Racism is not an innate quality of a person but a learned way of behaving and responding to people who are different from you. And, like any behavior, it can be fixed or nullified depending on the reaction of others. Working in small groups, such as a work team, will be especially effective. Let’s find out how you can fight racism in the workplace and can diversity and inclusion training help.
Manifestations of Racism
Racism is the point of view that some groups of people have different behavioral traits and are superior to others. At its core, it’s a belief that some ethnicities have more rights than others.
For any progressive person, it is evident that such characteristics as race, ethnicity, or gender do not determine the value of a person. However, racists replace healthy values with false ideas about the inferiority of certain races.
Very often, it takes the form of verbal abuse or an expression of disdain. In extreme cases, racism can lead to physical violence. However, it most often occurs in the workplace as a refusal to increase and an unequal distribution of work responsibilities.
Anti-Racist Measures
Solving such a complex and multifaceted problem requires versatile measures and an integrated approach. Therefore, do not limit yourself to formal actions. Otherwise, it is impossible to achieve sustainable results.
Talk About the Problem
People are often embarrassed to talk about sensitive topics. But silence is a dead end. You will have to discuss this issue with employees. Here is the sequence of discussing racism in the company:
- State a clear company policy regarding racial discrimination of any kind.
- Set a clear goal for your organization without putting pressure on any race and tell about anti-racism training.
- Adopt clear student thinking by focusing on marginalized voices
- Embrace cultural relativism as a learning process for growth
Create a Safe Environment
You cannot fight discrimination if your employees are afraid to report wrongdoing. Instead, provide an atmosphere of psychological safety. Make it clear that everyone can speak up about their concerns.
Encourage Constructive Conflict Resolution
Often, discrimination in the workplace occurs unintentionally, so you need to teach employees to solve problems together. Sometimes, this will help them build normal working relationships and overcome racial rejection. For example, you can host conferences or organize diversity equity and inclusion courses to show your employees constructive behavior patterns.
Implement Punishments
Racism is a violation of human rights and unacceptable behavior in modern society. Therefore, you must implement punishments for those unwilling to give up these destructive patterns. It is difficult, but it is intolerable to allow racist behavior in an organization.
Conclusion
Eliminating discrimination in the workplace is possible, but it requires a coherent and comprehensive leadership strategy. It is in your power to instill in each employee universal human values and explain the importance of the principles of tolerance. Modern courses and training programs will help you to introduce new principles into your daily activities more effectively. Don’t give up; your company will soon become an example of a safe and equal society.
Andrea Parker is a reporter for Zobuz. She previously worked at Huffington Post and Vanity Fair. Andrea is based in NYC and covers issues affecting her city. In addition to her severe coffee addiction, she’s a Netflix enthusiast, a red wine drinker, and a voracious reader.
