How can we keep the momentum from Black History Month going throughout the year?

Across the world, Black History Month has become a time for reflection and education in many organizations and within wider society.

HR teams organize in-office talks and arrange training sessions that focus on addressing the persistent inequalities within the workplace, and make pledges of progress designed to create more diverse and inclusive environments.

However, once the month ends and the organization’s focus potentially shifts to something else, it becomes very easy to find ourselves having the same conversations and committing to the very same objectives just a year later.

How, then, can we ensure that the momentum and commitments made during this important month are acted upon and progress throughout the year and into the future?

Here are some of the biggest actions that I believe will make a lasting difference.

Challenge the status quo

The theme for Black History Month 2022 was action, not words. HR leaders must really take this message to heart and be willing to challenge their dominant logic and consider new ways of working.

Merely saying that you need to change is not enough – organizations need to reassess their processes and procedures, all the way from hiring and promotion strategies to day-to-day office management. If you’ve been doing something the same way for years, do you really expect to see different results?

Serious reflections and self-examination are needed here. Consider why progress has not been faster, and if obstacles are truly in place or if it’s a lack of political will or focus.

HR and the leadership team must be willing to answer these questions and be accountable for the unpleasant results that may emerge to show that they are committed to growth and change.

One way that you could action this is through addressing the issue of pay inequalities. According to polling by Glassdoor reported in The Independent, almost half of Black workers in Britain (43%) say they have personally experienced the race pay gap or believe that pay inequalities exist in their current workplace, with 66% of Black workers thinking that their employers need to do more to address this issue.

Taking steps towards closing your pay gaps without waiting for government interventions and new policies would show your commitment to long-lasting change.

Assess your progress

Knowing how to move forward should involve planning ahead and looking back at how far you’ve come. Carrying out a comprehensive root and branch review of your people processes will take longer than a month to complete, and so it should!

These reviews must be conducted independently and in consultation with your Black/Black Heritage employees, whose recommendations should be included in an action report for your progress tracking.

Setting stretching, though realistic, targets and publishing these goals ensures that your people leaders are accountable for their team’s and the organization’s progress, thus incentivizing them to be proactive in their actions and go further than just words.

It’s also important to celebrate your achievements and share your progress and learnings with your teams, especially with your Black employees. Sharing these insights open up conversations about what has worked and what more can be done.

It also ensures that HR leaders don’t become complacent and continue to hold themselves accountable to create a better organization and working environment for the people they are meant to serve.

Bring everyone on board

To become a purpose-led organization, it’s critical that everyone understands their role and how they contribute to the organization’s progress.

Change will not happen in isolation, and everyone has a part to play if we are to keep the momentum going and tackle inequalities in the workplace.

To do so, collaborate internally and externally with leaders from other organizations like you who say they want to make a difference. Genuinely explore what inclusion and diversity really means in each of your locations and engage your people in the debate, discussing how this would look in meetings, strategy sessions, company socials, talent reviews, promotion decisions, career planning, selection for redundancy, and pay reviews.

It is your responsibility as HR leaders to ensure all your talent – particularly those who are in the minority – feel safe and that they belong at work.

A zero-tolerance approach to racism, therefore, must be taken. Explicitly call out racist comments and behaviors at all levels of the organization, and challenge leaders who are not supporting these initiatives, even if it makes you unpopular.

Introduce love into your leadership style

When a leader comes from a place of love, they appreciate that they are serving something much bigger than themselves. They understand that their decisions go beyond the immediate boundaries of their office or teams, reaching instead into the livelihoods of the people and communities they serve.

Incorporating love-based leadership values into your culture, development and behaviors also creates an environment where every individual is recognized and valued for who they truly are. This enables momentum and progress to continue as it unites a team towards a common goal, underpinned by love and respect for each other.

To maintain our progress and the momentum from Black History Month, HR leaders must be meaningful in the strategies they put in place for 2023 and beyond.

We cannot afford to waste time on platitudes and kind words – we need change and must take decisive steps to achieve it.

The International Festival of HR is back! Discover amazing speakers from the world of HR and business at UNLEASH America on 26-27 April 2023.