Discussing Race at Work

Conversations about race are not always easy, and understandably so. In a world where individuals’ lived experiences are often intricately connected to the color of their skin, it makes sense that feelings and perspectives on the matter might be difficult to communicate. But ignoring the topic of race in the workplace is counterproductive; it dishonors the humanity of your employees, and ultimately hurts your bottom line. Beyond simply having a diverse employee base, companies that actively foster an inclusive culture (by, say, talking about race) also outperform those that don’t. Consider these statistics:

• Diverse companies are 36% more likely to financially outperform their competitors.
• Diverse companies are 1.7 times more innovative.
• Over 70% of job seekers take company diversity into consideration when fielding an offer.
• Inclusive companies see 2.3 times higher cash flow per employee than less inclusive companies.
• Inclusive companies are 120 times more likely to hit their financial goals.
• 85% of CEOs of inclusive companies see increased profits.

All of this to say, talking about race is not only good for the soul, it’s good for business. And these conversations are more effective when they’re consciously designed and carefully structured. Structured conversations create a brave space where all voices can be heard. They are more likely to stay focused on the topic at hand, and thus more effective in identifying solutions. Organized dialogue empowers your employees and stakeholders to engage constructively with the matters of highest concern to them and take actionable steps towards change.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to lean into even the potentially tough conversations.

It’s time to be Inclusivv.

Need help preparing structured conversations about race in your workplace? Download our Getting Started Checklist: Race at Work!