June 9, 2021
By Emily Douglas, Canadian Human Resources Director
You may think that xenophobia and racism in the workplace are long gone – that every employee is treated equally, respectfully, given the same praise and opportunities. Or, at the very least – you console yourself that racism doesn’t exist in your workplace. Not in your organization – not in your team.
Well, you’d be dead wrong. The fact is racism is alive and well in most companies – big or small, old or new. The mistake most people make is not recognising racism when they come face to face with it. Racism isn’t loud or brash – it’s subtle, quiet, and sometimes barely perceptible. But it’s still there. HRD has uncovered some of the best methods of identifying xenophobia in your workplace eradicating it for good.
Spotting racism at work
To end racism, you must first identify it. According to Glassdoor, 42% of employees have witnessed or experienced racism in their company – and yet, shockingly, 93% of white workers still don’t believe it exists. This disparity is alarming, and something HR leaders need to take note of. There’s a few signs and signals that you can look out for that may suggest foul play.