Race remains a powerful barrier that prevents Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) from transcending the mediocre roles and reaching the top. The increasing number of black & people of color are now acquiring professional degrees, but the statistics for black employees in the professional world remain bleak. This is because, the employers now know what diversity is for a company and its culture, but they are still not hands-on with inclusion practices.
If you are an employer, executive, or manager looking to retain black employees this year and beyond, you need to know a few things. Here are all the ways through which you better manage your black employees so they become an asset to your company in the long run:
Help Them Get Acclimated – Your work does not end when you hire them. Diversity is nothing without equity and inclusion. Your work only begins when you hire a black employee in your attempt for better diversity in your company. You must help them get acclimated to the company culture. Help them find opportunities to add their knowledge, personality, and skillset to the new workspace. Not just this, but make sure they are not the odd one out. Make them feel welcomed, seen, and heard. Be there for them till you feel that they have now gelled in the company and their race isn’t a hindrance or a factor for them to feel left out.
Train Them – It has been noticed a lot of the times that black employees aren’t trained in the job responsibilities they are given and are expected to complete tasks one after another. No matter how great a professional you hire, without training them per your organization’s requirements, you cannot get the best out of them. Train them how to do their job and do not leave them hanging. They’ll eventually be independent with their work as they progress in their role and in the organization.
Understand What Racism Looks Like – This is an important point to keep in point. Racism for black employees is different than what you might think. Listen to their context and understand when they talk about the microaggressions they face. Do not tolerate this. If you ignore it once, know that more than likely you will be alienating your black employees and many more to come after your current black employees because you are not yet ready to change your company culture.
Treat Them As Equals – This won’t come as a surprise, but it is indeed a surprise when I say that even in 2021, black employees with the same qualification and experience as their white counterparts aren’t treated as equals. They are micromanaged; their mistakes are pointed out at the first chance anyone gets, they are followed around, and they are monitored more than anyone else. If you want to take a step further and learn how to manage black employees in a better way, treat them as equals. Make sure their employee lifecycle is like that of their white counterparts. There is no magic formula required if you follow this. It is as simple as equality in behaviors and management.
Allow Them To Speak Up Without Repercussions – Allow them to speak up when and where they need. Hold yourself and others accountable when they point out something that does exist in your company. Give them space and liberty to speak up on what they are going through without being fired or any other repercussions. This is the pro-management tip for black employees which is the easiest, but unfortunately, the most ignored by the managers. When they point out a problem and explain it to you, understand it, and thank them for pointing it out. The next and only step is to make sure you work on rooting it out of your company completely. This includes disciplinary action, policy changes, town hall meetings, internal training sessions, and other action-oriented behavior. Do not leave it to a Human Resources investigation that leads to nowhere.
These very simple yet impactful tips and tactics are not often utilized. They can help you not only manage black employees in 2021 but beyond as well. Know that there is no secret sauce to be a better manager when it comes to people of color. You must value the very spirit of diversity, equity, and inclusion and see the change happening.