(ThyBlackMan.com) Imagine you are going to a shop, but you are not allowed to enter because you have black hair. You would not like it, would you?
Equality is a necessity that every people must enjoy. Being discriminated against based on how they look or where they are from should not exist at all. Organizations that want to build a diversity and inclusion strategy, need to buy-in, listen, and understand the perspective of all employees, including underrepresented groups.
In recent years, equality and diversity have come under the spotlight more deliberately than ever before. The MeToo movement and the Black Lives Matter movement all play a crucial role in this.
Workplace discrimination remains a serious concern for businesses and companies in the USA. Though the laws are in place, discrimination still exists to a certain extent in the workplace.
What is Racial Equality In The Workplace?
Equality in the workplace means fair treatment of all the employees irrespective of their gender, race, background, disability, religion, nationality, sexuality, or age. It also ensures that all employees are given equal rights to every opportunity, equal pay, and equal acceptance irrespective of their differences in the workplace. Equality creates a sense of security among the employees.
Some Benefits Of Racial Equality In The Workplace
- Brand Reputation
Companies are now in fierce competition to have a diverse workforce, making it one of the best places for employees to work. This is because diversity is seen as the crucial criteria for determining a company’s work culture and building a brand reputation.
For example, before joining a new company, most of the applicants rely on the reviews of the company on sites like Glassdoor. Only if they find a positive brand image of that specific company, they get contented in joining the company.
- Increases Employee Retention
Employees love to be a part of the culture where equality is the topmost priority. They tend to work longer with companies where they are valued for their individuality, irrespective of their differences.
- Enhance Productivity
When all your employees think and act the same, it can bring them together. When all your employees work with diversity, they can bring new ideas to the table. It can enhance the productivity and performance of your company.
- Brings In New Skills
People who come from different backgrounds have a diverse set of experiences, talent, and skills. Having people with different perspectives can help in making better business decisions.
Ways To Promote Equality In The Workplace
- Start From Hiring
The best way to promote equality in the workplace is to have a good hiring practice in place. Diversity and equality of opportunity should be central to the hiring process. Ensure that the recruitment, selection, and assessment process is transparent and completely based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles. Take a more holistic approach to hire, which allows you to select the right candidate for the job based on their skills alone and free from bias.
- Offer Sensitivity Training
This training is the first step to solve unconscious bias. Firstly, it allows employees to recognize that the company cares about diversity and is ready to invest in it.
Secondly, it helps increase employee morale and start on good terms with the new and existing employees.
Thirdly, it helps the employees discuss even the most uncomfortable topics and gain insight into things which they have never experienced before.
- Mind Your Language
The language you use can have a huge impact on how your employees feel. Ensure that all the company documentation uses language that is fitting to a wide range of people.
For example – your company handbook. It is the lifeblood of any organization. It contains in detail all the companies policies, mission, vision, and values. So, your company handbook is an important place where you can talk about diversity and your company’s discrimination policies.
Added to this, it is also crucial that you encounter employees who use improper language.
- Speak, Ask And Listen To Your Employees
Communication is more important in any company to promote equality.
Firstly, you should know your individual employees’ grievances and be able to address them. One of the best ways to learn what employees worry about is scheduling one-on-one talks with them. To make such talks effective, you must have an open-door policy, where the employees can bring in their concern to their manager or HR or diversity officer honestly and openly.
Secondly, ask questions to your employees. We all have an obstruction in our thoughts. Without asking questions to your employees, you cannot overcome these obstructions and make changes.
Thirdly, you can also hold listening groups. Employees will feel safe when they are allowed to voice their concerns and opinions without any fear. It is important to ensure that their views are acted upon.
- Increase Diversity At The Executive Level
It was a bolt from the blue when I came to know that the number of Black CEOs in the Fortune 500 companies is just 4. From this, it is evident that there is no diversity at the leadership level even in big companies.
Changing this around and increasing diversity at the leadership/executive level is more crucial. This makes them think about the interests of different groups and reduces the existence of inequality and discrimination in the company.
Remember that the top management of your company speaks volumes about your company’s culture.
- Have Proper Policies In Place
To emphasize that equality is at the core of your company’s culture, you must have a proper policy in place. It will help make things stress-free and systematic, along with helping you to intensify the fact of how serious the company is in this matter.
These six strategies can help companies begin to think about starting to build a more racially equal organization.
Finally, workplace equality isn’t just about implementing procedures. Companies should take measures to establish long-term strategies for measuring progress against any discrimination and to stop workplace discrimination. Companies also need to actively promote equality, ensuring that the employees are free to focus on what matters the most. This can make your company the best.
Staff Writer; Charlotte Johnson
Health guru at heart, yet able to touch base on many topics… Feel free to hit me up at; CharlotteJ@ThyBlackMan.com.
