Reasons Why Your Black Employees Keep Quitting

In the last few years, there has been a wealth of research that demonstrates gaping inequities in the workplace. One of the most disconcerting trends of note is the mass exodus of employees of color, and particularly Black employees in American workplaces. This is a phenomenon that has been written about ad nauseum, yet there have been few changes in a positive direction.

Just last month, Facebook was again under fire after an article was published claiming that the company empowers racism. This comes just one year after a former Facebook manager made similar claims that the company has an issue with Black people. With the increased spotlight on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, gender parity seems to be more within reach than racial equity. With so many well-documented benefits to having a racially diverse workplace, it is in a company’s best interest to decipher why Black people are still underrepresented in corporate America and why they are leaving at such alarming rates.

Organizations can create more inclusive environments so that they are able to attract Black employees, but more importantly, here are some insights on what can be done to retain Black professionals within corporations.

​Stop conflating Black people with all people of color. Black professionals are typically lumped into the category of persons of color, which can diminish and undermine their unique experiences. Seek out feedback from Black employees to gain deeper insight into areas for improvement within your organizations. In addition, it’s important to listen to what your Black employees are actually telling you.

Create leadership connection opportunities. Black professionals, more than any other race, are more likely to experience racial bias. Organizations should assess how microaggressions are addressed and what policies, practices and procedures may be enabling this bad behavior. Think about how microaggressions are dealt with in your workplace and how perpetrators are held accountable. Although microaggressions may seem benign on the surface, they can have a compound effect that contributes to Black employee turnover. Managers that interact with employees more frequently are better able to detect these bad behaviors so companies may want to think about how to implement this management style into the workplace.
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More conversations about race. To create an environment where Black employees feel like they matter and are valued, employers should create opportunities for more racial dialogue. Race is one of the topics that people are most uncomfortable with talking about but without having open and honest dialogue, racial understanding and equity is impossible. Companies should develop frequent opportunities for formal and informal discussions to take place, surrounding topics about race. Bringing an outsider into the organization to facilitate these racial discussions and forums can create opportunities for more racial dialogue without employees feeling forced.
 
Adapted from Forbes.