S06 EP02: Understanding Your Role in Advancing Equity in the Workplace
In episode two of season six, Rianka and Katie discuss how to understand your role in advancing equity in the workplace.
To begin, the two defined the difference between equity and equality in the workplace. Equity is defined as equality gives everyone access to the same opportunities, equity means there is proportional representation in those same opportunities. Equity levels the playing fields.
This episode describes the different roles of how to move equity and inclusion and creating a culture of belonging, depending on your role in the workplace. In short, we do not have the same responsibility.
For example, HR professionals should pay particular representation to policies and procedures, while leaders should be evaluating equity in terms of their go to market strategy.
Unsurprisingly, white leaders have a much larger role to play.
The two also review the differences between systemic and systematic racism, and what those look like in practice.
All HR staff are white and who hire all white employees is an example of systemic racism. Or when people are hired for their articulateness, or because of who they know. Conversely, systematic racism would be recruiters denying people who “sound” Black or who come from a HBCU.
The two encourage listeners to put emotion aside and focus on the learnings.
Being honest about where power is held is important. Understanding your organization's structure and the trustworthy leaders who have decision making authority. Where conversations are happening about these equity issues are also important.
The two also discuss how to best support colleagues. Rianka also shared about the importance of caring for and protecting them by checking on your friends and colleagues by checking in on them frequently, and speaking their names in rooms that they are not in.
Katie shared how this work should be both difficult and extremely rewarding, and why we need to redefine work to include works like joyful, restful, pleasurable.
What you’ll learn:
The actionable ways non-BIPOC leaders take to encourage inclusivity.
How to define the difference between equity and equality.
The differences between systemic and systematic racism, and what those look like in practice.
Facilitator Questions:
Consider who holds power in your organization, and of those leaders, who do you trust?
Consider where else does power lie? Affinity groups? Where are conversations occurring and how are you a part of them?
What power do you hold at your place of work? And, do you intend to share that power and/use it for good?
What words do you use to define your work?
What words would you like to use to define your work?