There are countless steps employers and HR leaders should be taking to support their Black employees during this moment in history.
We're living through unprecedented times. As an HR leader, manager or employer, it's time to educate yourself on how to support your Black employees through social uprising and civil unrest, now and for the future. Here are a few places to start.
Reach out to your Black employees individually to express your support - let them know that you're here for them. Explain the company resources available to them. Let them know no action or response to your outreach is required on their part
Extend company-paid services to use, like an EAP or extended health benefits that cover therapy, grief counselling and other mental health support
Provide your Black employees paid time off to grieve, process and care for themselves.
Consider providing professional grief counselling, or establish a safe space within your organization for people to come and share their sadness, frustrations or fear. It could be as simple as an optional zoom call, without video.
Acknowledge your awareness and solidarity on company-wide platforms, publicly commit to do better and document how you plan on doing so. Donations are a great place to start, but it shouldn't stop there.
Share educational resources company-wide. Promote books, podcasts, lectures and articles focused on anti-racism by Black educators
Provide formal, mandatory training and education for your entire organization on how to be actively anti-racist, led by a Black educator
Encourage team participation in sharing resources and have an open forum discussion to hear voices outside of leadership on what actions and steps to take. Keep this work and support going after the news attention diverts elsewhere
Review your Diversity and Inclusion best practices, and work to have Black employees in positions at all levels of management and leadership
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