(Image Credit: Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash)

Every February we celebrate Black History Month yet the black community continues to remain subject to racism and discrimination, be it in or out of the workplace.

It’s 2021.

It’s time to change.

Looking back on the last few years, many black people have lost their lives solely because of the colour of their skin.

Breonna Taylor, 26
D’Andre Campbell, 26
Regis Korchinski-Paquet, 29
Machuar Madut, 43
George Floyd, 46

These are only 5 names of the countless others.

It is clear that racism continues to exist and is something that people of colour, especially black people, face every day. I too have experienced a fair share of racism, but obviously nothing to this extent. To have one’s life taken away because of the colour of their skin is where we should all be indefinitely drawing the line. In my opinion, we shouldn’t have even let it get as far as death to begin with. We need to treat everyone with respect and equality so we can create a more inclusive world that accommodates the well-being of everyone.

Growing up, many of us were taught that the golden rule was to treat others the way you want to be treated but we should have been taught the platinum rule which shows us to treat others the way they want to be treated which completely changes the perspective.

So what happened?

Why have so many forgotten that we are all people with families, friends and feelings of our own? When did the peaceful protesters of Black Lives Matter asking for justice become labelled as “terrorists'' for raising awareness about the lives of those who were taken from them? Not to mention why those in the Capitol Hill riot were only labelled as “Trump supporters” while literally walking out of Capitol Hill with stolen items?

Here are my reasons why.

The ignorance of racism has gone on for much too long because so many people refuse to acknowledge it. This is a problem because we as a people need to understand that diversity is something that should be celebrated and respected and we should continue to fight to end discrimination until there is equality.

Now, say it with me:

Racism. Is. Not. Okay.

Got it? Great!

In relation to this and racism, I want to talk about the importance of creating diverse and inclusive spaces in the workplace as well as the importance of eliminating racism in the workplace too.

According to the Race Relations in Canada 2019 survey from the Environics Institute for Survey Research, about 40 percent of those who said they experience racism experience it at work along with 54 percent of black Canadians continuously facing ongoing racism in the workplace. With this in mind, the numbers are immensely high in relation to workplace discrimination.

This is a problem.

In our progressing world, we should be aiming to diminish racism and discrimination in the workplace because when all is said and done, it just isn’t right to tolerate microaggressions because these kinds of comments do take a toll on the well-being and mental health of the individual who is experiencing it.

If we aim to combat this, we can create a more inclusive working environment, and world, for all.

Here are some things you can do to help create a more inclusive work environment.

Do Your Research

The first step is to make sure that you are aware of what is going on in the workplace. Once you notice any form of racial discrimination or microaggressions towards any colleagues or employees, you can assess the situation in order to make the change and create a more accommodating and safe workplace for all. Along with this, it is a good idea to review any workforce data and identify any patterns of underrepresentation and exclusion of black or racialized employees to make sure you have a more inclusive and diverse work environment.

Some questions you can ask yourself are in relation to maintaining equality and eliminating underrepresentation amongst black employees in your company are:

Where they are in the organization and where they are not. Are they in key roles?
Is there occupational segregation?
What is the composition of the feeder groups to key positions?
Is there any data in the workplace measuring the number of hires, promotions, exits or black employees compared to others?

By asking these questions when implementing strategies and practices, you’ll be able to make sure that your company is doing what they can to create a diverse environment that eliminates any form of underrepresentation.

Keep Recruiting and Networking

Another helpful tip is to always be recruiting and networking. According to The Muse, you should aim to hire more people in your industry who don’t look like you because you could open up a pool of very skilled candidates who could be qualified for roles in your company.

But this doesn’t end here.

Once you create a diverse work environment, aiming to keep a diverse environment should be your goal by ensuring your employees feel safe and comfortable in coming to work every day.

One of the best ways you can ensure they feel comfortable is by offering formal or informal mentor programs with mentors that employees can seek guidance from to ensure they feel safe and that their needs are being taken care of so that they can grow to their full potential within the company.

Feedback is Valuable

Feedback is a valuable tool to create change so it is crucial to use tools when you can to measure how the company is doing in terms of the company culture. By gathering data through employee feedback, you can determine if anything needs fixing and work to eliminate any red flags across different groups to find solutions.

Remember that if discrimination does arise, the most important thing is to be an ally to your colleagues of colour because racial discrimination and microaggressions should not be tolerated in any company and can create an all-around terrible work environment for many people of colour. Aiming to dismantle discrimination should be the goal of creating a safe and comfortable work environment.

At the end of the day, we should all strive to eliminate racism and discrimination and keep working until we get there. The fight against racism is a constant one and we have to keep at it for the justice of our black brothers and sisters as well as for a better, more inclusive future.

The time to change is now.

If you would like to contribute and show support to organizations like Black Lives Matter, check out the links below!