Introduction
HR has an important role in creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, which means they are expected to address racism in the work environment. However, according to Kandola (n.d.), “The least effective action in tackling racism was to report it to HR” (para. 15). It means that reporting racism to HR does not have the expected positive effect on workplace relations, and employees may not feel secure to notify HR about the incidences of racism. This paper will discuss why HR is not perceived as effective in addressing racism and what can be done to fix this situation.
Human Resource Managers Addressing Racism
The key reason for employees’ resistance to reporting racism is, apparently, unclear expectations about the results of such actions. According to Kandola’s (n.d.) report, 39% of respondents would not notify anyone if they witnessed a case of racism because of a fear of consequences. It may occur in organizations where HR has not delineated specific procedures for reporting racial discrimination and where leadership does not hold perpetrators accountable for engaging in workplace racism. Thus, vague HR policies regarding racism reporting may undermine employees’ trust in HR’s ability to cope with this issue.
Another reason for HR’s perceived ineffectiveness in tackling racism is a lack of open discussion of this problem in the organization. According to Shufutinsky et al. (2019), uncomfortable conversations regarding racial discrimination in the workplace often include such vague terms as tolerance, diversity, and inclusion. Researchers argue that policies and discussions involving such unclear language are made more for compliance purposes rather than for combating racism (Shufutinsky et al., 2019). It means that HR does not have a sincere intention to address racial discrimination since it avoids engaging in an open conversation about this issue with employees. Hence, the vague language used in HR policies and workplace discussions also contributes to workers’ distrust in HR’s effectiveness in eliminating racism.
Finally, HR managers’ hidden biases and behaviors stemming from them result in their failure to combat racism. Implicit bias refers to unconscious favorable or unfavorable attitudes that shape individuals’ actions, decisions, and understandings (Shufutinsky et al., 2019). A failure to address these prejudices leads to such behaviors as colorblindness, in which people fail to see cultural differences, and denial, in which they cannot reflect on their actions and emotions and prefer to deny reality instead (Shufutinsky et al., 2019). HR managers possessing hidden bias may assume that the problem of racism exists in this world but not in their organization, which allows them not to respond to this issue.
HR managers can become more effective in tackling racism if they manage to cope with the identified flaws. First, HR managers should address their own implicit bias and that of other employees within the organization. Racial bias training is a common solution for this problem, which helps workers become aware of their prejudices, develop empathy, and learn to build social connections (Hirsch, 2018). Another important step is to lead open conversations about racism, letting employees share their emotional experiences. As Roberts and Mayo (2019) note, having such discussions will be uncomfortable in the beginning, provoking shame, anger, and resentment, but they are important for creating a culture of psychological safety. Racial minority employees should know that their experiences are heard and understood and that they are secure in their attempts to seek racial equality. Finally, HR managers should develop clear and explicit policies about reporting workplace racism. These policies should include a clear process of filing a complaint and a possibility of doing so anonymously (Kandola, n.d.). In addition, employees engaging in racial discrimination should be held accountable to ensure that HR’s efforts toward combating racism are not futile.
Conclusion
In conclusion, HR managers are well-positioned to fight workplace racism because they are responsible for hiring, training, and compensating employees, as well as shaping organizational culture. However, unconscious bias, a lack of open conversations about racism, and unclear reporting policies undermine HR’s effectiveness in addressing this issue. Therefore, HR managers should tackle each of their internal problems to make the HR department the right place to go when employees encounter racism.
References
Hirsch, A. (2018). Taking steps to eliminate racism in the workplace. SHRM. Web.
Kandola, Binna. (n.d.). What is considered racism at work and how do I make a complaint?Pearn Kandola. Web.
Roberts, L. M., & Mayo, A. J. (2019). Toward a racially just workplace: Diversity efforts are failing black employees. Here’s a better approach. Harvard Business Review. Web.
Shufutinsky, B. B., Sibel, J. R., & Shufutinsky, A. (2019). Human resource tolerance policies and the perpetuation of discrimination and exclusion in the workplace: An interpretive phenomenological study. Elk Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior, 5(2), 1-26.