The recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have prompted an outpouring of sadness, anger, and outrage from people around the world. In the face of such emotions, organizations might think it prudent to steer clear of societal or political issues, but that would be a mistake, write researchers Enrica N. Ruggs and Derek R. Avery in their MIT Sloan Management Review article, “Organizations Cannot Afford to Stay Silent on Racial Injustice.”
Ruggs and Avery encourage organizational leaders to speak out, stating that silence on this issue undermines any claims the organization makes that it supports diversity. Not speaking up can also damage the company’s standing among employees and customers to whom those values are important. Employees, job seekers, and customers alike may see an employer’s choice to stay silent on issues of police violence as signaling a lack of concern about Black people in general.
“Racism is not a political issue. It is wrong — full stop.”
How organizations can respond
Ruggs and Avery suggest that leaders can help employees cope with these traumatic events in the following ways:
Speak Up. Make a formal statement about the events, expressing the organization’s stance on diversity and hate. Acknowledging the pain can help employees feel supported.
Educate Yourself. Become better allies by reading books about systemic racism. By going beyond the news events and obtaining a deeper understanding, leaders can educate themselves and develop empathy for their employees.
Walk the Talk. Black Americans are sensitive to discrepancies between what organization leaders say and what they do. Therefore, companies need to create safe spaces to talk about the impact of events and provide support to those who need it.
Invest. When corporate investments align with anti-racist efforts, employees and customers know they can trust what a company says.
Engage in Introspection. Not every form of racism is deadly, but racism is tragic and damaging all the same. By considering the many ways that racism can thrive in our society and work places, leaders become more aware of how they can combat it in their organization.
Your words and actions not only make a difference, they matter to your employees and customers. So, don’t stay silent.