One of the most important parts of this healing starts with an understanding and recognition of the ... [+]
There is a wealth of evidence that suggests that individuals that identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color experience racial trauma that impacts their wellbeing. Racism impacts the mental health of people of color in a myriad of ways. Racial trauma coupled with a tumultuous 18 months has left many employees feeling deflated, defeated, and depleted. One recent study by Future Forum found that 21% of white employees were looking forward to returning back to the office following the pandemic while only 3% of Black employees shared these same sentiments. In a world where fear, uncertainty and ambiguity seem to be reigning supreme, organizations must find ways to support the health and healing of racially marginalized employees. One of the most important parts of this healing starts with an understanding and recognition of the continued and ongoing racial trauma that employees are experiencing both inside and outside of the workplace. To be sustainable, organizations must foster environments where this harm is eliminated and where racialized employees are able to grow, thrive and advance. An emphasis must be placed on both harm-reduction techniques as well as interventions that nurture healing. There are several interventions that can promote the healing process. Organizations that want to support the wellbeing of racialized employees can invest in these four strategies:
1. Encourage stress-reduction techniques. Incorporating mindfulness and stress-reduction strategies into organizational practice can prove advantageous. Chanting a word or a mantra like OM or HU can positively impact mood and social cognition, research suggests. Chanting, keeping a gratitude journal, and deep breathing are additional restorative practices that help employees manage their stress levels. Employee wellness programs should encourage these practices. Apps like Calm and Headspace could be provided for employees as well. Investigate what mindfulness practices, if any, employees are engaged in. Encourage organizational leaders to read resources like The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, so there is a deeper understanding of how to pour into employees and better support them and their wellbeing.
2. Fund community healing opportunities. Research indicates that for different marginalized groups, community healing can be an effective mechanism to both cope with trauma and reduce the impact of trauma. Organizations should seek out opportunities to facilitate, foster, and support community healing in different ways to buffer the trauma that racialized employees are experiencing. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can serve as a space for marginalized groups to connect, network and bond. Create opportunities to host healing circles or provide opportunities for employees to attend racial healing circles. People of color experience a number of challenges when it comes to finding therapists. Fund therapists who are specifically trained to address racial trauma and who have experience working with communities of color.
3. Support employee rest practices. Our work days are becoming longer and longer, especially in a post-Covid world. 70% of remote employees indicated that they work longer hours than before the pandemic. Employers should be encouraging employees to rest, especially given the difficult year and a half that the world has experienced. Invest in rest practices to support employee wellbeing. This could include hiring a sleep specialist to conduct a workshop on how to improve rest practices or providing sleep experts through an employee wellness/assistance program. Employees are getting less and less sleep, with Black employees experiencing more sleep deprivation than their counterparts. Employees are still navigating changes brought on by the pandemic. Employers should also reconsider the policies and practices around video conferencing. There are a number of ways that bias can creep in during video calls and 2020 taught the world how exhausting video calls can get. In addition to this, many Black employees have dealt with issues related to “Zooming while Black,” and the pressures to uphold Eurocentric standards of professionalism while in remote settings. With an understanding of how taxing this can be, especially for marginalized employees, provide the choice to join conference calls with cameras off as an additional way to mitigate burnout and overwhelm.
4. Offer opportunities for ongoing education. Provide education and training so there is a better understanding of how to support employees dealing with racialized trauma, as well as how to cope with the racialized trauma that one has already experienced. Provide employees with tools like My Grandmothers Hands, a resource written by healer and trauma specialist Resmaa Menakem, to help readers mend the racialized trauma held within their bodies. Fund ongoing workshops facilitated by those with first-hand experience navigating racial trauma. Remember that healing is a lifelong journey—there will always be new insights and learning opportunities. It is important to also recognize that it is impossible to heal if those inflicting pain and trauma onto others are unaware of the ways they contribute to racial harm. Hire consultants and specialists to help employees understand racialized trauma. Lastly, ensure that human resource professionals are a) trained on how to support employees with racialized trauma and b) understand how to implement practices that mitigate harm.
