admina scuffle.
In court Zimmerman acknowledged shooting Martin but said it was in self-defence. Attorneys for Martin’s family have accused Zimmerman of shooting him “in cold blood”.
This incident immediately sent shock waves into the American judicial system with many blacks going into the streets to demonstrate.
In this country we are blessed to have a fairly balanced trading ground. In other parts of the world a black male walking down the street, riding on a train, driving his car is too often perceived a threat, perceived involved in criminal activity solely because of the colour of his skin.
Black women are constantly stopped and have a body search by police officers on their way home from the beach clad in their swimwear.
Racial restrictions are everywhere even in business trading activities. When someone faces racism in the workplace, it can really start to take a toll on their work, their health and their overall attitude. It is easily identifiable in inappropriate comments to fellow workers.
I remember “Nivea — my most favourite body cream’s “Re-Civilise yourself” advert that showed a well-dressed and clean-shaven African-American male throwing the head of a not so clean-shaven and afro-donning male did not come across too well. The 2011 campaign was axed shortly after it debuted and garnered criticism for being overtly racist.
There are some businesses that truly have a culture of insensitivity. On the other hand, there are some companies that have a variety of workers from different backgrounds and ethnic groups.
It is good for them because it attracts different racial profiles, some Indians will give you business because you have a couple of Indians in your sales team. The majority of companies that claim to be equal opportunity employers tend to moderate their business relationships.
Asian women have a reputation of being passive while African women tend to be aggressive. The reality is that in some businesses you have to employ certain races for the business to thrive.
This woman once said that business picked up dramatically once she employed a white manager and she went into the background. As soon as the assistant was not available, business crumbled to the ground.
How to prevent racism at work
Strive to come up with a policy that guard against discrimination and discusses racism. Racism hurts a lot of people if not dealt with quickly. Perpetrators must face disciplinary measures. Whenever possible, ensure that you hire employees from all races and ethnic groups for balance and a diversified workforce. Induction programmes must include your policy against racism and discrimination. Whenever there is elevation or rewards, it must be done in a fair and transparent manner basing it on merit.
Material that promotes confidence and respect of all races must be circulated. Train employees to respect ideals of respect for each other no matter the race or ethnic group.
Encourage open communication with employees so that incidences of racism are reported. Anonymous tip- offs allow employees to report racism without fear of retaliation.
Follow up on reports of racism immediately.
l Shelter Chieza is an adviser in management issues. She can be contacted at [email protected]
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