Err… Address the Elephant in the Room. Really?

antiracism training attract bame staff attract ethnic minorities discrimination ethnic minorities Sep 05, 2022
Image of man's eye looking scared

What do you think is the biggest problem that prevents ethnic minorities from feeling like a full member of the team and achieving genuine inclusion in the workplace?

Before you attempt to answer, bear this in mind:

  • The answer I am about to reveal has improved recruitment processes, led to more ethnic minority employment and enabled ethnic minority staff to access support in the face of discrimination.

  • Over the last 20 years, I have trained thousands of people in managing difficult conversations about race, racism at the workplace, culture, and diversity and inclusion at work.

What I usually find is that often, White members of staff (we’re talking skin colour here) fear broaching the subject of racism as they are terrified of being labelled ‘racist’ or getting ‘things wrong.’ Consequently, this often leads to resistance to engage in conversations that support equity, diversity, inclusion, and reduce microaggressions.

“I reflected on some of my behaviours where I have come from a place of defensiveness.”
“Thank you for handling a difficult conversation for me, with care.”

“My initial response was to defend and deny. I realise that’s something I need to work on.”

 

Usually, when organisations approach us, they know something is up, but there is a tendency to minimise the issues somewhat.

  • “We don’t have unconscious bias.” (very common)

  • “Sure, we might have a few bad apples, but on the whole we all treat everyone fairly.”

  • “Only a few ethnic minorities have said they’ve experienced problems.”

But is this a true reflection of the reality for most ethnic minorities in the workplace?

Let me tell you this:

  • Over 70% of U.K. based racially marginalised workers say they’ve experienced racial harassment at work. (TUC, 2019)

  • Part-time or non-permanent staff are more likely to report racial harassment. (TUC 2019)

  • When delivering DEI training, anti-racism training, and unconscious bias training, I almost always have an ethnic minority staff member take me to the side to explain how they face racism regularly and how they are suffering as a result.

Therefore, what I see is:

  • Not talking about race only exacerbates the problem, it does not eliminate it.

  • By not addressing the needs of ethnic minority people, organisations are often leaving ethnic minorities to face mistreatment (whether intentional or not), including subtle microaggressions.

Moving From Avoidance to Lasting Change

So how do you get from a point where very few people want to engage, to making lasting positive change for racially minoritised employees and fostering a truly inclusive workplace?

At Strawberry Words, we developed the A.C.T.I.V.E. Approach, a six-step model rooted in Transformative Learning theory, designed to support workplace inclusion diversity efforts and increase inclusive leadership capacity.

Action-orientated

Watching a video is not enough. One must engage with the subject of diversity and inclusion to fully grasp it. This is why interactive exercises, discussions and assessments are essential. The content promotes new ways to behave around racially minoritised people, encouraging practical, inclusive action.

Challenging

There is no change without challenge. Although kind in its intention, the work is designed to prompt people to act differently, to examine behaviours, policies and structures that discriminate, sometimes unknowingly, due to unconscious bias.

Thought-provoking

Sessions are filled with prompting questions that push participants to consider perspectives they may not have encountered before. This often reveals where meaningful change can and must happen.

Introspective

Cultures are made up of individuals. Our approach begins with the person, encouraging honest reflection and cultural humility. Through critical but compassionate dialogue, learners re-evaluate their own thoughts, biases and assumptions.

Validating

Ethnic minorities often feel their experiences are dismissed. By learning about structural racism (along with a clear racism definition), participants become better equipped to listen, validate, and respond appropriately. This opens the door to more honest dialogue and effective action.

Empathetic & Safe

Discussing race requires vulnerability. A sense of psychological safety is non-negotiable. We create judgement-free spaces that allow people to speak openly, an essential ingredient to building inclusion in the workplace.

Carefully managed, this process makes it possible for any organisation to break down barriers and foster a deep sense of belonging. Everyone wants to feel safe and able to show up authentically at work. We help organisations create that for ethnic minority staff through our programmes and CPD-accredited courses in anti-racism training, DEI training, and unconscious bias training.

If your organisation is ready to take the leap toward being genuinely diverse and inclusive, email us today to discuss training options or booking a Diversity Auditwhere we help you uncover missed opportunities to attract and retain diverse talent.

Wishing you bags of success on this journey.
Rebbecca (Hemmings) your ‘cultural harmony’ guide.

P.S. I’m keen to discover what other taboo areas staff members are afraid of broaching. Tell me in the comments or send a direct message.

Talking about racism can seem difficult and uncomfortable. This CPD accredited course provides a foundational education on racism to help to increase racial literacy which includes building confidence to speak about and deal with issues concerning race. It provides a language through which meaningful conversation can take place (particularly in the workplace).

Time to Talk about Race Online Course

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