There is no room for racism in the workplace and yet instances of it still take over headlines every quarter. The responsibility to oust it from remote and in-person company cultures falls on each employee individually but remains essential for HR teams to take an active role. HR teams should have a plan in place to enforce anti-racist policies and practices in the workplace to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.
First and foremost, HR teams can work to educate themselves and other members of the organization about systemic racism and its impact on marginalized communities. This foundation of knowledge can help them to identify and address instances of racism in the workplace.
Another important step is creating clear policies that explicitly prohibit racist behavior, discrimination, and harassment. These policies should be easily accessible to all employees and should outline the consequences of violating them. HR teams should also ensure that these policies are consistently enforced and that any complaints of racism or discrimination are promptly looked into.
An area of the workplace that’s often afflicted with racism is hiring. There are many subconscious yet damaging practices that can make their way into your candidate queue. Hiring the best person for the role and company means doing so without biases or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics (and the same goes for promotions). HR teams can implement diversity and inclusion training programs to help ensure that all employees feel valued and respected.
Finally, HR teams should actively listen to and amplify the employees’ voices from marginalized communities. They can create safe spaces for employees to share their experiences and provide support and resources to those who have experienced racism or discrimination.
Anti-racism in the workplace is essential to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all employees. HR teams can play a critical role in enforcing anti-racist policies and practices by educating themselves and others, creating clear and intentional policies, ensuring fair hiring and promotion practices, and amplifying the voices of marginalized employees. By taking these steps, organizations can promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and build a better workplace.RJ Reliance can help implement new policies and procedures for your organization- reach out to get started!
