When acts of hate persist, what can you do?
Yesterday was the two year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. Yesterday, our timelines were filled with distressing posts about the USA’s deadliest school shooting since Sandy Hook. And amongst all of the pain of yesterday, it’s still been less than two weeks since the mass shooting in Buffalo, NY in which ten people - mostly Black elders - were murdered in a white supremacist terrorist attack.
As we all grieve - collectively, constantly - employers are facing the difficult question of how to lead their teams and set work expectations in a macro environment that often feels unbearable. Black and brown colleagues in particular are having to show up to work, in the knowledge that - two years on from our public and private institutions’ promises to commit to anti-racism - white supremacy is still very much alive and well.
It’s easy for those of us in the UK to comfort ourselves with the knowledge that gun violence is an American issue. But white supremacy and structural racism continue to manifest themselves in violent ways, both at home and abroad. Just last week, an 11 year old Black boy lost his finger attempting to flee racist bullies at his school in Wales.
If you are an employer in the UK, USA, or globally - your colleagues are consuming and absorbing these news stories. Some will be acutely worried for their own safety and the safety of their family and friends.
So - how should you respond? Below are some resources you may find helpful:
Renowned DEI consultant & anti-racism educator Kim Crowder has created an email template you can use if you’re not sure what to say in light of the horrific attacks of the last few weeks.
Lily Zheng’s post from back in March on how companies should ‘rethink the new normal’ in an ongoing climate of hate and violence is especially relevant at this moment. Consider their call to action, and how your organisation can become more agile, more flexible, and more people-focused.
Ongoing education is paramount. Start running DEI and anti-racism training workshops, especially for your leaders. They need to deeply understand the issues that affect their people, in order to be able to lead their teams with empathy. Feel free to watch myself and Trieste Makuni’s anti-racism presentation - from during my time leading DEI at Dext - as a starting point (see video below).
There are no easy answers here, but if your organisation strives to be inclusive, equitable, and a force for good, then your engagement with distressing societal events - and how they affect your people - is critical.
