It’s officially Black History Month and in 2022, a mere post on diversity, equity, and inclusion isn’t going to cut it anymore. Black History Month is meant to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans while acknowledging the present racial inequities that still exist, including in the workplace. Current and future employees are now demanding that companies focus on DEI efforts more than ever.

Black History Month is on everyone’s company calendar but it might not feel like a celebratory month to your Black employees if not planned properly and thoughtfully. It’s up to company leaders to take the initiative to make Black History Month more than a marketing campaign. This month is an opportunity to reflect on your diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and work towards making your workplace safe for your Black employees. 

A successful Employee Resource Group (ERG) has the power to transform performance, engagement, and company culture at any organization. These collaborative, employee-led groups solve company problems by helping: Increase diversity. Lower employee turnover rates. Improve employee engagement. Create a career planning strategy to promote employee advancement. Build a sense of belonging in the workplace.

As people return to the office, company leaders are becoming more aware of workplace safety policies that will make employees feel more comfortable. When creating new guidelines, it’s crucial that people with disabilities are a part of the conversation in order to accommodate employees’ level of comfort and accessibility needs.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 70% of full-time workers in the U.S worked from home. While some companies are transitioning back to in-office work, others are trying to maintain hybrid and fully remote schedules. But remote work presents its own set of unique challenges:

Truly successful work environments are far from homogenous. Diverse and equitable workplaces lead to more profits, better performance, and higher revenues. When you prioritize candidates’ skill sets and become more intentional about attracting talent from different ethnicities, genders, ages, and other backgrounds, you’re one step closer to leading the charge in your industry.

When you create a workplace that gives employees a sense of belonging, you’ll see performance, productivity, and profits increase – and you do it by being an ally and prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of every team member. Allyship requires intentional effort, self-education, self-awareness, action, and results. Allies understand and recognize privilege, and in some cases, will share that privilege with others. 

For small and medium-size businesses with 50-250 employees, starting a diversity, equity, and inclusion program can be difficult. Team members don’t have enough time, current budgets don’t allow room for new programs, and company leaders are unsure of how to make DEI a core part of their employer brand. These concerns are valid, but they usually stem from the idea that prioritizing DEI requires a big team, a big budget, and endless resources. We’re here to tell you that you can still make a big impact by starting small.