LEADERSHIP FOR RACIAL DIVERSITY - Laura Cortes

 

The article discussed: Racial Diversity in the Workplace: Boosting Representation in Leadership. by Nicola Cronin 

In the article Racial Diversity in the Workplace: Boosting Representation in Leadership, Nicola Cronin reminds us of the assassination of George Floyd to frame that systemic racism and social injustice discussions are being looked at differently. Racial diversity is being taken more into account in the workplace. Leading companies reexamine their processes and systems and how they treat people of different races. Companies are hiring and developing teams that work toward diversity and inclusion.  The author recommends closing the gap between rhetoric and reality and turning words into action.  There must be lasting, positive change in terms of racial diversity.

However, according to data from this source, only four black male executives are CEOs in Fortune 500 companies, none of them women.  Sixty percent of black executives felt they had to work twice as hard to be seen at the same level as their peers. The hardest thing to understand is that only 3% of Fortune 500 companies share their full diversity data report. According to the World Economic Forum, companies with a diverse workforce can have the following benefits: 19% more revenue, higher revenues, 70% more likely to capture new markets, better decision-making, and other benefits. The changes in companies in terms of racial diversity must come from leaders who make fairer processes.

The author proposes the following strategies to intensify and enact diversity in the workplace: analyze and discuss race issues, leaders in all areas of the company should talk about racial diversity in the workplace, verify that hiring processes are fair, invest in training and support to address the issue of inequality, establish a more inclusive work culture, use the lens of intersectionality to refer to the overlapping identities of employees who have circumstances or situations for discrimination.

This article shows strategies that can be used and applied in the workplace. This would result in diverse and inclusive workplaces that work for the well-being of employees. Stakeholders should always seek to improve the culture and climate concerning diversity and inclusion in the workplace; recognize the effects of racism and harassment not previously assessed and addressed, and generate effective action plans. 

I believe that this article specifically addresses the current problems of racial discrimination in business. Companies need to create an inclusive environment in companies. I found the point of discussing this problem with the company very important. Talking about this situation makes people understand racial diversity in the workplace. I think that exposing the situation makes us aware of the problem. I will put these recommendations into practice to avoid racial discrimination even in non-work environments.

Deloitte created a reverse mentorship program where senior partners were mentored by junior employees from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds in response to their Action Plan.

 Source: Youtube- Reverse Mentoring at Deloitte (Guider, 2021)

Guider. (2021). Reverse Mentoring at Deloitte. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpSJB1VpYlM

 

Reference:

Cronin, N. (2020). Guider. Retrieved from Racial Diversity in the Workplace: Boosting. Representation in Leadership: https://www.guider-ai.com/blog/racial-diversity-in-the-workplace