Having Conversations about Race in the Workplace
The spotlight on racial injustice has been turned on America. The murder of George Floyd, in broad daylight, has sparked a flame in hearts millions across the globe. The Black Community, and their allies, have taken to the street in protest. Their voices, actions, and calls for change are being heard. In the last few weeks, major corporations have released statements in solidarity with the black community condemning systemic racism and contributed millions of dollars in support of efforts towards racial equality. For one to believe that the effects of this movement would not seep into the workforce would be short-sighted, no matter the demographic composition of your organization. Questions that I’ve received from clients range from, “How should we address this issue?” to “Aren’t I legally obligated NOT to discuss race at work?”
The answer is not as black & white as it may seem, but it can be done if we take the time to look at both sides of this spectrum. Allow me to help guide you through the first steps to addressing race in the workplace.
First things first, let’s address the question of whether race should be discussed at work at all?
From a risk standpoint, organizations have heard and even taught that protected classes from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act such as race, sex, religion, gender, disabilities, and sexual orientation should be avoided as topics of conversation at work for risk of EEOC discrimination claims and potential litigation. While there may be some legitimacy to the argument of creating the opportunity for people to be offended, there are still ways to genuinely acknowledge sensitive issues and concerns that employees face.
In response to the Black Lives Matter Movement, you can mirror organizations like, YouTube and SpaceX showed empathy by encouraging employees to take off work in solidarity with protestors or simply for their mental health. Or, even take it one step further like Twitter who permitted employees to take time off if needed and provided a forum for company-wide discussions.
Compliance vs Authenticity
When approaching a difficult conversation about sensitive topics such as racial inequality, take a moment to first examine your motives. If you or your organization have never attempted to show concern about social issues, your attempt now may look like a PR play. Worst yet, if you have a conflicting history or practices, then this needs to be addressed first. Being disingenuous will backfire and do the opposite of what you’ve intended, so I encourage you to do a self-examination. Are you committed to being a corporate socially responsible organization or are you concerned about being on the wrong side of history?
On the personal side, there are many preconceived notions or underlying emotions that you bring to the conversation that impact its outcome. If you’re an individual who believes that they “don’t see color” please understand that to some, this is an acknowledgment of your overt dismissal of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). On the other hand, if you’re the lone black employee who is trying to figure out how to process the brutal deaths of black people at the hands of police, you need to face a similar predisposition and the feelings they bring about. These predispositions are called biases and most often are implicit or unconscious. Implicit bias is the process of associating stereotypes or attitudes toward categories of people without our conscious awareness. It is an unconscious assumption about a group of people (e.g., race, gender, religious affiliation, etc.) that affects our behavior in ways we might not want.
Implicit bias may form as a result of exposure to stereotypes – “good” and “bad” ones. If your exposure to black males was limited to what you’ve seen on television, you may possess an implicit bias associated with crime or maybe sports, so your natural inclination is to put up your guard when you walk by a black male or look at them in awe and amazement wondering which sports team they play for. Exposure to a stereotype does not necessarily mean you endorse it, but it can affect the way that your brain works during social interactions.
Here are some pointers for dealing with implicit bias:
1. The first step towards changing your implicit biases is acknowledging that you have them. Ask yourself why you do the things you do and why you think the thoughts you think. Recognizing is going to take some intentionality.
2. Evaluating people on individual traits and not group attributes will take you a long way in not only eliminating biases but also cultivating genuine friendships. Remember implicit bias is not always negative but they can still be offensive to the focus of the bias. All Asian people are not inclined to excel in mathematics. All elderly people don’t have trouble hearing. All people who speak a different language than you, don’t have difficulty understanding you or your language. Your heart may be in the right place, but there’s no need to shout and talk slow.
3. Increasing opportunities for contact can help to break down the stereotypical image you have of a group or person. Try engaging in positive interactions with people outside of your normal group. Expose yourself to media or people that can shed a positive light on a group you may have once been opposed to or collaborate with different people at work and hang out with them outside of work.
Once you’re mindful of bias and are willing to bring about change, you will make every effort not to act on it. Being mindful will cause you to stop and think about what you say and do next.
Another way that you can do some self-reflection as an organization is by examining how or if any of the formal and informal practices of your organization marginalizes people. This is how you can begin to move past a superficial PR play and instead sustain change to the culture of your organization landing you on the right side of history. Many companies have been proactive by naming the issue and publishing their stance, while others have joined the growing trend of organizing affinity or employee resource groups with executive support. Both are excellent examples of how you can provide opportunities for employees to connect with other employees who share aspects of their identity, especially in situations in which aspects of their identity are in the minority or are marginalized. Sitting in on these groups as an ally can help you gain a better perspective of the experience of your employees. For more customized solutions, P&L Corporate Solutions can help you strategize your approach.
As a Human Resources (HR) professional being interviewed, one question we all know to anticipate is “Who does HR work for, the organization or its employees?” The right answer to the question is both. Our job is to protect the interests of the organization and at times this means advocating for its greatest asset, its employees, but that responsibility is not ours alone. Every business leader has the obligation to walk that thin line with us.
Business leaders set the tone for organizational culture and what is appropriate and inappropriate at work. Business leaders in the C Suite or Human Resources shed light on issues that must be addressed to maintain an environment of equity and fairness. Oftentimes, the law guides us in this effort, but the culture of our organization and external influences also play a big role in defining workplace norms.
So, should your organization join the push towards corporate social responsibility? I think that there are countless examples of companies that “walk the talk” and reap the benefits of better company reputation, a variety of different perspectives for better decision making, higher employee engagement, greater innovation, improved hiring results, reduced employee turnover.
In reference to the Black Lives Matter movement, I have yet to meet someone who has no opinion at all so the way that we come out of all of this in a better position is by channeling our emotions towards unifying actions. Having conversations in the right forum which explore solutions rather than a debate where one party wins and the other loses is an effort in the right direction. Help your organization join the ranks of those who are in business to make a difference because it’s the right thing to do, not just because everyone is finally listening.
For help with having difficult workplace conversations, contact P&L Corporate Solutions today. Your HR PRO ON THE GO is here!
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About the Author
Paula Humber, MBA, SHRM-SCP is the HR Professional behind the HR PRO ON THE GO blog and the co-owner of P&L Corporate Solutions an HR Consulting/Staffing firm in West Palm Beach, FL. To get in touch in with Paula, connect with her on LinkedIn, or to share your feedback, feel free to email her at phumber@pl-cs.com. See you soon!