How Businesses Can Take Action to Create Equality

With the increased use of technology in our everyday lives, the inequality and injustice done to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and LGBTQ communities has become more visible to the world than ever before. With every instance of oppression that goes viral, the conversation around equality becomes louder, more urgent and ultimately necessary for businesses to acknowledge. Across the nation, businesses have been making statements regarding their stance on equality. However, a statement is not enough. Businesses must take action to ensure they are not participating in the continuation of systemic racism and inequality and continuing the disenfranchisement of specific populations.

It may sound daunting. You may not know where to begin. Luckily, creating equality in the workplace is not as complicated as it might sound. In fact, after reading through these ideas about how to take action to create equality in your business, you may realize how easy it can be. Take action today!

It Starts With You

Addressing your own unconscious biases is the first important step you must take for your business, and yourself. Understanding why your business looks the way it does can help you make the decisions necessary to change your practices. Require your current staff to take trainings on unconscious bias and microaggressions so that they make cultivate a safe and inclusive work environment. Adopt a no-tolerance policy that holds employees accountable for their actions in and out of the workplace. By committing yourself and your employees to understanding equality, you will create a safe and inclusive space. This will establish the foundation upon which you can promote equality. You can also start working on changing the way that you think and encouraging the people around you to do the same. For example, don’t assume that all of your employees will be celebrating Christmas this year when it comes time to pick out employee gifts for the holiday season. Encourage your team to add their days of celebration to the breakroom calendar and give these special days the same attention you would any other holiday.

Rethink Your Hiring Process

Are you hiring the most qualified candidate? Or do you rely on connections, referrals and some nepotism from within your existing employee base? Unfortunately, these practices often exclude marginalized populations, which means your business is not offering equal opportunity to all. Make the change to hiring from diverse candidate pools that are made up of, or directly support, diverse populations. Additionally, consider recruiting at colleges and universities that are historically diverse. If you’ve followed the first step of creating a culture of inclusivity, diverse candidates will be more likely to feel safe and optimistic about applying for positions at your company. Consider handing out company pens or hiring information so that potential applicants know that you are serious about wanting them to join the team.

Additionally, reconsider job requirements that may be excluding diverse populations. Be honest about if a job truly requires advanced knowledge that necessitates an advanced education. If the skills to do the job can be learned on the job, eliminate educational requirements completely. Similarly, remove barriers to starting the job. If your business requires custom work uniforms, provide them to employees. Offer full use of facilities such as showers and locker rooms, or even a food service that offers snacks during the workday. Small perks like these may seem insignificant, but they can dramatically increase the accessibility of the job for which you are hiring.

Promote and Invest

Once you have a diverse staff, you can take the next step toward creating equality in your business: promoting and investing in diverse employees. Consider your current leadership and board. Are they as diverse as your employee base? Do they consist of diverse voices? If not, make it a priority to offer leadership and employee development training to your staff so they may further their skillsets and potential. Promote diverse employees to leadership positions and offer mentorship to prepare them for the road ahead.

Advocate and Act

Beyond your employees, use your platform as a business to speak out against inequality in your community. Openly recognize the historic systemic oppression of certain populations. This does not mean you are implicating yourself or your business, but rather demonstrating awareness of the disadvantages certain people face. If your business needs to work on its brand or image, partner with local organizations that are committed to ending inequality so they may guide you on what steps you can take to be a better ally. You can even use your socioeconomic power to lobby for and implement equal pay for your employees (and make it a livable wage, at that).

Encourage honest, open and safe conversations about equality among your employees by organizing support groups or collectives that meet on a regular basis. Listen and be open to the ideas your employees have about steps your business should take to further promote equality. You might be surprised about the needs your employees have, so be receptive to their feedback. As with anything in business, adaptability is key, and your policies and actions around equality are no exception to this rule.

There are many ideas presented here, and by no means must your business do them all at once (but you certainly can!). It is important to take an honest look at your business to determine where you are succeeding in promoting equality, and where you are falling short. At a minimum, it is essential to recognize that inequality exists, and inaction is complicity in a system that continues to oppress and disenfranchise specific populations. This means that every business must act today. Do your part to make a positive change for your business, your employees and your community.