The Black Lives Matter movement has brought ingrained racism to the foreground. In this article, we share insights into what organisations and individuals can do to make our workplaces truly more equal, including what intersectionality is and why it matters. We look at how racism and inequality are experienced and persist, what white people need to do to be part of change, and what organisations and leaders need to do to be responsible for change in order to benefit all.

With credit to Rachel Rockson, Chair of Acas Race Equality Network, here are seven things you can do to support black colleagues over the next six to twelve months:

  1. ACKNOWLEDGE & ASK: Simply acknowledging and explicitly stating the awfulness of the George Floyd atrocity, showing compassion by asking how they are but saying that you know they may not want to talk about it, is a good place to start. Offering a listening ear if they want to talk and listen to understand rather than counter-argue or engage in debate or discussion. Ask if they mind you asking a question, if you have something you’d like to understand from the experience they shared. This is not about general fact-finding but about making that personal connection through compassion and empathy from hearing their story. Be aware that some may want to share but others may not be willing or able to at this time. Think about how you do support those colleagues who do share, as well as those who can’t. And beware of repeatedly calling on them over time to relive their experiences or relying on them as a `shortcut` to personal learning about racial inequality past and present.
  2. LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND: Be prepared to be led by black colleagues and networks on how you engage them to understand their stories, to better understand their lived experiences. Secondly, revisit career conversations held with black and ethnic minority colleagues to date. What have individuals shared as future roles, support required, training and development opportunities etc which may have hitherto been overlooked by your Company? Do you understand their current aspirations? Can you see the full range of their skills and talents and potential beyond the current role they are doing? What should you be doing from now to retain and develop each colleague in a way that could help address the disproportionate under-representation gap at senior levels? Line Managers and HR together can collect this data.
  3. ENGAGE & INVEST: Conversations should encompass asking black and ethnic minority colleagues what the company can do to support them individually, not just what they can do individually or as a network to help the company at this stage. The networks have often been built upon in an uncompensated capacity, with little or no budget by those who want to do well in their day job and who have given additional personal time, energy, passion and sometimes personal sacrifice. This foundation may need to be reviewed, such that hitherto voluntary time given is valued and explicitly acknowledged in some formal way, with appropriate budget, level of investment and formal recognition through internal systems to deliver added value to the organisation and its members.
  4. SELF-EDUCATE TO RAISE PERSONAL AWARENESS: This is an important period for non-black CEOs and leaders, HR, Line Managers to separately take the time to invest in self-education. There are plenty of resources that have been made available, so beginning a course of study and learning, downloading some of the multiple resources and book lists and working your way through them would be time well spent. Delving into one of the recommended books or films may be a good start. It is a willingness go beyond rhetoric, external media or a moment to internalise personal learnings that will make the difference.
  5. REFLECT MORE DEEPLY: Intentional reflection on systemic and structural systems and barriers that have existed for black and other ethnic minority people, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel at times, is also key. This critical phase for personal reflection should not be overlooked, minimised, ignored or dismissed in place of a corporate response or stance on racial inequality. A personal commitment is also required. Perhaps create a separate journal to capture personal insights and adding to it over the coming days, months and years will help you chart your learning. It is the beginning of a journey, and is the necessary groundwork to authentically come alongside your colleagues.
  6. AMPLIFY LEARNING & SHARING – A TWO-WAY PROCESS: Now presents the opportunity for non-black line managers, leaders, HR & D&I practitioners, to individually and intentionally reflect on what that means in terms of personal values and potential behaviour change to achieve racial equality. This is key in demonstrating the important qualities of compassion and empathy in active anti-racist allyship. For those embarking on this journey for the first time or more deeply, be prepared to also openly share your insights back with your black colleagues. Demonstration of your personal and ongoing reflection, learning and action will be important in establishing your own credibility and perceived authenticity in the face of your black colleagues and in your organisation.
  7. APPLY THE LEARNINGS & TAKE ACTION: Diligently and swiftly begin to apply the feedback, findings and recommendations to plan, invest and follow through with committed, coherent, corporate actions across the employee lifecycle and in recruitment. Revisit the McGregor-Smith Review, and establish the organisational infrastructure to implement the actions.

This will involve engaging external black professionals and black-led, black-founded and black-owned businesses to partner with over the coming months and years, particularly for organisations that specifically made public commitments and pledges around black lives. And it will, through external public accountability, measurement and reporting, demonstrate genuine alliance, as well as create the uplift to positively impact broader social and economic justice and inclusion.

As we intentionally create and maintain empowering environments for black colleagues to share, develop and progress – and keep them safe and support them in doing so – we are making room for their talent and potential to also thrive and flourish in diverse workplaces. And, all together we are establishing more actively inclusive cultures for all through transformational systemic and behaviour change, for organisational, individual and societal growth and success for now – for generations to come and for good.

 

 

 

Hannah Powell

Sources: Acas Podcast, Rachel Rockson, Chair of the Acas Race Equality Network Listen here.