10th June 2020
What businesses should be doing to fight racial inequality
Workplaces have always had an important role in challenging inequalities in society. This role has been made even more important after yet another incidence of police brutality led to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and elevated the conversation around anti-racism.
Now is the time for business leaders to act and show their commitment to eradicating inequality and injustice. Toby Mildon’s article outlines three practical things businesses should be doing to fight racial inequality.
From the Article:
Hold the mirror up for managers
If you have a chief executive who is taking personal responsibility for inclusivity in the organisation, you will get more comfortable in talking about race as an organisation. However, it’s the middle manager layer that gets overlooked and they play a crucial role in embedding an inclusive culture.
It’s really important that you collect examples of how people from ethnic minority backgrounds are experiencing the workplace. For example, instances of microaggressions, harassment, privilege, and unconscious bias. These personal stories need to be played back to managers so that they understand the behaviours that are happening in their teams and on their watch.
Now that you’ve raised the level of consciousness for managers, you need to give them the tools to eradicate the behaviours that do not create an inclusive work environment. This could be coaching on how to have difficult conversations with people for instance.
Read more tips and get the full article online: Black Lives Matter: now it’s time to act.
Make sure to explore Inspiring Workplace’s other content and insights about leadership and Diversity and Inclusion.