?Several reports in recent years have shown the business benefits of emphasizing inclusion and belonging in the workplace. But many employees of color do not experience such an environment.
Recent research revealed that nearly half of Black employees (49 percent) say they want to quit and that many Asian American workers lack a sense of belonging at work.
“Team members of color typically leave after about two years,” said Kim Crowder, founder and CEO of consulting firm Kim Crowder Consulting in Carmel, Ind. “Employees from historically ignored backgrounds are bold and courageous enough to leave if they can fill their needs elsewhere.”
Crowder, who has been featured in The New York Times, discussed this and more during a concurrent session, “Why Team Members of Color Leave and What to Do About It,” on June 12 at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2023 in Las Vegas.
A Fair and Equitable Workplace
A 2021 McKinsey & Company report revealed that Black workers have higher rates of unemployment, lower wages and worse career prospects than other workers.
The study found that Black workers make less than $30,000 annually more often than do their peers—even within industries that are predominantly composed of Black employees, such as retail, accommodation and food services.
The pay discrepancy is most stark when comparing white men to women of color. Data by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Hispanic or Latina women earned about $.58 and Black women earned about $.63 for every dollar white men earned in 2021.
Crowder implored companies to review their pay data objectively, without engaging in confirmation bias.
“Look at your own data and question it,” Crowder said. “If you have a higher number of team members of color, are they being paid equitably?”
Want to Be Respected, Valued and Seen
Crowder said employees of color want what all workers desire: to be respected, valued and seen by their employer.
One way businesses can respect and value these employees is by supporting their career aspirations via mentorships or sponsorships. However, a report by SHRM found that two-thirds of Black HR professionals believe their employers are not providing enough opportunities to help advance their careers.
Kelisha B. Graves, the chief research, education and programs officer at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, told SHRM Online in January that efforts to mentor and connect on a personal level with Black employees sends a “powerful signal of inclusion and can help foster a sense of belonging.”
But some companies offer ineffective mentorships to employees of color, Crowder noted.
“If you have a mentor unwilling to talk about the things that most impact you, then they’re not a mentor,” Crowder said. “If they cannot talk about race, being a woman or being LGBTQ+, they’re not a mentor.”
Lorine Brown, SHRM-CP, is a corporate leadership learning and development specialist at supply chain company FHI in Winter Haven, Fla., who observed the session. She said part of leadership is having uncomfortable conversations, including those involving diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I).
“Sometimes in the DE&I space, some conversations may be uncomfortable, but they’re necessary in order for organizations to grow,” Brown said. “Many team members of color have been in environments where they’re not valued. Leaders must have difficult conversations on these topics to spark change.”
The Need for Courageous Leadership
Crowder encouraged leaders to exercise courageous leadership, which can improve DE&I in the workplace and inspire employees of color to stay with the company. Courageous leadership involves:
- Taking a growth approach to leadership.
- Being open to feedback.
- Demonstrating values through behavior and communication.
- Believing that success for all is abundant.
Leaders can implement courageous leadership by:
- Reviewing both qualitative and quantitative data. If you do not have this information, gather it and review industry research.
- Understanding the data fully and knowing how to implement measurable success.
- Continually communicating success in ways people understand, including quick wins and long-term goals.
“Take the information that you gather to support success throughout the organization,” Crowder said. “I believe organizations and leaders who will be relevant well into the future directly implement courage as their approach to how we lead and support team members.”