Black History Month is Over, Now What?
Black History Month brings the spirit of celebration to the office every February. The top levels of management send impassioned statements about inclusion and diversity and how it is important to recognize the contributions of Black Canadians. And this past year, there were probably mentions of the racial unrest, protests and possibly, hopefully, statements of solidarity with some form of a roadmap to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace for their diverse staff. Newsletters will include the obligatory Martin Luther King Jr quotes. But after all the “feel good” of Black History Month; after your staff feel seen, proud and recognized in February - then what?
“A company’s culture of equity, diversity and inclusion must be cultivated. The environment must reflect these efforts and supposed values.”
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts must continue throughout the year or else all the newsletters and statements will be seen as disingenuous, which will create tension, distrust, lowered morale, and employee turnover. Failure to create an inclusive and respectful environment outside the calendar box of February will bring about the opposite outcome of what was intended. Why? Because your Black employees will notice. Leadership being swept by the air of accomplishment does not mean that Black employees won’t notice that all the issues and concerns they’ve experienced return shortly after Black History Month. It’s understandable to have a sense that something was accomplished; that something was achieved; that something was done. But the needs and concerns of your Black staff are not line items. They exist throughout the year. They don’t expire on March 1st.
This does not diminish any efforts put forth during Black History Month. They are good; they are appreciated; they are noticed, BUT if those efforts dwindle, that will be noticed as well. What your Black employees experience, both directly and indirectly, are forms of abuse and trauma. So, what may be seen as benign and unimportant to someone may be what impacts a Black staff member’s safety, their livelihood, and/or be a forced contortion of their humanity to fit into an environment that doesn’t understand the concepts of diversity and inclusion. Amid all the protests and marches, a company’s silence in these times speaks glass-shattering volumes. More than the “efforts” during Black History Month, a company’s culture of equity, diversity and inclusion must be cultivated. The environment must reflect these efforts and supposed values.
Navigating the new social and cultural mores may seem difficult. The social and racial concepts and discussions may appear to be complicated and heavy, but this is why EDI consultants and agencies exist - to ensure that organizations have the tools and framework needed to create new and inclusive work environments and to bypass all the missteps that occur when organizations take matters into their own hands. The worst misstep is when leadership relies too heavily on their Black employees to take the lead. It may seem like outreach, but it ends up shirting the responsibility to the Black employees leaving them with the psychologically taxing emotional labor of simultaneously being the targets of racism and also tasked with addressing and solving that same racism. Don’t use your Black employees as a shield to inability or inaction. There are trained professionals who will help guide you and your employees to build a solid accountability framework. Being cognizant of the work environment and hiring a skilled Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) consultant is one course of action to ensure your organization isn’t inclusive only during February but developmentally stagnant the remainder of the year.
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
This isn’t learning about how to be “politically correct”, but it’s learning how to empower your team and how to be a better organization. Boston Consulting Group reported, “Companies that reported above-average diversity on their management teams also reported innovation revenue that was 19 percentage points higher than that of companies with below-average leadership diversity.” Diversity and inclusion aren’t passive conversations, but they must be the standard of practice across all industries and aren’t anything to be taken lightly and haphazardly. With the guidance of a skilled EDI consultant, your organization will cross the threshold to new possibilities of innovation.
The blog is curated by Colleen James, Principal and Founder of Divonify Incorporated. Colleen’s work is centered around the dismantling of oppressive systems by working with organizational leaders to address issues of systemic racism, equity, diversity and inclusion. If you enjoyed this blog, please share with others you feel would gain value from it.