In the year leading up to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Network against Racism (ENAR) launched a toolkit on race issues and mental health in the workplace, providing guidance to employers looking to promote well-being in their organisations.
Magda Boulabiza, ENAR's Advocacy Officer in Brussels, says tackling the role of racism in mental health requires nothing less than a transformation of organizational structures, a rethinking of what it means to do a good job and how flexibility can be offered . .
A starting point is to look at racism as an institutional problem rather than an interpersonal problem. "If you look at racism as something that just sits between people and a cultural issue, you're missing out on the structural solutions... and the tools you have won't really have a positive impact on your organization," she says.
Some of the strategies he recommends:
Promise (and demonstrate) zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination
Shift from individual accountability systems to team accountability (reduces stress and competition without impacting performance)
Facilitating access to professional support for “persons who experience racism and therefore suffer psychological consequences”
Encourage employees to disclose mental health issues, not blame them, to destigmatize the issue.
Create or provide access to networks such as employee resource groups for people of color.