less equitable today without it.

So, to celebrate Labor Day, Jane Oates, a senior policy advisor at WorkingNation, and Brandyn Campbell, a DEI consultant, discuss what it’s like currently working in labor advocacy and share their words of wisdom for anyone aspiring to work in the sector.

Jane Oates on the impact of policy

How would you describe what a policy advisor does?

A policy advisor brings the facts around a certain issue to their boss. This may be an elected official in politics or a manager at a think tank. We ultimately separate facts from opinion, which really is a dying art, to help shape policy.

Could you give an example of the types of policy?

So, for example, a big policy question right now is about the cost of reskilling an entire population. Here you have to look at everything from employer strength, job candidates, skills, competencies, etc., and provide the facts to your boss.

Why do you say separating facts from opinion is a dying art?

Your job as a policy advisor is to lay out the facts: good, bad, or indifferent. Policy tries to solve problems. So, if you know the facts, you can then craft a solution. But, policy has become overrun by politics and opinion.

Right now in the US, people would rather put you in a box than discuss an issue. You get labeled as being “for” or “against” something, Democrat or Republican. However, good policy is somewhere in the middle. I’ve always done my best work when working in a bipartisan way.

How does this apply to labor advocacy?

Well, you’re either seen as “pro-business” or “pro-worker,” but without a business, there’s no worker. So, you have to be pro-business with a lens of making things more equitable and fair for the workers. It’s about showing the business case for treating workers better and paying them more.

What motivates you in your field?

It’s really exciting when you solve a problem! That’s how I got into policy. I was originally a teacher when only kids qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches could use school books purchased by the federal government. This was crazy. So, I set out to change it.

What qualifications or skills does a policy advisor need?

I would generally say some form of post-secondary education. However, there are lots of terrific policy advocates out there who don’t have this.

Confidence and good verbal skills to stand up for the facts. Being a good listener to take on board other people’s experiences. Also, the ability to write concise briefing memos and distinguish facts from opinions.

Is trust an important aspect of being a policy advisor?

Absolutely. So much about being a good policy advisor is having the trust of your boss and the people you’re listening to. If you don’t have their trust, you won’t be told the whole truth. Sometimes you have to stay with an issue and a community for years as an issue evolves, so trust is key.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the US workforce today?

I think it’s career navigation. New entrants to the workforce don’t understand what skills they need or where to get them. For career changers, no one’s helping them identify their transferable skills. So, if a person’s manufacturing job goes away, no one’s helping them identify what skills they have so they can get into other in-demand jobs.

This will clearly become a major issue with increased job automation in the future. Do you see AI as a threat to your profession?

Right now, the large language models are so fraught with errors that I don’t think anybody would eliminate a policy position because they could get it from AI. However, a lot of policy is research, so AI could enable you to do this faster. I think AI may very well become the first draft of a policy paper and then our job will be to edit it for accuracy and amend it for omissions.

If you had to sum up your job in one word, what would it be?

Fun. To stay current in the workforce, you need to be constantly adding to your skill base. This job allows you to learn new things every day. It keeps you excited and at the top of your game.

Defending DEI with Brandyn Campbell

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t know what a DEI consultant does?

This sounds ridiculously oversimplified, but I work with companies to help people be kinder and work better with others despite differences in identity.

Why do you think DEI consulting is so important today?

DEI has in recent years become really politicized. It’s been discussed in a way that makes it seem extreme or indoctrinating. It’s actually about getting you to realize that every human is deserving of respect no matter what their identity is.

How does this apply to professional life?

It’s so important for people to feel seen, heard, and valued. When we look at statistics, employees are more engaged and more productive when they’re treated as people. So, even if a company wants to ignore the human aspect, from a business standpoint, DEI positively impacts the bottom line too.

Why do you think DEI has become so politicized in recent years?

Gen Z is the most diverse generation in American history. The population is rapidly diversifying, and this shift is causing changes in the way we think about our country and the world. Still, people don’t tend to like change, so we’re seeing folks trying to fight against this, which is causing division.

What motivates you the most about your job? What makes it worthwhile?

I love talking about problems and helping guide people towards solutions. If there’s an elephant in the room, I want to address it. Also, when you get to see someone having an “Aha!” moment and you know you’ve been part of a person’s growth, that’s a phenomenal feeling.

What skills and qualifications does a DEI consultant need?

There’s no standard career path, but if you find yourself reading a lot about systems of oppression and you feel comfortable speaking about them, that’s a good start. You also need to be comfortable speaking in front of people and facilitating uncomfortable conversations.

What about feeling comfortable dealing with conflict?

You can’t be conflict-averse. An important part of this work is setting boundaries because people will be touching on subjects that they don’t normally discuss in public spaces - let alone the workplace. So you need to be intentional and firm.

What do you find is the most frustrating aspect of your job?

There’s an inherent misunderstanding of what DEI is. For example, companies sometimes want me to give them a DEI checklist, but, the work is ongoing. There’s no quick checklist for solving racial injustice. If I had that I’d be a Nobel Prize winner.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the US workforce today?

The tensions relating to how we work. COVID forced companies to operate differently for a short while, but, now organizations are going back on these innovations. Like the City of Philadelphia ordering its workers back to the office and how badly that has gone.

What advice would you give to someone who has just started out in DEI advocacy?

Take the advice you give in your training sessions. Always be open to learning and open to hearing different perspectives. Also, build up your network of other DEI practitioners for support because this work is really hard.

Many people are worried about AI taking their jobs. Do you see AI as a threat to your profession?

I don’t because DEI is not routine work. You’re working with people and they’re all different. I have experimented with AI for suggestions for my work and it is interesting to get an outside perspective, but no, I don’t see it replacing us.

I suppose you also have to consider the issue of programmed bias, right?

Absolutely. That’s huge. I feel this is being talked about too infrequently. Especially with how quickly AI has been unleashed. There are huge underreported problems with biases in AI, which should be dealt with before it becomes even more widespread.

Finally, if you had to sum up your job in one word, what would it be?

Care. That’s essentially what this job comes down to: how to treat each other with care.

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