Tools of the trade: How communicators can combat racism at work

In the aftermath of the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others, CEOs of companies large and small are publicly condemning racism and holding their own organizations’ practices and priorities up to a mirror for review.

As a white person, I’m appalled by the way that black people are systematically brutalized and discriminated against, and increasingly aware of both the extent of my privilege and my responsibility – all of our responsibility – to dismantle the system that enables it. And as a professional communicator, I’ve been thinking about how we can harness the skills and expertise we’ve developed in our careers to make this happen. 

Done right, good communication can help generate trust – and trust is essential when people, and organizations, need to think and act differently. But messaging alone won’t bridge the gap between companies’ words and deeds, between dispensing well-meaning aspirations and overcoming structural barriers to change. So we communicators also need to act as “organizational chiropractors,” flagging these misalignments and recommending adjustments that can join up leaders’ goals with employees’ realities on the ground. 

Here’s how we can use some core concepts and tools of our trade to foster an anti-racist workplace.

Listen up

Good communication starts with knowing your audience, which requires active listening and learning. A recent article by Danielle Cadet, executive editor of Refinery29, is addressed to white employees and makes the point that, contrary to what they may think, their black coworkers are not “doing OK” in the midst of nationwide protests for racial justice.

The only way for white people – starting with leaders, who set the tone within their organizations – to understand how pervasive racism is enacted against black people, both in the workplace and far beyond, is to educate themselves by having uncomfortable conversations and closely examining their own assumptions and attitudes.

Communicators can enable these conversations by creating forums to gather feedback and ideas – particularly from black employees – and then summarizing and sharing the outcomes across their organizations, including criticism and suggestions. Communicators should play an active role in any leadership or staff committees working on implementing these reforms to address racial issues in the workplace. They can identify resources (for example, this guide from the National Museum of African American History and Culture) to help their organizations learn how to improve their practices – without making this edification yet another burden for black colleagues.

Be clear, consistent and credible

Influencing attitudes and behavior (which, after all, is the goal of communication) is a process. Most organizations are making public statements now about their anti-racism, but it will take time to demonstrate the sincerity of these verbal commitments to employees by tangibly changing the embedded practices that perpetuate racial inequities in their workplaces.

While companies won’t have all of the answers immediately, the messaging about their values and their commitment to making structural changes has to be crystal clear – and repeated. Their messengers, starting with CEOs and involving leaders at every level, have to be credible. And the positions they take, about their organizations’ response to racial injustice, need to be consistent and perceived as authentic, not merely performative. Communicators can provide a crucial reality check to ensure that their companies’ communications are compelling, believable, and responsive to employees’ needs.

Where’s the beef?

When it comes to communicating change, what matters most is what organizations actually do. Talk is cheap; for messages to be effective, they need to be backed up by supporting evidence. Communicators can use their credibility with leaders to hold them accountable and make sure that their organizations’ aspirational messages are grounded in concrete actions that will have a lasting impact.

For example, companies that are serious about eliminating racism in the workplace can take steps ranging from reforming their criteria and practices for hiring, career development, mentorship, promotion, succession, and compensation to sponsoring employee inclusion events to funding local community groups. Communicators can then ensure that the messages around these decisions include the specific measures being taken, how and when they’ll be implemented, who’s on the hook to execute them successfully, what “success” looks like (and who decides) – and how these efforts will be baked into the company’s fabric for the long-term.

This is just a starting point, but if we’re committed to changing the conditions that perpetuate systemic racism in our organizations, and across our society, then communications professionals have both an opportunity and a responsibility to use our skills and training to drive the right conversations – starting with our own self-reflection – to keep our leaders credible and tie their messages to tangible, enduring commitments that create trust.

Do you agree? If you’re a fellow communicator grappling with these issues too, let’s talk about it.