The co-author of a Harvard Business Review article on why US businesses must take meaningful action against racism, Laura Morgan Roberts, and the co-chair of Littler's EEO and Diversity Practice Group, Cindy-Ann Thomas, join XpertHR Legal Editor David Weisenfeld for a discussion about the nationwide response to George Floyd's suffocation death at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
Roberts and Thomas discuss the importance of candor in corporate messages. It's especially important not to couch terms or tiptoe around the realities of the situation, said Thomas. "Employers need to show they understand by using words in their statements like:
- Murder;
- Racism;
- Injustice; and
- Marginalization."
"You have to talk about it," said Roberts. "It's not a time to be silent." Both said this crisis illustrates more than ever the need for long-term investment in diversity and inclusion initiatives.
