Less racism at work, really?

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, many Canadian businesses had pledged to become more inclusive. The BlackNorth Initiative, for example, which aims to break down barriers faced by black people, already had more than 350 participating companies in 2020, including Desjardins, Molson Coors, CAE and Air Canada. Their promises weren’t just empty words, according to a poll released in February by Canadian consultancy KPMG.

Nearly seven in ten Black Canadians say their employer has become more fair and inclusive of Black employees over the past 18 months, and that managers and senior leaders have a better understanding of the systemic barriers they face. Two-thirds also believe their organization is making genuine efforts to hire more black workers.

The results of this survey conducted between December 22, 2021 and January 7, 2022 among more than 1,000 black Canadians, about half of whom are between the ages of 35 and 55, seem encouraging at first glance, but they must be taken with a grain of salt. salt, according to Angelo Soares, professor in the Department of Organization and Human Resources at UQAM’s School of Management Sciences. “According to Statistics Canada, the resilience of Black people in Canada is much greater than that of the rest of the population; they are also more likely to always learn positive lessons from negative experiences. It tints their answers, ”says the researcher.

Roberson Édouard, senior researcher at the Quebec Observatory of Inequalities, believes that two main elements explain the survey results. “The law on equal access to employment, which aims to counter systemic discrimination, obliges employers to improve their practices. Since the assassination of George Floyd in the United States, employers have also become aware of their responsibilities in terms of racism, ”he explains.

The advantage of telecommuting

“The reality of people who are victims of racism in the office changes radically when they work from home,” notes Marie-Thérèse Chicha, professor at the School of Industrial Relations at the University of Montreal. Away from colleagues, superiors and clients, many have found peace: nearly 70% of respondents experienced fewer, if any, microaggressions or acts of racism at work in the past 18 months.

The expert in discrimination against visible minorities and in employment equity nevertheless fears that this gain is only temporary. “If clear measures had not already been taken by managers before the pandemic to counter racism, these improvements could disappear completely or subside when returning to the face-to-face. »

This opinion is shared by Roberson Édouard. “Being less in touch with colleagues can lead to a de-escalation of tensions. If this is the case, we must expect a turnaround when the sanitary measures are lifted, ”he believes.

To avoid going back to square one, companies must have well-defined goals to combat bad practices, and managers must be held accountable for their diversity decisions, explains Marie-Thérèse Chicha. Above all, she believes that it is the unequivocal commitment of senior management that carries the most weight. “Studies show that if, for example, the CEO makes it clear that fairness is important to him and that specific targets must be met, it will reverberate throughout the organization. »

More effort for the same recognition

According to the poll, 74% of Black Canadians said they feel as appreciated and respected as their colleagues, but an almost equal proportion (70%) feel they have to work harder than their peers to earn that same respect.

These data make Angelo Soares wince. “That means their workload is higher. They must snatch this recognition, ”laments the expert in harassment and racism at work. He sees a parallel with women, who still have to do a lot more than men to be recognized, he says.

Marie-Thérèse Chicha recalls that many scientific studies show that people from visible minorities are not evaluated in the same way as their white colleagues. “There are more demands on racialized groups. The survey shows it too. »

When asked if their employer’s efforts translate into better job opportunities, almost four in ten say nothing has changed and systemic barriers continue to impede their progress, and almost one in ten believe things have gotten worse. Only 35% believe their chances of promotion and advancement have improved.

Looking for models

As a game changer, 84% of survey respondents believe there should be more Black Canadians on boards or in senior management. “It’s a crucial element, agrees Angelo Soares. How many black CEOs can you name? The situation of blacks on this issue is even further behind than that of women. There is a long way to go. »

As proof, a study by the Diversity Institute of Ryerson University in Toronto reveals that blacks are clearly underrepresented on boards of directors in Montreal, occupying only 1.9% of the seats, while they make up 6 .8% of the population. The researchers did not find any Blacks on boards of directors in the private and voluntary sectors, the hospital environment or the field of education in the Quebec metropolis.

Among other desired measures, the majority of respondents would like their employer to increase awareness and training of employees and managers in the fight against racism. Many would like us to ensure that management teams “walk the talk”.

Marie-Thérèse Chicha also believes that we must go further. “We’ve been talking about awareness and training for at least 30 years. Similar to pay equity, companies should be required to set up a equal access employment program. »

Roberson Édouard, for his part, advocates the introduction of a “very simple measure” which was not proposed by the respondents: zero tolerance for racism in the workplace, as has already been applied for harassment at work. “In my opinion, it would have a major impact on labor relations and on the treatment of racialized groups. »

Despite everything, Angelo Soares remains optimistic. “As black employees move up in the organization, the culture will change too,” he believes. But for real change to begin, anti-racism needs to be made a human resources priority, as respondents noted. The barrier, sometimes unconscious, between the races must be eliminated. »