Sihle Bolani is a writer, brand strategist and advocate that focuses on themes that include structural racism in organizations and the role executives play in sustaining discriminatory practices; pay discrimination; the emotional and psychological trauma suffered by Black professionals as a result of corporate abuse and the suppression of Black talent, especially Black women. Bolani has identified three ways corporations can help fight racism, immediately.
Identify Prejudice and Bias
Acknowledge and consistently check your own prejudices and biases. Biases are filters that affect how we see and think of the world and the assumptions we make about people. It influences how policies are developed, whose favor they work in, and which profile of employees has access to opportunities and upward mobility in the organization. As employers, if we do not consciously work to unlearn the biases that we have that have been harmful to marginalized groups, we will continue to perpetuate the cycle of discriminatory and harmful practices in the workplace.
Level The Playing Field
Review hiring and remuneration practices. So many organizations and hiring managers will vehemently deny participating in discriminatory hiring and remuneration practices, despite all the research that exists and all the experiences shared by BIPOC professionals. If you are hiring a BIPOC professional and you see that their current salary is substantially lower than their white peers, correct it. Pay them what you would pay a white person in that role. If the salary scale would be a huge jump, develop a plan with the candidate about their salary will be continuously adjusted over a set period to get them onto a par with their peers. Good leaders have a responsibility to ensure that they rectify any and all injustices they bear witness to, and we cannot have equality in the workplace if equity is absent.
Close The Gaps
Review the current culture in your organization and identify gaps that risk being harmful to marginalized groups. If your organizational culture is centered around “Boys’ Clubs” and a “You know how men are” narrative, it will, without a doubt, be a harmful space for women (and Black women in particular) and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. If racism and racist undertones are accepted, ignored, or tolerated in your organization, it will be harmful to BIPOC professionals. If your organization positions success through the lens of a white man, i.e. power suit, tall, athletic, etc, it is harmful to everyone who doesn’t fit that image; women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ community and employees with disabilities.
It is important for organizations to understand the weight that culture carries in an organization and its ability to make or break employees. For many organizations, this is an opportune time to really reflect on their culture and what repercussions it has had on employee wellbeing, productivity, and (dis)harmony.
To learn more about Sihle Bolani follow her on social media or on the web.
IG: @Sihle Bolani on the web www.sihlebolani.com
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