Give it a watch to discover some of the best books for broaching LGBTQ+ topics with kids, and create your own version to share with your audiences and working parents.

The book covers, colors, and characters depicted in the video above are Vyond-animated versions, inspired by the original book illustrations.

You can also find more LGBTQ+ training resources in our up-to-date guide for Pride Month.

Video Transcription: Children’s Books About Pride

Reading to children about LGBTQ topics fosters inclusivity and belonging. Here are a few books for young readers that you can share during Pride Month and beyond:

Show kids the beauty of gender expression and identity with They, She, He, Easy as ABC by Maya & Matthew. In this fresh take on the classic alphabet book, readers get to practice calling characters by their correct pronouns while dancing alongside delightfully diverse watercolor illustrations.

Fairytales can be inclusive, too! Daniel Haack’s books Maiden & Princess and Prince & Knight show same-sex love within fantastic adventures of self-discovery.

This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman—illustrated by Kristyna Litten—offers a colorful and joyous introduction to Pride Month, complete with an adult’s guide for talking about queer history, culture, and celebration.

Happy reading!

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During any kind of stressful time, and now when people may feel lucky to have a job, employees might find it more difficult to request time away. But it’s important to take a break. Time away improves mental clarity, productivity, and focus. When your employees are recharged, it leads to better outcomes for them and better outcomes for the company.

Other videos in this series:

• Course introduction
• Interpreting nonverbal communication cues
• Reducing virtual meeting overload
• Promoting wellness and self-care 

Video Transcription: Managing Remote Teams’ Mental Health | Encouraging PTO to Recharge

[Narrator] Paid Time Off or PTO gives people time to relax and recharge, leading to a more enjoyable and productive work environment for everyone. In these unprecedented times, however, taking time off may not seem like a priority or it may even feel like a huge ask.
Since our offices are now in our homes and kids are being homeschooled, leaving work behind is more challenging than ever. In fact, one in five Americans feel their company shames employees who take allotted vacation time.

So, what can managers do to support their teams in taking PTO?

Lead by example! Leadership can encourage employees to be intentional about their self-care while working remotely and take time off to unplug and recharge. Whether it’s to work on a home project, read a book, or go for a long walk, even small breaks from work can make a significant difference in your energy and stress levels.

[CEO] Here at BusCorpCo, we’re firm believers in the importance of taking PTO, especially during these stressful times. It’s important to recognize the need to take a break from work, even if it’s just for a day. Our PTO policy is in place for this very reason.

Personally, I’m going to take 2 days off next week to unplug and recharge. Even though we are unable to take a regular vacation right now, I plan to sleep in, exercise, and read during my time off, if my kids let me. Work with your managers to get your PTO scheduled and don’t forget to plan for the remainder of the year. Your managers will be setting up 1:1s to review your PTO schedule soon.

[Manager] You’ve been working so hard lately, you deserve some time off!” I noticed you haven’t used any PTO this year. I want to make sure you feel comfortable taking time off and know how to request it.

[Narrator] Your organization has a PTO policy for a reason. Positive reinforcement is the key to letting people know they can use their PTO.

As a manager, take note of employees who don’t take time off and let them know it’s ok to do so.

Let’s make the most of things and allow vacation days to serve their purpose – to refresh employees and provide a space to get away from the stress of day-to-day work. Let your teams know it’s more important now than ever before to rest and recover.

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Video Transcript

Juneteenth is an annual holiday celebrated on June 19th, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It has been around for over 150 years. It all began on June 19th, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over and that enslaved peoples were to be freed.

Even though the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued more than two years earlier, it had little effect at the time of signing as news of the order had not reached the enslaved population of Texas.

The first major Juneteenth celebration was held in Austin, Texas, in 1866. By 1872, the celebration had been added to a calendar of public events, and that year, Black leaders in Texas purchased 10 acres of land to celebrate Juneteenth. Juneteenth was informally celebrated up until 1980, when Texas became the first state to proclaim Emancipation Day as an official state holiday. Today, nearly all 50 states mark Juneteenth as either a date of observance or a state holiday.

Over the years, Juneteenth has been celebrated by Black Americans all over the country in many different ways. On many occasions, an assortment of red foods and drinks are prepared to symbolize perseverance. But celebrations can range from small family gatherings and backyard barbecues to Grand festivals and parades featuring exhibitions of African-American music, literature, dance, and more.

More can be done to further support Juneteenth, such as local and state governments, formally recognizing the history and culture of the day and companies and local businesses incorporating it into their calendars even before it becomes a national holiday.

Ultimately, Juneteenth is much more than a holiday. It is a day for Black Americans to celebrate freedom, culture, and heritage, and for everyone to recognize and commemorate this pivotal moment in American history.

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Video Transcription: Conference Call Etiquette

We are all likely involved in more conference calls these days. But conference calls can be clunky, awkward, and inefficient if the participants don’t follow some best practices. Lucky for you, we’ve put together some guidelines so that you and your co-participants can enjoy successful, problem-free conference calls.

Calling in a few minutes ahead of time is a good practice. It’s better to wait for other people to show up on time than for them to wait for you to show up late. The meeting organizer should supply an agenda before the call begins and should lead the call by keeping people on schedule and on topic. Save specialized conversations for another time.

Make sure to mute the microphone when you’re not speaking to prevent background noises from coming through. Try to conduct your call from a room that is free from background distractions. And if noise will be an issue, be upfront about it at the beginning of the call.

It’s not always easy for people on the call to identify you based on your voice alone. Be sure to state your name before speaking or have someone on the call introduce you before you begin. Most small microphones aren’t known for their superior audio quality. So be sure to sit close to your phone or computer and speak loudly and clearly.

It can be hard to know when to speak up on larger conference calls. To avoid participants all talking at the same time, the organizer should leave space between topics and ask if anyone has comments or questions. Before ending the call, the organizer should recap everything that was accomplished. If there are any action items, these should also be reiterated.

Lastly, sign off with a goodbye. Don’t just hang up and leave the remaining people on the call in a strange silence, unsure if the call has ended or not. With these tips, you’ll be sure to have the smoothest and most successful conference calls yet.

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Be sure to save this video to your account for the next time you need to visualize a virtual chat or video call.

Video Transcript: Remote Team Communication

It’s easy to strike up a casual conversation at the office, and it’s in moments like this where employees build personal connections. But when these moments aren’t possible, teams have to leverage technology in creative ways to inspire a culture of connection and develop an engaged workforce.

How can co-workers stay connected while working remotely?

When it makes sense, use video rather than email, messaging apps, or phone calls to have more engaging conversations. It’s much easier to connect when you can see someone’s face.

Consider beginning with an icebreaker to get the ball rolling. Such questions can lead to real conversations, building trust and empathy, and strengthening relationships between colleagues.

Schedule optional virtual morning coffee breaks, lunch sessions, or happy hours so co-workers have space to chit-chat about issues unrelated to work.

A weekly or monthly wellness session offers a nice, healthy way for people to connect.

Messaging apps are excellent for virtual community building. Create separate channels, so non-work topics don’t clash with the more official channels.

Start a water cooler channel for co-workers to post casual questions or comments at any time. Try asking a question of the day. It’s fun to see people’s responses, and these often inspire spinoff conversations.

A shout-out channel allows employees to call out colleagues’ accomplishments. Community recognition is important. Create a space for birthdays, family celebrations, and personal milestones, and encourage employees to share photos of their celebrations. An end-of-the-day, company-wide trivia game can be a great way to cultivate friendly competition.

Not everyone has to participate in each activity every time, but employees will appreciate having these options available to them. Even when colleagues are miles apart, you can still foster a culture of connection.

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If you’re not used to it, working from home can be an adjustment, and it can be especially tough, but not impossible if you don’t have much extra space.

How can you squeeze an inviting workstation into an already tight space? Chances are there’s a spot in plain sight just begging to be transformed into your workstation.

Swap out an end table by the sofa, or a nightstand by your bed, with a small desk.

Remove visible distractions. Only the items necessary for your work should be within arm’s reach. If you make video calls, remember to also tidy up the space behind you.

Getting rid of auditory distractions can be harder. This is where headphones come in handy.

Setting boundaries is especially important if you live with other people. Have a conversation with roommates, children, your spouse, or any other people in your household.

Come up with visual cues so they know when it’s safe to approach you and when it’s absolutely not OK to do so. But be forgiving too. In a small space, your workstation just might be in the path of… other essential rooms in your house.

If you’re going to be living at home with this workstation, you’ll need to like it. Don’t outfit your room with boring office furniture. Find a table that will blend in nicely with the rest of your space. You need to be able to see your work so you can focus.

Whether you use a table lamp or a hanging ceiling lamp, lighting is key.

You’ll need storage to keep your space tidy. A shelf along the wall can look great here, but a simple rolling cart works too.

Finally, a nice photograph or artwork will go a long way towards making your workstation pleasant and inviting.

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