{"id":5506,"date":"2021-02-25T11:12:45","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T19:12:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intuitblog.com\/?p=5506"},"modified":"2022-11-07T12:04:10","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T20:04:10","slug":"6-ways-to-fight-racism-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intuit.com\/blog\/social-responsibility\/6-ways-to-fight-racism-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"6 ways to fight racism in the workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Racial discrimination in the workplace may <\/span>occur <\/span>regardless of intent. That makes it more important to make a <\/span>concerted <\/span>effort <\/span>toward <\/span>fighting racism in the workplace<\/span>. Use these educational tips to <\/span>help <\/span>employees recognize racism, racist language, and racist behavior in the workplace and how to eliminate it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How we use words <\/span>matters \u2013 from<\/span> the words we speak to the words we write. <\/span>They <\/span>can be powerful tools, but they can also be harmful when used to marginalize others. <\/span><\/p>\n

The importance of recognizing racism in the workplace<\/h2>\n

When seeking ways to eliminate racism at work, <\/span>we first need to understand <\/span>what an inclusive workplace looks like<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>It\u2019s important to realize that microaggressions are a major source of harmful language and discrimination. Microaggressions can be indirect, unintentional, or subtle acts of harmful language and other discrimination that <\/span>aim to marginalize a <\/span>group of people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When fostering an anti-racist culture, it\u2019s important to model the environment you hope to create. That includes using non-ableist and <\/span>anti-racist<\/span> language that enhances the lives of others and moving away from vocabulary and phrases that appropriate, exploit or shame people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Intuit\u2019s Content Systems<\/span><\/a>\u202fTeam and members from our Racial Equity Advancement Leadership (REAL) Team came together to document ways to eliminate racist language from our company as we continue our journey for an equal world. While we\u2019re actively working to build a more\u202f<\/span>inclusive workplace<\/span><\/a>, we also want to share our learnings<\/span> on how to handle racism in the workplace<\/span> along the way. Those working at a corporate level or in human resource management are responsible for <\/span>fighting racism in the workplace<\/span> and maintaining an inclusive <\/span>corporate environment <\/span>for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Spot and Remove Hurtful or Racist Language<\/h2>\n

1. Ensure people always come first<\/h3>\n

Content should never hurt someone. Even if it\u2019s not intentional, it\u2019s critical that we\u2019re aware of the impact our words may have on others and can actively learn from our mistakes and use <\/span>anti-racist language<\/span> moving forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The decision to lean into anti-racist language shouldn\u2019t be purely intellectual. It should be done because it\u2019s the right thing to do and because people matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Consider the experiences of people of color<\/h3>\n

When deciding to use or not use specific words, empathize with communities that have experienced harm. Often, racism at work comes from ignorance and not considering the implications of how your language may negatively affect others.<\/p>\n

An unintentional racist incident may occur due to poor knowledge of how words may harm those around you. Try asking yourself if there are any groups of people whom your language could harm. Who and how so? Thinking about who is affected deepens your understanding of anti-racism.<\/p>\n

If your company has\u202femployee resource groups<\/a>\u202f(ERGs), this can be a great place to gain insight and information that can be instrumental in fighting racism in the workplace. These groups can lay the foundation for a culture of diversity and inclusion, share valuable feedback, and help break stereotypes \u2013 ultimately helping to build understanding, empathy, and capability for your employees and customers worldwide.<\/p>\n

3. Understand if something\u2019s harmful to one group, it\u2019s harmful to all groups<\/h3>\n

Some people experience oppression in ways that others don\u2019t. If any one group is harmed by a term or phrase, don\u2019t use it.<\/p>\n

Well-intentioned choices can still cause harm. It\u2019s not up to us to judge if or how much a word harms, but to believe people who tell us it does. Choose the most inclusive and anti-racist language for positive impact.<\/p>\n

If the language you\u2019re using makes you uncomfortable in any way, even if you can\u2019t quite articulate the reason, find an alternative way to share your thoughts.<\/p>\n

4. Strive for clear, concise, and accurate content<\/h3>\n

Many harmful terms are rooted in racism and anti-Blackness. They also don\u2019t clearly convey the intended meaning of the word or phrase.<\/p>\n

Have you ever used the word \u2018grandfathered\u2019 when describing how an old rule continues to apply to an existing situation while a new rule will apply to future situations? Although your use of the term may be unintentional, it’s racist and unclear.<\/p>\n

The phrase \u201cgrandfather clause\u201d or being \u201cgrandfathered in\u201d originally described policies that kept Black people from voting in the United States during the Jim Crow era. It\u2019s an unclear term to begin with and even more confusing to non-native English speakers.<\/p>\n

Instead, think about what a term actually means. Look for more straightforward words that are not only more inclusive but are also easier to understand. More accurate and concise alternatives could be legacy status, exemption, or exception.<\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t use colors or light as metaphors<\/h3>\n

Language that puts a positive connotation on white\/light and a negative or mysterious one on black\/dark reinforces anti-Black and colorist stereotypes. Choose more direct terminology to get your point across.<\/p>\n

Have you ever used the phrase \u2018black box\u2019 to represent something confusing? If so, you\u2019ve unintentionally used racist language that reinforces that something \u2018black\u2019 is considered inferior. Instead, try using a more literal phrase like \u2018unclear\u2019 to emphasize your point.<\/p>\n

While this list is constantly evolving and by no means exhaustive, here are terms with racist roots that we\u2019re moving away from at Intuit:<\/p>\n