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Responding to Organizational Impacts

Violence in America

Unfortunately, the focus on systemic bias in our country has not slowed the spread of gun violence, and again, the workplace provides no more guarantee of safety than anyplace else. From the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to the massacres of Sandy Hook and Uvalde, the rage of those who feel a more multicultural America means a loss of their power continues unabated.

This has had a dramatic impact on leaders of organizations that of necessity must create welcoming and inclusive environments, both because it is the right thing to do, as well as to attract both employees and customers. At a strategic level, leaders recognize the business imperative for DE&l, but at the organizational level, they have workers who represent a full spectrum of opinion.

An employee’s passion might manifest itself as a real commitment to their employer or a project. At the same time, it can create friction, erode workforce cohesion, and consume valuable resources when it devolves into real conflict. Our clients have looked to us for assistance in managing that tension with integrity and fealty to the DE&l principles they have espoused.

When George Floyd was murdered, the graphic images created an outpouring of anguish and anxiety among many, but particularly people of color. Our clients were asked to respond to their employees’ demands for both public and internal recognition of this fact. Because the leaders had committed themselves to holistic DE&l, this was an opportunity to walk that talk. The failure to step up could be seen by some as a betrayal. At the same time, there were emplovees who felt that this was not something that necessitated any special attention, and more to the point, did not believe that this exemplified any systemic issues.

Navigating Change

Our DE&I strategic plan framework can make a huge difference at the behavioral level. We often say we are not in the business of changing hearts and minds, rather we change behaviors. Our hope is that hearts and minds eventually follow. In the short term, we continue to work with leaders to create safe spaces for the very natural grief and anger that follow egregious and frightening acts of violence. At the same time, leaders must also be conscious of the spillover effect of this kind of random violence and ensure their own workplace is on alert for any evidence that violence may be imminent from a current or perhaps aggrieved former employee.

As workplace cultures place more value on inclusion and diversity, we have helped our clients define standards for behavior that recognize and tolerate all beliefs but with thresholds for speech and conduct at work. These include how the organization will respond when someone approaches or crosses the line between extreme ideas and extreme behaviors.

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