What is Bigotry
Bigotry is an issue that has been around for centuries and it continues to be a challenge in present times. Bigotry can be defined as an attitude or behavior based on prejudice against people of a certain group or identity.
It can manifest itself in discrimination, hate speech, slurs, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, ableism—the list goes on. Ultimately it boils down to intolerance towards those who are different from us.
In today’s world bigotry is still very much alive and well in many parts of society. People often hold onto their prejudices without realizing how damaging they are to the safety and security of others.
While bigotry can come in many forms, one common unifying factor is that it always involves dehumanizing someone based on their physical or mental characteristics.
It strips away the person’s humanity by reducing them to a stereotype or caricature of what we think they should be like instead of recognizing them for who they truly are.
The Importance of Tackling Bigotry in the Workplace
Bigotry has far-reaching implications when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. All forms of bigotry create an environment where people feel unsafe or unwelcome due to their identities.
This can lead to feelings of isolation among minorities which leads to decreased engagement with coworkers and employers in both professional settings as well as social ones.
It also creates a hostile work environment which makes it difficult for individuals to thrive professionally due to fear and anxiety caused by potential harassment or discrimination in the workplace.
Moreover, when left unchecked bigotry within organizations can create significant legal risks such as lawsuits pertaining to discrimination or harassment based on race/ethnicity/gender/sexual orientation/disability, and more
As such organizations must prioritize creating an inclusive culture that actively discourages any form of hatred or prejudice if they want their DEI initiatives to succeed.
How to Address Bigotry in the Workplace
It’s important to create an environment where everyone feels safe and respected regardless of their identity. DEI managers should be vigilant in monitoring the workplace atmosphere for signs of bigotry and intervene when necessary.
This could include offering sensitivity training to employees or running workshops that focus on understanding diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
If an incident does occur involving bigotry from one employee towards another (or from a customer), it should be addressed immediately with clear consequences articulated if necessary.
Ultimately your goal should be to create an inclusive working culture where everyone feels valued and respected for who they are.
Here are some tips for addressing bigotry in the workplace:
1. Develop and Document Policies and Procedures
The first step to addressing bigotry is to create clear policies that everyone can understand. This includes outlining what constitutes acceptable behavior as well as consequences for violating those policies.
It’s important that these policies reflect your organization’s values and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Make sure you review them regularly to ensure they remain relevant and up to date.
2. Provide Training
Training is an important part of educating your staff about how to address bigotry when it arises in the workplace. DEI training should be comprehensive and cover topics such as identifying microaggressions, having difficult conversations about bias, understanding unconscious bias, and more.
Additionally, make sure that everyone understands what resources are available if they experience or witness bigotry at work.
Encouraging open dialogue will help build trust between employees and management while also helping to prevent future incidents of discrimination or harassment.
3. Encourage Open Dialogue
It’s essential that employees feel comfortable speaking up if they experience or witness any form of bigotry or prejudice at work.
Create an atmosphere where it is safe for people to speak up without fear of retribution or judgement by providing anonymous feedback forms or offering counseling services if needed.
Additionally, provide multiple avenues for people who have experienced or witnessed bigotry in the workplace to report it—this could include calling a hotline or mailing an email directly to senior management—and make sure that these reports are taken seriously and addressed appropriately by leadership.
Use inclusion to Build a Diverse and Inclusive Environment
The inclusio platform helps organizations better evaluate their diversity and inclusion initiatives, allowing them to leverage AI to drive meaningful change.
The platform can be used to gather important information about the effectiveness of existing initiatives and programs, and allow companies to take effective decisions to drive meaningful change.