Diversity and Inclusion Strategies for Black Women in the Workplace

The mission of JBH is to create a platform for talent, enabling the ever-changing utility, energy and broadband communication space to be served effectively. The report highlights the challenges faced by black women managers in dealing with diversity issues, including lack of influential mentors, limited same-racial authority, and low visibility projects. Federal laws such as the Equal Pay Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Civil Rights Act can be applied to curb racial discrimination at workplaces. To address these challenges, HR practices such as engagement of all employees, recruitment of managers from diverse backgrounds, retention of employees, and application of effective methods are crucial for success.

Running Head: Research Report
Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Black women contribute unique perspectives..............................................................................................2
Diversity programs and Challenges faced in implementing diversity policies.............................................3
Organizational and personal identities within the organization...................................................................5
Related Federal laws....................................................................................................................................6
HR aspects...................................................................................................................................................6
Application of methods...............................................................................................................................7
Dual role......................................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................9
1

Running Head: Research Report
Introduction
There was a time when black women used to face many problems while working in a corporate
environment. However, this trend has been changed, but black women have to follow various
tactics in order to maintain harmony in the organization. It takes a lot for them to resolve the
struggles of implementing diversity policies in a corporate environment. A few years ago black
women were never seen in influential roles due to racism, but now the whole era has been
changed and many black women can be seen performing really well. The advancement in
corporate world invites black women as managers and on other posts to give their best and
contribute to this world. These people are now considered to be the most inspiring and influential
source of corporate officers. Many opportunities are now given to them to expose their talents
and exhibit it internationally.
Black women contribute unique perspectives
Black women leverage their strengths to give their best in workplace by performing above the
benchmarks, by improving communication channels, by maintaining a strong connection
between the higher authorities and subordinates, by knowing more about the cultures from which
they belong so that appropriate policies can be inculcated and all these things increase the level
of productivity of employees in the organization (Purdie-Vaughns, 2015).
 It is very important to build successful relationships with all the people at workplace
since it is considered to be the first step in resolving struggles related to diversity policies.
2

Running Head: Research Report
 If we go into details, it has been observed that African-American women build a strong
and robust connection with community groups as compared to Asian women and that is
how the struggles related to diversity policies can be worked upon (Boylorn, 2014).
 Since black women are typically meant to remain out of the circle of authority due to
stereotype practices and norms being followed in the past, so they are in a habit to match
the benchmarks or work even above them more conscientiously (Wingfield, 2015).
Diversity programs and Challenges faced in implementing diversity policies
Diversity programs are introduced in organizations in order to effectively deal with the struggles
related to diverse backgrounds and the following initiatives are taken by black women managers
in order to resolve such struggles. These are:
1. The managers form assessment and evaluation of the diversity process as a significant
part of the management process.
2. They try to make a comprehensive plan to deal with such problems and regular surveys
are conducted so that proper data can be maintained and problems and solutions can be
analyzed.
3. The managers try to instill diversity programs in every aspect of the steps taken by the
management team to make the system hassle free.
4. In order to work with diversity the employees are trained in that way so that they can
easily adapt the people from every culture.
5. The employees who are minor in number are mentored so that they can work without any
hesitation of being a minority and work at par with the other employees.
3

Running Head: Research Report
6. The managers appraise the employees keeping the discrimination at bay as the black
women managers can understand this aspect very clearly and closely.
7. The women managers follow such practices which are proved to be just and fair to the
employees and no diversity issues are faced by them.
The growing diversity in workforce has led the black women managers to take strict actions and
work accordingly. However, even after introducing diversity programs, the managers have to
face various challenges. Some of the challenges are as follows:
a) The diversity policies adopted by various organizations are not very effective since
sometimes the managers fail to create an environment which includes all the aspects
of every personnel.
b) The black women managers fail to cure the problem of racism, which decreases the
output of employees as a whole.
c) Racial discrimination against black women in the past has continued to affect the
present day relations between white and black people which can be seen in even
workplace today.
It has been a very common myth that women cannot prove to be successful entrepreneurs and
that too black women due to racial discrimination. So, an example of famous women
entrepreneur has been quoted below:
Janice Bryant Howroyd: He is famous for finding an employment staffing firm in the year
1978. When she started the organization she started with only $1500 and she started working in a
4

Running Head: Research Report
very small place and the main business was used to be conducted on telephone. The firm is
known as ACT-1 and now it is considered to be one of America’s largest companies
(International, 2016).
The mission of JBH is to create a platform for talent so that the ever-changing utility, energy and
broadband communication space can be served. Keeping this in mind she works and this is how
she has been able to reach such heights.
Organizational and personal identities within the organization
Black women see racism as a very delicate and sensitive topic to discuss and they feel that due to
actual victims of racism they can prove to be better managers when it comes to dealing with
problems of diversity in organizations (Wentling, 2012).
The problem which is being faced by black people in an organization is the lack of
communication between white and black people. In dealing with such issues, as compared to
higher authorities who are white, the managers who are black are able to address this problem
more effectively.
Due to the personal and organizational problems faced by black women in various areas, such
women are able to look into every arena more carefully and thoughtfully (Greenberg, 2004).
As per the survey done in various companies in the USA in 2015 about the common barriers
perceived by black women managers while dealing with diversity issues are:
MOST COMMON BARRIERS PERCENTAGE
5

Running Head: Research Report
No influential mentor 43
Lack of same racial authority 31
No informal networking between authorities and
subordinates
36
No high visibility projects 29
Related Federal laws
There are many federal laws which can be applied in order to curb the problems of racial
discrimination at work place. Some of the important laws, we know which can be applied at the
workplace are:
1. Equal Pay Act
2. Pregnancy Discrimination Act
3. Family and Medical Leave Act
4. Civil Rights Act (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2009).
The number of federal laws which can be applied at the workplace is huge in number based on
different criteria for example sex, race, place of birth, color etc.
HR aspects
A report by the centre for talent innovation is in favor of diversity and surveyed many black and
white women in America in order to know the statistics. The report shows that 26% black
6

Running Head: Research Report
women feel that their talent is not recognized by senior authorities. So, there are various methods
which can be applied to resolve the situation. These are:
1. Engagement of all employees: The employees even if they are of any color or race should
be involved in important decision making so that they feel as a significant part of the
organization.
2. Recruitment of managers: The managers who are recruited should be both of all the races
so the subordinates feel that safe and away from racial discrimination.
3. Retention: The employees should be retained and it is a very long and expensive process
to find new employees and recruit them. They should not be terminated on the basis of
race (Gibson, 2015).
Application of methods
The methods mentioned above can be used to measure the HR’s contribution towards success of
the organization. If more employees start leaving the organization after short intervals it can be
concluded that the practices followed by HR are not very effective and there is a need to change
such practices. The productivity of employees and the output given by them should go up and if
it starts declining due to any reason it might be made out that the regular norms followed in the
company are against the success of the organization (Campbell & Jones-DeWeever, 2016). The
employees, if feel neglected, then their performance do not come out to be really convincing
which makes them leave the organization.
7

Running Head: Research Report
Dual role
1. The HR leader plays a significant role in reducing the racial discrimination at work as a
leader is more close to the people who are close to the point of action, so the leader has to
be more aware of the diversity problems as all the organizations these days have a diverse
workforce.
2. The HR leaders who are a part of top management team should convey all the racial
problems faced by employees ate lower level to the higher authorities so that the
problems can be solved in time and with great caution.
Conclusion
The black women managers need to be appointed along with white women because in an
organization, people from all backgrounds come to work and the people who are black have
faced the problems related to racial discrimination more closely and so they can deal with such
problems more effectively. They can develop more successful policies which may help the black
people feel safe and an integral part of the organization.
8

Running Head: Research Report
References
Boylorn, R. (2014, November 11). Working While Black: 10 Racial Microaggressions
Experienced in the Workplace. Working While Black. Retrieved from
http://www.crunkfeministcollective.com/2014/11/11/working-while-black-10-racial-
microaggressions-experienced-in-the-workplace/
Campbell, M., & Jones-DeWeever, A. (2016). 5Black Women in the US. NCBCP. Retrieved
from http://www.ncbcp.org/news/releases/5Black_Women_in_the_US_2016.pdf
Gibson, A. (2015, January). How black women are mastering leadership in business. How black
women are mastering leadership in business. Retrieved from
http://www.forharriet.com/2015/01/how-black-women-are-
mastering.html#axzz4PmcaR5Q1
Greenberg, J. (2004). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions. Diversity
in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions. Retrieved from
http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/diversity/diversity-in-the-workplace-
benefits-challenges-solutions.asp
International, A. (2016). Janice Bryant Howroyd - “Never compromise who you are personally
to become who you wish to be professionally.”. Retrieved from http://askjbh.com/:
http://askjbh.com/about-jbh/
Purdie-Vaughns, V. (2015, April 22). Why so few black women are senior managers in 2015.
Why so few black women are senior managers in 2015. Retrieved from
http://fortune.com/2015/04/22/black-women-leadership-study/
9

Running Head: Research Report
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2009, November 21). Federal Laws
Prohibiting Job Discrimination. Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination. Retrieved
from https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html
Wentling, R. (2012). Diversity Initiatives in the Workplace. Work in Progress at the University
of Illinois. Retrieved from http://ncrve.berkeley.edu/cw82/diversity.html
Wingfield, A. (2015, October 14). Being Black—but Not Too Black—in the Workplace. Being
Black—but Not Too Black—in the Workplace. Retrieved from
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/10/being-black-work/409990/
10