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Celebrating Black History Month in the Workplace

Celebrating Black History Month in the Workplace

Celebrating Black History Month in the Workplace

black history month

MaxPeople encourages all employers to take action by leading and actively supporting initiatives that focus on increasing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Here are ways you can celebrate Black History Month and promote EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) in the workplace.

  1. Establish a EDI policy and protocol to ensure all areas of HR and the Employment Lifecyle are fair and incorporate a EDI lens/perspective.
    1. Establish a EDI, Equal Opportunity Employer, Respect in the Workplace and Workplace Violence policies.
    2. Establish and support an ERG (voluntary, employee-led groups whose aim is to foster inclusion within the workplace) – ERGs can help to ensure all employees feel safe in the workplace and can be themselves. Tips for establishing an ERG can be found at:
      1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/shereeatcheson/2021/02/17/5-top-tips-on-creating-successful-employee-resource-groups/?sh=43ee5d1b25b7
      2. https://www.hrc.org/resources/establishing-an-employee-resource-group
  2. Support and/or Partner with Black-Owned Businesses or Organizations:
    1. Encourage everyone to support passionate and underrepresented entrepreneurs from the black community.
    2. Investing your money in small black-owned businesses is a positive form of economic empowerment.
    3. Gift employees products from Black-owned businesses; partner with black-owned companies to offer discounted rates for products to employees, etc.
    4. Donate your time and money to support charities or non-profits that focus on fighting racial injustice, more details can be found here.
  3. Learn about the Black History of your Area:
    1. An ERG can help compile and share resources to help educate everyone in the Company about prominent historical figures and the Black History in their local area.
    2. Visit local landmarks – organize a “field trip” (when safe to do so)
  4. Organize a Diversity and Inclusion Event:
    1. Organize a EDI workshop on topics affecting the black community; hire an expert to facilitate a virtual or in-person session; organize a panel discussion with guest speakers and thought leaders (e.g., authors, activities, community leaders, etc.)
    2. Leverage employee resource networks to curate educational workshops
  5. Be a mentor and coach your employees to embrace a learning and growth culture:
    1. Provide coaching opportunities to your employees to equip them with the skills necessary to have respectful conversations about difficult subjects.
  6. Encourage feedback from the Team – launch a EDI survey!

We encourage all Companies and Organizations to take continuing action to embrace EDI and embed it a EDI perspective into your organization.

For additional information or support with your EDI initiatives please reach out to MaxPeople at [email protected] or complete our contact form here.

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