Given renewed national focus and attention on the issues of racial justice and equity, there is a stringent check today on what is being said online by individuals and the kind of repercussions it holds. As organizations in the contemporary world, you have to realize that employees act as brand ambassadors for your organization. In light of this, it is necessary that you train them on how to conduct themselves online and hone their behavior in the right direction.
If there is an instance of online racism from a current employee, you shouldn’t let it slip. Reports like these are made by general members of the society, social media users, affected individuals and ethnicities and by other colleagues at work. In this article, we look at exactly how you should handle reports of online racism related to your employees. Remember that these reports need to be managed in time with a prompt response and course of action.
1. Do Not Ignore It
The worst possible way to manage an online instance of racism from one of your employees is to ignore it. We recommend responding immediately to the report, regardless of who it has been made by. Not responding to the report could escalate the situation and lead to a number of problems. Firstly, the post or comment made by your employee could be shared online by trolls and other third-party actors. This might initiate a public trial and force you to take action when the situation is out of control.
Secondly, the inability to respond to reports of racism will also give away the perception that you aren’t taking racism seriously. Regardless of what your reasons are, this negative perception is bound to develop if you don’t take action immediately.
Investigate Promptly
The report should be investigated promptly, and the concerned employee should immediately be called out. Also, confirm if this is the employee in question, or just a case of mistaken identity. Also, their account could be hacked, leading to the error in judgment. In any case, you should ensure that the person in question is your employee.
Once the identity is confirmed, you should determine the severity of what has been said and understand whether it goes directly against your discrimination or harassment policy or not. Also, do practice rectification before starting discussions on the punishment, as the comment or post should best be removed immediately. Give your employee a chance to contest and make sure you aren’t trudging any fine lines in your handling of the case.
We at JS Benefits Group have worked with numerous clients to recognize signs of discrimination and harassment in the workplace. You can get in touch with JS Benefits Group immediately to discuss and devise a plan.
