Do not get me wrong by reading the title. It is not a complaint, but an unfortunate reality.
Your black employees are glad that after 400 years, there is finally a mass outrage against racial injustice. Many of them had been fighting their whole lives. They are more than happy that non-black people are finally interested in becoming a part of the solution. But, that’s not it.
“Being black in 2020 is unique. The years of systemic racism is being forced to dismantle. But it isn’t the responsibility of your black employees. They aren’t the ones who created these problems. Then why are they the ones who are leading the change alone?”
Imagine living in a society where you are killed because you are black. You feel unsafe every time you go out. You work, day and night for your men to earn 91 cents to every $1 a white man earns and the women to earn 65 cents for every dollar a white man earns. You are facing police brutality and the increasing mortality rate because of CoronaVirus. Now imagine your employer making you the unofficial leader of the task force meant to resolve racial issues and injustice faced by black employees.
Employers this is what you are doing to the black people working for you. And this is why you need to stop. They incur too many barriers and carry too many responsibilities as is. Here are some tips you can avoid black burnout in your organization all the while proactively working on improving your company’s approach toward race.
UNOFFICIAL RACE RELATIONS OFFICER
Chances are, you recently got in touch with one of your black employees or colleagues to understand racial injustice. So, if you went to them with a good intention of declaring your white privilege and would want to learn more about the action plan to react to the black struggle from them, you need to know that there are 100s of other good-intentioned non-black people who did the same.
Black people are already outnumbered in the workplace. So many of their white counterparts are already asking them for their input, feedback on how to react against racial injustice, or have confessed the racial sins they have committed over the years. The black employees of your organization are already dealing with a lot. Be mindful of how you talk to them. It isn’t their responsibility to be your race relations manager and handle everything after you have been in a deep slumber for decades or even centuries They were hired to do one job. It’s your responsibility to dismantle systemic racism.
Some studies suggest that “weathering” the effects of racism may shorten average life spans for black people, over time. It is about time you acknowledge this and do not play any part to add to it.
LEARN ABOUT THEM!
Black people have spent almost all their educational years learning about white people, their history, and their issues. The American educational curriculum only teaches the most minimal about black history. They had to use their free time to learn about other races (even their own) so they are educated about what to face in the world.
When black people can spend time to learn about racial issues, then why can’t you take it as your responsibility to educate yourself on the black history and the struggles of they have endured as a people. It is not too much of you to take your free time to research their history, read books, watch related films, and only ask genuine questions that you cannot get an answer to. Your black colleagues and employees aren’t entitled to share their history with you, without you putting in no effort.
TAKE ACTIONABLE MEASURES
Diversity & Inclusion leaders and human resource managers now have the biggest role to play. Please do not tell your entire company to reach out to black colleagues for support and conversations on the current scenario. As mentioned, they already have too much on their plate. Even with the best intentions, the majority of white people are only going to make the minority of black people feel overwhelmed.
Bring experts, train your employees, provide actionable plans to dismantle systemic racism, and allow black employees & colleagues to share their struggles only if they want to. Respect black employees who wish to not participate and do not talk about race relations. They are already tired of working, showing empathy to their white counterparts because of their newfound understanding of races, and fighting the pandemic.
Your black employees shouldn’t be the only ones who are leading diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism efforts within the organization. They did not create these problems. Rather, they are the victims of it. Please do not expect them to resolve these issues alone either. They are already physically and emotionally exhausted by what’s happening. Do not burn them out because of the excessive efforts.
Dear non-black leaders, while you may want to uplift the black voices, please be mindful while doing so. Take the responsibility of the change yourself before asking your black employees to lead the change. There will be a time when you can bring all your black and white employees together to strategize the change, but right now is not that time. Let your black employees rest!
