Have you talked about race and the movement with your employees?

I was nearly paralyzed in discomfort when I engaged in a conversation with a woman of color, whom I did not know well, the Monday evening following the Boston protests and riots. That conversation was pivotal for me, sadly not for her because I believe she has had many of them that are similar. I always seem to know what to say during varied business transactional conversations; this one I was stuck. So I spoke my truth in that moment, “I do not know what to say to you as a white woman. I do know I am saddened though I do have hope.” What she said next shifted me, she said, “…the conversation is uncomfortable, but don’t stop having it. There may be some people who respond to you in a way you do not like though, don’t stop…”

Many leaders and business owners ask how we should respond to the voices of equity, systemic racism, and injustices that are ringing within our communities, homes, and workplaces.

As a white woman, I have found myself looking in the mirror, asking myself the same question. In full transparency, I have quickly learned it is an opportunity to truly pause and listen. You must embrace the actions, words, and conversations with an open mind.

Below are merely tips on how you can influence and foster change and conversation in the workplace. It is the tip of the iceberg:

  1. Step into the conversation to share, learn or be uncomfortable
  2. Create a forum
  3. Review and update your policies and procedures
  4. Hold yourself accountable

 

  1. Step into Conversation to Share, Learn or Be Uncomfortable
  • Know that what is being said may not be easy to hear, but part of understanding and listening is to understand.
  • Create space for your employees to talk.
  • Ask what your people are feeling right now. Ask them to tell you how this is impacting them, hear their stories.
  • Stop and listen before speaking or commenting.
  • Be thoughtful.
  • Embrace the discomfort.
  • Be bold, courageous, and empathetic.
  • Share what you are doing with your customers, vendors, and guests so they know your plan and your standards.

 

2. Create a Forum and Platform Hold forums where the leaders speak and open the conversation.

  • Determine ground rules before heading into the discussion; this is helpful for participants and conversation.
  • Create DEI task forces or committees.
  • Create peer groups to leverage everyone’s thoughts and to understand your current state.
  • Conduct surveys or polls to keep your finger on the pulse.
  • Add race to your agenda.
  • Celebrate diversity and ask your employees what this would look like.

 

3. Review and Update Your Policies and Procedures, with a Diversity Lens

  • Review your mission and values, read it with a lens of diversity. What message does it tell?
  • Review your job descriptions, specifically looking at the wording and qualifications
  • Where are you recruiting from, is it a referral program or indeed only? Are they “like” candidates?
  • Look through your handbook. Do you have a diversity and respect boundaries policy?
  • Review your interview process, who is part of the interviews, and why?
  • Understand how and why you promote or plan your succession planning?
  • What are the diversity or unconscious bias trainings and sessions you require your employees to attend?
  • Most importantly, are you fair and consistent following policy and process justly?

 

4. Hold Yourself Accountable, To Be Part of Change

  • Pick up a book, read an article, listen to a podcast.
  • Have a courageous conversation, and ask questions.
  • As a leader, refrain from asking your black, brown, or employees of color: what can I do, what you think the company should do, how I make this better. Rather, do your homework, research, and come up with solutions. For every failure, there will be a win, do better next time.
  • If you are more educated on race and anti-racism or have your own story to tell, I encourage you to tell it if and when able. Your voice will help make the movement needed.
  • Be a part of the live sessions or webinars which are attended mostly by brown, black, and people of color. You will hear, grow, and understand.
  • Hold yourself accountable to educate yourself and shift thinking to make a movement. Every step, every shift changes the path and the storyline.

You and your employees are working in an environment and living in a world that may be one of the most challenging times. More than ever, it is essential to allow discussion and conversation to happen, around race, anti-racism, inequities, black lives matter movement, police brutality, policy, and the police who continue to support our communities.

What is for sure, leaders need to do better, training, approach, conversation, policy, and process; it needs to change, and you are in a position to do just that, aren’t you? What can you do today that you were not doing yesterday?

Should you want resources relates to anti-racism and allyship, e-mail Meghan@steinberghr.com

Meghan Steinberg, PHR, SHRM-CP is the Founder and President of SteinbergHR, LLC.  She has an operations background with solid HR foundations and experience coupled with HR certifications and creativity. Her company offers business, from start-ups to 300 employees, HR services including interim, part-time and project-based work.

Join Meghan and groups of leaders every Wednesday for SteinbergHR Café Hour. You may email Meghan@steinberghr.com to inquire. The purpose of this weekly café hour is to have a casual and productive discussion related to our people and the diverse workforces we support. HR professionals and business leaders are welcome to join every Wednesday at 10AM.

SteinbergHR is now offering SHARED HR SERVICES

What is a Shared HR Service?

Being in operations and now a Human Resources Professional for over a decade, I have recognized the need to offer a blended HR service for companies and leaders, a shared service and customized HR consulting. Not every company needs a dedicated and seasoned HR Professional, what every organization needs are the tools, insight, and sounding board to make the best programs, decisions, and processes for the employee experience.

What is the value?

Organizations who invest in the Shared HR Service, providing:

  • Executive-level human resource support
  • A safe network to collaborate with 2-3 additional professionals from different organizations.
  • Tools and content to build out the employee experience and human resource function.

Organizational Value: Strategy, Practical Tools, Action Plans, Best Practices

Individual Value: Personalized HR Support, HR/People Enrichment, One-One HR Consultation, People Competencies

Group Value: Real-Life Exchange, Leveraging Experience, Collaboration, Professional Relationship, Collective Insight

What to expect?

One person from an organization will be placed in a cohort with 2-3 other professionals. This person must be someone who is a leader within the organization and is responsible for creating employee experience in totality.

Please email Meghan@steinberghr.com to inquire and register.