This summer, during a historic period of activism to affirm that Black lives matter, organizations of all sizes examined their diversity and inclusion strategies, with most pledging to improve — or in some cases establish — policies on anti-Black racism. But with centuries of structural and social prejudices as a foundation, that’s easier said than done.

“Racism is what we see in the workplace, where only a certain number of Black people make it to the top and there are systems at work to prevent them from doing that,” said Tina Opie, a 2019-2021 MIT MLK visiting scholar, and associate professor who teaches organizational behavior at Babson College. She is also the founder of Opie Consulting Group, which helps organizations with their diversity, inclusion, and equitable workplace strategies. Clients have included Hulu, American Express, and the NFL.

“Many white people think they’re going to have to give up something, and they don’t want to do that,” Opie said. “That’s why they treat diversity like an add-on, not as an essential element of their organization, because if they really believed in it … we could change the culture of an organization in six months if we put money, effort, and time behind it.”

Make structural and symbolic changes

In their research and observations, Opie and Roberts found that organizations that “affirm the dignity and fulfillment of Black lives” meet four indicators:

Structural — The organization makes roles and responsibilities clear and allows for coordination among employees to address racial inequity. There is also a way to monitor diversity and inclusion numbers.

“If an employee experiences workplace racism, a clear reporting process with controls to ensure protection against retaliation may be more likely to lead to positive change than a structure characterized by unclear processes and roles,” the paper states.

• Ryan and his team had discussions about strategy before making firm-wide announcements.
• Employees’ specific concerns were addressed, rather than having a broad conversation about diversity.
• The firm’s leadership did not claim to be experts, but allowed employees to steer the conversation about workplace racism.

Here are some resources to get you started:

Download “Do Black lives really matter in the workplace? Restorative justice as a means to reclaim humanity.”

Watch Opie and other experts discuss Race, Justice, and Equity in the Workplace and Beyond: A Call to Action.

Read Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience.

Explore Ideas Made to Matter diversity coverage.

FOR MORE INFO

Meredith Somers

News Writer

617) 715-4216

correo@nalanada.com