In August 2020, Madgex initiated research designed to humanize the jobseeker experience of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) professionals. Our goal was to bring attention to the pressing issue of bias and discrimination faced by BIPOC jobseekers.
Our survey of more than 200 primarily BIPOC professionals from across North America revealed sobering statistics about discrimination and bias at all stages of the jobseeker experience and within the workplace itself. These results reinforced our belief that associations can and should become DEI leaders to help create a more inclusive workplace.
After conducting interviews and releasing a series of eBooks and blogs examining our research in detail, we later hosted a panel of DEI experts on February 10, 2022.
The panel featured Amber Cabral, author and TED keynote speaker; Dawn Harris, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at CFP Board; Zahra Clayborne, University of Ottawa Ph.D. candidate and research participant; and was moderated by Maria Sucher, Director of Membership for the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and founder of Wiley’s first Hispanic/Latin American employee resource group ¡HOLA! @ Wiley. These experts discussed DEI and how associations can play a crucial role in promoting inclusion and diversity in the workplace in detail.
Here, we take a quick look at 5 actionable steps that associations can implement to create a more inclusive workplace and support BIPOC members in their career journeys– straight from the suggestions our expert panel had to offer.
“Resource yourself. We talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the ways that we can make an impact collectively, but you’ve got to get mindsets to change individually.” - Amber Cabral, author, and TED keynote speaker
1. Publish career guides
BIPOC professionals may sometimes need guidance along their career path, especially if their industry traditionally lacks diversity.
By publishing career guides that offer distinct career paths and the education, training, and credentials needed to obtain them, your association can not only offer a pathway on career support and guidance but demonstrate value to BIPOC professionals and your members in a concrete way.
2. Implement mentorship programs
Mentorship programs can also be a great way to help underrepresented groups navigate and better understand their profession.
Direct mentorships in particular can help young BIPOC professionals in your association connect with more established professionals who have broken barriers, helping them access useful career advice and expand their networking opportunities.
3. Spotlight BIPOC professionals
Spotlighting BIPOC members on your website can go a long way in helping younger BIPOC professionals visualize success.
These stories can explore the steps that BIPOC professionals took to launch and advance in their careers, as well as the connections they built along the way. All this information can be invaluable for younger BIPOC professionals.
4. Ensure your career center has useful content
Your career center plays a critical role in providing useful, relevant content and resources for members.
Think of your career center as your association’s DEI hub — containing diversity and inclusion resources, helpful links, career development guides, and more. This way, all of your DEI resources and information are under one roof, making them easily accessible for your members and interested BIPOC professionals.
5. Audit your membership and offer more opportunities
Lastly, conduct a full audit of your association to find any gaps in your DEI strategy, and fill them with new opportunities for BIPOC professionals.
For example, implementing new internship and externship programs can be a simple yet effective way to connect BIPOC members with new career advancement opportunities.
“Define what is success and make sure you have metrics along the way, so you can monitor your impact and adjust.” - Dawn Harris, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at CFP Board
Take action today
It’s time to meet the moment.
BIPOC professionals need allyship from associations like yours today. By implementing these steps, you can position your association as a DEI leader and help create a safer, more inclusive workplace for years to come.