#RaceEqualityWeek: How to talk about race in the workplace
#RaceEqualityWeek: How to talk about race in the workplace
Race Equality Week is an annual UK-wide movement uniting thousands of organisations and individuals to address the barriers to race equality in the workplace. The theme for 2023 is #ItsEveryonesBusiness, because tackling race inequality is everyone’s business.
In this blog post, Ishita Ranjan-Churchill, she/her (Founder of Spark Insights) explores how to talk about race in the workplace.
Please note that in this article, I use non-Black to recognise that there are racialised communities in which anti-Blackness is present.
Why might race come up at work?
The last few years have put a sharp focus on racial inequity and injustice.
Global events such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the Coronavirus pandemic, and matters on home soil, like increasingly hostile environment policies and a mounting list of police powers, have brought many social issues to the forefront.
As we collectively as a society become more aware of racial inequity and injustice, it is only natural that the topic of race may come up in the workplace.
We often find that white people or non-Black people have different starting points, awareness and comfort levels with these conversations. The issue arises however, when conversations about race are not primarily rooted in care.
For some people, racial injustice has been part of their consciousness and perhaps even part of their reality for a long time. For others who are new to the conversation, often eager to learn and prove their allyship, there is some work to be done in having balanced, nuanced and respectful conversations.
When is it appropriate to talk about race at work?
There are certain situations where it is relevant to talk about race at work. What’s absolutely essential to remember is that experiences of racism are quite often also experiences of racial trauma. When these topics come up, they must be approached with care and sensitivity.
When you’re discussing race in the workplace, we ask you think about the following:
Does someone else have first hand experience of this issue? Consider who may be speaking from a place of personal, lived experience and allow due regard and respect for that person.
Is it safe? Are you in a safe, calm and private environment? It’s absolutely essential that you ensure conversations are held in a consensual, confidential and safe environment.
Is it relevant and reasonable? There are specific situations where it is relevant and appropriate to talk about race in the workplace, these include (but are not limited to):
when a person with personal experiences signals they would like to share an experience
when there is an area of work being discussed where racial equity is relevant
where there is a strategic focus on ethnicity e.g. an inclusion campaign
or in a learning context e.g. in a workshop where racial diversity is a topic.
Everywhere, but especially in the workplace, conversations about race and ethnicity should only be hadwhen appropriate and relevant, and with care and consideration. I cannot stress this one enough - I have lost count of the number of times race has been brought up without consideration of its relevance in that particular context.
As more and more white and non-Black people aim to signal their allyship, or showcase their organisation’s inclusion strategies, there is the tendency to point to the murder of George Floyd or other examples of overt racism. These topics that are at their root incredibly traumatic and should not be sprung upon people - for example, during work socials or in a job interview.
What is the intention of the conversation?
An absolutely essential consideration is the intention of the conversation. There may be lots of different reasons why you feel driven to talk about race in the workplace, for example:
Wanting to learn about other people’s experiences of racism e.g. “have you ever experienced…”
Signaling your own shock, guilt, knowledge or personal journey with the subject matter e.g. “I watched this documentary about Y and was absolutely shocked by Z”
Wanting to inform an area of work or a strategy e.g. “given your experiences, what do you think we should do about …”
A desire to hear feedback from someone e.g. “what did you think about …”
Now, I’m not saying that you cannot talk about race if these are your intentions. What I am saying is that you have to be aware of the extractive nature of such conversations and the inherent power dynamics often in place; your learning may be coming at the cost of someone else’s discomfort (at best) or racial trauma (at worst).
Once you are clear and comfortable with your intention, make sure of the following:
You have consent: Is the person I’m talking to happy to have this conversation? How do I know that they are comfortable talking about it?
You’re in a safe space: Am I having it in a safe, private and welcoming environment? Who else is involved, and is that ok?
You know what the purpose is: What is going to happen as a result of this conversation? Will there be any further actions or follow up?
What’s your starting and ending point?
The experiences of no two people are the same, regardless of if they are of the same ethnicity. A whole host of other factors, experiences and circumstances will inform and influence each individual, and you need to hold space for the complexity and nuance these conversations can often bring.
Before jumping into conversations about race, think about your starting point, and your organisations starting point:
If, personally, you feel you have more work to do before you can comfortably navigate complex conversations in a caring way, you may want to spend some time working on your skills before jumping into this topic with others
Similarly, if as an organisation, you have historically not engaged with the topics of racial inequity and injustice you may find you lack the foundations, skills or culture to be able to have these conversations meaningfully. In this instance, the priority and focus should be on upskilling staff
If you feel: equipped to centre care, able to hold space for complexity, that you’re in a space where the culture allows such conversations, and finally that you have consent, then dive in!
Treat each conversation with care. Alongside making sure it is intentional, relevant and safe, you should have a clear end point in mind, leaving no ambiguity as to the intention or purpose of the conversation.
Where to go to keep learning
There is no one size fits all approach to this. My perspective is that of someone who has had much practice in these conversations, but also has made many mistakes.
The truth is, if you want to get comfortable with talking about race, you have to allow the discomfort. You have to be able to approach it with humility (know you’re going to get it wrong every now and again), grace (apologise sincerely when you do) and determination (keep going, despite the awkwardness).
Here are some resources to get you started:
As ever, you can get in touch with the Spark Insights team for research, training or coaching enquiries - ishita@sparkinsights.co.uk