Better Business Building
PREVENT COSTLY LAWSUITS, MANAGE COMPANY REPUTATION, AVOID LOSS OF REVENUES
“In highly efficient business models, people are the most competitive advantage and the most valuable resource for market credibility and revenues.” Lisa E. Kirkwood
Addressing Racial Discrimination in the Workplace by Dr. h.c. Lisa E. Kirkwood – The True Stories Merchant™
Every year, numerous lawsuits brought by employees in the US against their organizations have to do with racial issues that are ignored or improperly managed by leadership teams, especially now, when diversity training has been drastically reduced or outright removed from corporate policies, at least under the “d-word” itself.
I was speaking at a professional conference not too long ago, and one of my students in the audience, who was a city clerk, mentioned that, in order to still get training budgets for their community programs (since many organizations faced less or no funding because of diversity-centered wording), some HR material has been renamed or repurposed under the safe and generic umbrella of “leadership”.
That leaves some companies – both businesses and non-profits, all the more vulnerable to lawsuits, because when the funding for employee training has been reduced, taken out, or reallocated to something else, the same racial issues persist, and even with the best intentions in mind, there is still a huge gap between business goals and practical implementation.
Nowadays, lack of foundational training and healthy policies in the workplace can lead to a higher risk of tension, friction, or potential legal cases. Human diversity is deep, wide, and has countless aspects: ethnic, gender, cultural, linguistic, geographical, historical, religious, etc. There are as many facets to human diversity as there are people. Yet, when some individuals hear the word diversity, they automatically assume it’s just about racial diversity and avoid the topic altogether.
This is mainly true in the US, while the rest of the world calls diversity, equity, and inclusion by their proper names as more and more countries strive for social integration of individuals as esteemed members of various communities.
To be fair and honest, one of the reasons (if not the only one, in some cases), why diversity has been so shunned here lately is because it was so heavily enforced prior. And like any imposed thing, people tend not to adopt it willingly, let alone embrace it and learn to leverage it.
To further complicate things, some monochrome communities are highly focused on ethnic supremacy and have little exposure to foreign cultures. It takes one to know one. Or many. Isolation due to race or color is counterproductive, at the very least. The key to success is to find a common ground of mutual understanding and bridge communication gaps. It’s ok to ask questions and learn more about each other. Anyone can take the first step and that’s often a bold move. But it’s worth it. So are enhanced education, cross-cultural awareness, and effective conversations.
Fortunately, there are organizations that realize the importance of going beyond superficial training, and above the minimum required by HR norms, not just to check off some boxes, but because employees’ problems are people’s problems, regardless of their skin color.
How many businesses, small, medium, or large, actually take the extra steps necessary to ensure a conflict-free workplace by reducing or eliminating racial-based issues, among others? That makes a real difference between efficient, engaged, and productive teams and those that struggle with high turnover and costly lawsuits.
According to industry statistics, replacing an employee can cost between 50-200% of their annual salary. By fostering a culture of belonging, companies save millions on staff recruitment and training.
Notwithstanding legal risks and corporate blind spots, there’s always the universal human aim for harmonious relationships, at home, at work, and in society in general.
Race, ethnicity, and racial identity shape up individual and collective personalities, and many people can take conscious steps to be and become a fully integrated person in all aspects, not judged by skin tone or any artificially imposed social considerations. Beyond color, we are all human beings with the same physical and emotional structure, shared basic values, and need for love.
A social study conducted in Brazil a few decades ago found that there were about 100 words or more in the national language to describe skin color differences, ranging from very light to very dark, in a country where the majority of the population is of mixed race. Based on this finding alone, a rather simple and logical conclusion would be that all people are “of color”, because each individual can identify with their own skin tone.
If so, then why do some folks and organizations still push for race superiority? Simply put, it’s due to unsolved, unhealed, personal and collective emotional issues, so deep and hidden that most people are not aware of. Even the thought that someone else may be “lesser than” based solely on their skin color, it’s comforting to certain individuals with self-esteem issues, but that has always been a false comfort, and one which has caused countless, dramatic societal problems in world history, throughout centuries and millennia.
The USA in particular, as a country, has major historical chapters centered around abolishing slavery and racial segregation, civil rights movements, social equality, and other themes of common interest that, when properly addressed and solved, in the long run are good for everyone, not just for separate segments of society.
When these worthy goals are accomplished, our young nation can proudly claim democracy for all. Precisely because of this noble mission, despite current and ongoing challenges, the USA has been, and continues to be, a role model and a beacon of hope for many countries on their path to progress.
How does your organization deal with racial issues in the workplace? Can you identify potential problems and make sure they do not affect engagement, productivity, and revenues? You could greatly benefit from an impartial audit to give you a clear picture of where you’re at and where you want to be with your employees and leadership teams. And if you need a map to navigate the complex landscape of a diversified workforce so you can make the most of it, let’s talk.
Dr. h.c. Lisa E. Kirkwood – The True Stories Merchant™
Global voice. Soulful connector
Keynote speaker, 5 X Amazon bestselling author, expert consultant
Global Diversity & Intercultural Communication
Team Building & Development
Leadership & Empowerment
www.thetruestoriesmerchant.com
+1 323-364-3757
