The events of the past four weeks in the United States have focused on the disproportionate use of force perpetrated by police officers against African Americans. The protests have once more brought attention to the systemic inequities that unfairly relegate people of color, especially Blacks to subordinate positions.
These historical inequities which are grounded in slavery, have created opportunity gaps that will take a long time to close, but it is not too late to initiate conversations aimed at ending racist practices within organizations.
I am almost certain that since the killing of George Flyod by a Minneapolis police officer and the ensuing protests around the world, many organizations have engaged in deep conversations on diversity and inclusion as is always the norm. What remains to be seen is how deep and honest these conversations are, let alone, what actions will be implemented for meaningful change to occur.
The notion that Black employees are fit for inferior jobs validates segregationists’ thinking dating back to the 1800s that Black people are genetically distinct and inferior to their White peers. Whether or not organizations agree with this racist misconception, their practices give it credence. The systemic misrepresentation of minorities in certain jobs cannot be an accident. Companies are intentionally passing over people of color for supervisory roles in favor of less qualified privileged employees. Let that sink in!
Job postings that I have reviewed typically conclude with an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy – “Our organization does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin etc.”; XYZ organization provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex etc.” In actual hiring practices, these statements mean that “we are going to interview a diverse pool of candidates, but we will only hire White candidates.” In organizations that have made an initial attempt to hire a few people of color, that EEO policy means that minority group and Black candidates will be passed over in promotion opportunities regardless of whether they are qualified or more qualified than their White colleagues.
A couple of years ago, I decided to research some prominent tech companies in the United States and Canada to find out what diversity and inclusion meant for them. The findings were stunning and disappointing, yet when a major tragedy similar to what Mr. Flyod’s endured provokes protests around the globe, these companies, instead of engaging in a major culture shift run up to their minority employees to back them up. The tech industry may be the scapegoat in this instance, but the same culture abounds in education, banking, retail, healthcare, etc. In the absence of diversity on the leadership team, the only Black manager on the team becomes the “star” to showcase when there is a national racial crisis similar to the one that is currently rocking the United States. One Black person serving on your leadership team or as a supervisor doesn’t make your organization racially diverse.
Diversifying an organization’s workforce and especially the leadership team must be deliberate and included in strategic plans.
Your Black employees cannot assist you in this effort when you constantly deny their vacation requests.
Your few Black employees stand no chance of helping to change your culture when they have gone for several years without a raise.
Your Black employees’ voices do not matter when they serve a predominantly African American clientele, yet 99% of the staff does not look like the customers that they serve.
Your few Black team members cannot help you when they are just figureheads and their White subordinates possess and command more authority than they do.
Changing organizational culture must be a deliberate effort that is matched by action on the part of decision-makers. Taking down confederate flags, dismantling confederate statues, and cladding everyone in the organization in Black Lives Matter paraphernalia without taking concrete action to diversify the workforce will not bring about meaningful change.
It is time for change and that change has to come from within through honest conversations and deliberate efforts to provide equal opportunities for all regardless of race.