Celebrate Black History Month
Did you know that honoring the African American culture goes back to 1926. Originally it was one week in February and was known as Negro History Week. February was chosen in honor of both Abraham Lincoln 16th US President and Federick Douglass former slave who was an abolitionist, writer, statesman and social reformer. As the decades progressed the notion of celebrating the African American culture became more popular. In 1976 Black History month was proclaimed by Gerald Ford. He encouraged all Americans to learn more about the accomplishments on African American in “every area of endeavor throughout our history”.
One of the best ways to celebrate this month is by looking at our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) programs. Do we have a one, or have we had a training offered to our staff? Do we promote a diverse culture in our workplace? Does the company’s leadership reflect the diversity in our workforce population?
Creating or modifying the DE&I program to suit your current organization can be daunting. While on the other hand, not having these programs can be costly to your organization. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to leave a company that does not factor DE&I into their company culture. How can one bring in DE&I or improve their current program? The best way to start is by using company matrices, such as demographics, hiring rates, attrition rates and discrimination complaints over time. Review pay data to see what if any gender/race discrepancies exist. Use exit and stay interviews to assess the effectiveness of your DE& I program. Once you have – analysis your findings, you can determine where your weaknesses lie.
Effective DE&I programs are successful when top management supports- ideas of diversity and inclusion. Holding managers and supervisors accountable – is an excellent way to support a diverse culture. A DE&I committee is also a great way to openly discuss new ideas and any problems that may need to be addressed.
Our Customer SAY:
We believe in ethics, values, drive determination and results and your organization has delivered beyond our expectations. We deliver on the promises that we set for our customers and Savio has never failed to do the same for us.
- Debra, HR Professional
