Tools to Help Support the AAPI Community During a Time of Crisis
The recent hate-fueled terror attacks in Atlanta, GA USA sent a shock wave through the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. On March 16, 2021, three mass shootings occurred targeting massage parlors claiming the lives of eight people, six of them, the targets, were Asian women. This hate crime has been the latest in a year of racism and targeted attacks towards the AAPI community. We are calling for an end to the anti-Asian hate and these are some tools you can utilize to be a much-needed supporter and ally to the AAPI community: Speak out against ignorance and hate. The wave of anti-Asian racism began at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Racist misinformation about the virus ran rampant online, vilifying the Asian community with racist remarks such as nicknaming it the “China virus”. Speak out if you hear racists remarks/beliefs and be a voice against all the hate and misinformation. Donate. Many organizations support the AAPI community and are anti-AAPI hate. Find one and educate yourself about their mission and what’s occurring in their community and donate to help support their efforts. The AAPI Community Fund AAPI Progressive Action AAPI Women Lead Asian Mental Health Collective National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance Stop AAPI Hate National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association Be a friend. Be a safe place your AAPI friends and coworkers can go to vent, discuss their feelings, and let them know that they are supported and cared for. If you’re an employer, ensure that your staff is aware of any mental health resources available and help them access those resources. Also, during this time, it’s good to allow more flexibility with scheduling needs. You never know what someone is going through and, this year, people have been through a lot. These are some easy and effective ways to support our family, friends, and colleagues of the AAPI community against all the hate that has been spreading through the country this past year. And you can start right away by just keeping an open ear, an open mind, and an open heart.
How an HR and DEI Partnership is the Key to Success
It takes collaboration for a company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts to be successful. DEI doesn’t exist solely between the leadership and their team, it is something that must permeate the company to create its culture and workplace atmosphere. No other department or team is as integral to the success of DEI efforts as human resources (HR), which is why there must be a strong partnership between them and DEI to be successful and competitive in today’s market. HR carries a heavy responsibility, so they must work in conjunction with your DEI team or department and participate in any, and all, training to protect against blind spots and missed opportunities. A great partnership allows for them to cultivate the ideal inclusive company culture in these three ways: Talent – HR is the frontline between the company, their reputation, and the talent they are in search of. So, by developing a knowledgeable HR team, a company can attract and retain highly skilled and diverse talent. Procedure – An inclusive company culture isn’t developed and maintained without the proper procedure that’s aligned with company policy. A competent HR department will be able to cultivate the policy, monitor its implementation for consistency, and assist in creating a seamless workflow. Accountability – With these procedures and policies comes the ability to enforce them. This is what creates the system of accountability that is necessary for success, yet is often the reason many DEI efforts fail. In today’s job market, skilled applicants are selective, care if a company celebrates diversity and is inclusive, and are not afraid to explore their options, so a great HR and DEI partnership ensures your company is always the best option. What if you do not have anyone solely focused on DEI in your company? Many organizations today are just beginning to explore how to intentionally embed DEI in everything they do. In today’s volatile environment, prioritizing DEI is not only a human imperative, but also a business imperative. If your company currently does not have anyone working with your HR team focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, we suggest you consider investing in educating your HR teams, hiring an outside consultant to partner with, or making the investment to hire direct DEI professionals. We do not recommend relying solely on passionate volunteers in your organization to create and manage a DEI strategy. While creating a DEI task force, committee, or council is a critical element of a DEI strategy, it should complement but not replace a dedicated DEI resource or team. Volunteer groups can provide the necessary energy, passion, and amplification of messaging however relying on volunteers only can create inconsistencies and limit the accountability of execution. This message & any attachments thereto consist of information that might be confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and is the property of Tessi Consulting. It is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you’re not the intended recipient, you’re not authorized to distribute, disseminate, copy, retain, print, read, or utilize this message, any part thereof or any attachments thereto. If you got this message in error, kindly delete every copy of this message and attachments. Tessi Consulting has implemented anti-virus software on its servers and computers, however, it’s the recipient’s own responsibility to make sure that every attachment is scanned for viruses prior to usage.
3 Reasons Why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs Fail
The last several years in the US social and racial turmoil have shifted company focus to diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The daily unrest seen across timelines and TV screens was the traumatic shared experience that bled into the workplace. Companies heard the call to action and sought assistance to alleviate tension and concerns, but, for many companies, these efforts still fell short. These are the three main reasons why DEI efforts fail. Lack of commitment from leadership The example is set through leadership and if they’re not authentic & onboard, then the team’ll view whatever DEI initiatives to be as disingenuous. DEI efforts should be handled with commitment, sincerity, and care and not viewed as just another line item – something mandatory that should be done by a certain date. When DEI efforts contain all of the presentations and newsletters but lack sincerity and connection, it will appear, and it will be, performative – a ruse. Lack of accountability Companies should look at their DEI efforts with the same importance as harassment. A zero-tolerance policy should be implemented to display commitment, accountability, and an understanding of the severity of the matter. Traditionally, there is a honeymoon phase with DEI efforts. The team gets inspired, people feel important & heard, and then 2 weeks later the office goes back to a problematic default without a mechanism to correct bad behavior. Therefore, it deflates morale & creates doubt in leadership since the team will not view it as a failed effort, but as a disingenuous one. Lack of vision Vision is dictated by leadership; they control both the functioning and the outcome of their efforts and without a clear vision and follow-through, all investments into DEI will be in vain. DEI isn’t just academic concepts and team-building exercises, but it’s a framework. It requires a grand vision for the future that includes input from the team. Everyone, at every level, must be engaged and encouraged to participate to create something effective and beneficial. The best investment to make into any DEI effort is an initial assessment: Diversity and inclusion, and bias assessments. These allow for the required internal conversations and self-reflection necessary to determine deficiencies and blind spots and to ensure a successful initiative. DEI can be intimidating and look overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be made difficult. With a well-crafted and sincere effort and a little assistance, companies are going to be able to improve their workplace morale & create a welcoming and safe environment that’s beneficial to everyone