June sits at the middle of the year.  It marks the halfway point of our annual trek through life.  It is also the month of Juneteenth, the celebration of African American emancipation, and Pride Month, celebrating LGBTQ+ pride.  

Given its history and the events that are honored, June has become an important marker for those of us who value diversity, equity, and inclusion.  It is a time of reflection for those who see merit in promoting welcoming work environments that encourage people of all backgrounds to work together for excellence.  No matter the industry, enterprise, or mission, statistics have shown that when people feel a sense of belonging at work, they generate better work product and do so more efficiently.  Moreover, kinship creates healthy psychological by-products, such as well-being, self-esteem, and collegial relationships.

Sadly, our national news bears out the fact that many have not captured the importance of creating welcoming work environments, safe streets, and economic equity.  People of color continue to earn lower wages than their peers with similar education and experience.  They are also more likely to be stopped, arrested, and detained by the police, often under threat of violence.  The LGBTQ+ community frequently experiences hostility and differential treatment at work, and many states do not offer workplace protections.  Therefore, they can be unfairly denied employment or terminated solely for their sexuality or gender identity. 

Regrettably, many workplace attacks take the form of vicious humor, satire, and sometimes downright contempt.  Immigrants, those seen as “different” based on culture, accents, and religious background, recount tales of cold neutrality, disparaging comments, and rejection in the workplace.  Our humor and ways of doing business echo deeply-held bias against multiple communities.  In fact, our approach often borders on uniform intolerance of anything or anyone who does not partake of a Eurocentric, homophobic, and anti-foreigner worldview.  We may have grown sleepy in our responses and intolerant to new ideas, the full spectrum of humanity, and perspectives that reflect the world’s incredible diversity. 

Our collective laziness has severe consequences for workforce alignment and, ultimately, for business/organizational success.

In this month of June, let’s all take a moment to pause and reset. 

Traditionally, June also signals new beginnings and the hope of a better future.  As we continue to live through 2022, let us focus on the importance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and its expression across genders, sexual orientations, melanin levels, ethnicities, and cultures.
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