Ways in which diversity can be promoted amongst your workforce.
Many employers have begun to recognise the importance of having a diverse workforce. Having a staff team made up of all different kinds of people is proven to bring creativity and motivation and ensure multiple perspectives and identities are being expressed in the work you do. However, hiring a diverse workforce is only the first step to genuinely reaching equality and inclusion at work. The most important part of diversity is ensuring that the more underrepresented groups in your office feel supported, listened to and included, in every part of their job.
In today’s article, we will provide five ways that employers can support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees in the workplace. A recent report found that 65% of BAME people said they had been discriminated against while at work, and 49% of BAME staff said they felt they had been mistreated because of their race. These shocking statistics shine a light on how prevalent racism is in the UK workforce. Have a read below to find out some easy ways to support BAME staff at work:
1. Support Staff Networks
One of the best ways to support BAME staff members is to provide a place where they can speak openly about any issues they face at work. A great way to do this is through staff networks.
Staff networks are groups run by staff who share a common characteristic, usually in the minority in the organisation, to share experiences and promote equality and inclusion at work. As an employer, you can support staff networks by providing funding to the groups and scheduling time into the working week to meet and organise.
2. Have a diverse staff
An easy way to ensure that BAME staff aren’t mistreated or left feeling isolated is by ensuring you have a diverse staff. The more different types of voices you can bring into your team, the more included people will feel in the organisation. And the more you have within your staff, the less likely you are to incur racist incidents.
3. Check your policy
Having complete and adequate equality, diversity and inclusion policy can make a massive difference to BAME staff members at work. Having a procedure that effectively deals with discrimination and inequality highlights to your staff that you take issues of racism extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring they don’t occur in your business. If you’re unsure on what to include, sites like Aspiring to Include provide detailed guides and information for both employers and employees, so that you can get your procedures up to date.
4. Create a culture of openness and support
Ensuring that all of your staff feel comfortable enough to give their opinions at work is essential to creating a supportive work environment. All staff members need to feel as though they can raise any concerns they have and know you will take them seriously. Part of creating this culture is encouraging staff to collaborate and share ideas.
5. Offer anti-racism training
Finally, to ensure that all BAME staff members feel supported in your organisation, you could consider running some anti-racism or unconscious bias training for your whole team. This way, you are actively taking steps to remove any unconscious discrimination that may be occurring in the office.
