The George Floyd Rebellion is in full swing across the United States, so right now it is imperative to show that your company is devoted to diversity. If you have no idea where to start, you are in luck. We took the time to talk to people around the country to find out what would make them feel more included and welcome in their workplace.
#1. Want to be devoted to diversity? Pay everyone equally.
Seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? Unfortunately that is not the case. Black men almost always come out on bottom. Whether they are in the role of a team member or executive, they are almost always on the bottom as far as pay and opportunity go. If people were being fair and paying fairly, there would be no paying a Black man $0.98 when a white man or someone more white passing is making the whole dollar. So, super simple solution: pay your employees equally and fairly.
#2. In order for your company to be inclusive, every individual employee must work towards that goal.
Your business is like your baby, and therefore you probably treat it as such. When you hire people on, having them learn about their unconscious biases. Everyone has them, the only way to combat them is to know them and actively work against them. Every employee could be asked to take these tests during diversity and inclusion trainings.
These tests are available through Project Implicit by Harvard. The link is below.
“It takes the entire community coming together and figuring out what their team can do individually to make a more inclusive space,” says Madison Butler, the VP of People at Sourced Craft Cocktails.
#3. No more racist dress codes.
Luke, 35, of St. Petersburg, FL says “No more racist policies about our hair or some of our styles of dress”. Being devoted to diversity means making policies welcoming to everyone.
In this day and age, many companies still have strict policies about their clothing, hair, and accessories on the job. While some policies are just simply outdated (tattoos and piercings for example), other policies are actually just flat-out racist. Take for example The Choptank in Baltimore, under fire before even opening for a racist dress code.
Some policies are not just racist, but they are damaging. For example, the US Navy originally did not allow Black women to wear their natural hair in most styles that are actually healthy for their hair. It was only during the last 3 years or so that policies came out allowing Black women to wear twists and not destroy their natural hair in uniform.
Show your devotion to diversity by not allowing racist or damaging policies to be upheld in your workplace.
#4. Recognize holidays that are not just those of white people, but of other communities too.
For example, Juneteenth is only just now being recognized as a holiday but that should have been celebrated like the Fourth of July since 1865, since not everyone was free in 1776. If we get the day off to celebrate our freedom, other communities should be able to celebrate as well.
This is something you can ask your employees about. Ask them early on in the onboarding process what holidays they celebrate, and make sure to appropriately plan ahead for them. Be accomadating, show you are devoted to diversity, because you will need your team to stand behind you in the future.
#5. Devoted to diversity means listening to your team members, regardless of their looks.
The biggest weapon we have against racism and inequality is communication. Don’t just talk to your team when you need to reprimand them. Talk to them on all the days, good and bad. Talk to them about their opinions. People on top succeed only when they hire people who are just as smart or smarter, as them, and when they listen to those people.
Make sure you ask questions, and let them know you are still learning. There is nothing wrong with still learning in the world of diversity. Things change constantly everywhere and this is no exception.
Be kind. Be smart. Be resilient. Never stop growing.
