With a wave of far-right violence sweeping the UK, many employees from ethnic minority groups are feeling distressed, on edge, and even afraid to leave their homes.
Many more are concerned for friends and loved ones and devastated by the racist rhetoric being shared around them.
Businesses simply cannot just carry on as normal.
Watch This Sp_ce, award-winning diversity and inclusion consultancy, whose co-founders literally wrote the book on workplace diversity and inclusion strategy, are urging employers to consider the wellbeing of their staff at this time.
Mousumi Kanjilal Williams, Co-Creator of Watch This Sp_ce and co-author of The Inclusion Journey, said, “This is not a time for business as usual. Employees are scared, and they can’t be expected to work at full capacity amongst this violence and hate.
“If employers want to retain talented staff throughout this crisis and have a team that still want to give their best for them on the other side of it, then it’s imperative that they respond to what’s happening and support their people.”
Watch This Sp_ce has released guidance for employers to support their teams, but it’s important to note that many of those responsible for the riots and their supporters will also have jobs in UK workplaces – business leaders need to be aware that their teams may include far-right sympathisers, and consider how they will respond to any hateful or discriminatory behaviour within their companies.
Allegra Chapman, Co-Creator of Watch This Sp_ce and co-author of The Inclusion Journey, said, “Too many businesses wait until there is a problem to do something.
“At which point they have lost the trust and commitment of many of their staff, and could find themselves facing an expensive tribunal. There could be some difficult conversations taking place in workplaces around the country over the coming weeks and months – educate yourselves now on how to manage the situation so that you’re prepared.”