It Was Never About the Letters, Part 3

Equity.

So let’s first practice saying the word aloud.. E…Q...U...I...T...Y.

It doesn’t have to be so scary or divisive.

Equity is a posture… a lens through which you DECIDE how you see what you see.

Equity focused strategies at work are not about the training format, the consultants, or whether we find the work comfortable. It’s not about whether we see it as political or even about social justice. The real argument for equity, is embedded in the shifting demographics of our world and workforce.

Women and people of color are now and will continue to be, the majority.

Our economy’s future hinges on our ability to deploy all available talent. As the 2024 McKinsey & Company & Lean In report states, "We reflect on the notable gains women have made—and how their experiences at work are, in many ways, the same or worse than ten years ago. Sustainable progress toward parity requires that companies recommit to change."

A recent study conducted by the Harvard Business School  illustrates that turnover among black women is at a record high. Black people in general, and black women specifically feel rejected from, and diminished by American workplaces. This statistic is as common as it is expected.

The costs associated with this kind of turnover (quit and leave) and turn-under (quit and stay) are significant, and not just to the employer, but to the macro-economic well-being of our country as a whole. The salient question that employers must ask themselves is this:

 “What must be true here, in this work environment, in order for black and brown talent to thrive given that black and brown talent will be the majority talent pool available to work across the globe?”

The reality is this: Ignoring the need for sweeping societal transformation because we don’t like how it feels is not only short-sighted but reckless. Our economy’s success depends on acknowledging and fully supporting the diverse talent that is ready and willing to contribute. We must have more (of whoever is in the majority available to work) earning money commensurate with their effort, preparation and desire to work. That helps assure the same people can spend, save and invest money well, a cornerstone of our country’s economic footing. We can't keep messing around with the many encumbrances to their ability to do so. This is the only way forward if we want our economy to thrive in the future.

As a firm that largely employs women and works to help companies understand the intersections among race, work, and economics, Harper Slade supports organizations who want to prepare themselves for the demographic future of work...an inevitability, not an option.

Take the first step in uncovering how these ideals and principles can work for you. Schedule a quick 15 minute meet and greet with us HERE.

-Nikki