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How To Navigate The Racial Trauma Your Employees May Be Experiencing

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2020 has been an unprecedented year that no one could have imagined. With both a global pandemic and a racial pandemic happening simultaneously, all of us have had to cope with a vastly changing world with an unknown end in sight. The stress brought on by this unpredictable year has left many trying to manage and navigate a varying range of emotions. Farah Harris MA, LCPC, is a psychotherapist and workplace wellness champion who focuses on helping her individual and corporate clients become more emotionally intelligent, manage their stress, increase team productivity and boost team morale. Farah sat down with Forbes to share via email how she got her start in the field of mental health, how race-based trauma impacts employee wellbeing and how companies can support employees through the U.S. presidential election season and beyond.  

Janice Gassam Asare: Could you share a little bit about your background and how you got into the work you are currently doing?

Farah Harris: My path has had some twists and turns but ultimately, progressed forward to where I am today. I have two bachelors, one in economics and pre-law and the other in marketing and management…then worked as a research and planning associate for a retail consulting firm. After working there a few years, I left dissatisfied with my role and the lack of a clear career path. My being laid off from that company was quite a blessing.

After a year-long hiatus, I made the decision to get a master’s degree in mental health counseling. It seemed like an odd deviation from my background, but I didn’t realize how much the field was aligned with who I am…now as a therapist, I don’t give advice, but I do provide a safe space to process thoughts and emotions, challenge clients to find ways to strategically and intentionally take care of themselves, all while affirming them along the way.

I’ve been able build a successful solo practice, and while doing so I have recognized how many of my clients’ issues were related to identity development, finding alignment between work and life, and how much the stress from work affected their mental health…specifically, for my Black corporate women who have to straddle the line of race and gender, the impact on their well-being is palpable. We spend so much of our lives working, I thought it was imperative for us to learn how to work well as individuals, and even more so, how companies can create healthier workplaces for all of their employees.

Asare: What is race-based trauma and how does it impact a person's wellness and wellbeing in the workplace?

Harris: Let’s define trauma. Trauma is an event, or series of circumstances, one experiences that is physically and emotionally harmful or life threatening…has adverse effects on one’s functioning and mental, emotional, physical, social or spiritual well-being. It can be acute, chronic, complex or historical. Experiencing trauma raises your stress level which means there are elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol within your system.

Race-based trauma or race-based stress is the trauma one experiences via encounters of racial bias, ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes that negatively impacts all aspects of one’s well-being due to living under a system that perpetuates of white supremacy. This type of trauma can show up in the workplace in a myriad of ways. Individuals who have been marginalized can exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety which can lead to poor coping behaviors, such as dissociation, disengagement or passivity. Some might code-switch, which is a form of modifying one’s behavior…race-based trauma can also affect absenteeism and presenteeism. [One] study showed that each exposure to a police-killing of an unarmed Black person was associated with an additional 14 mental health days for Black respondents.

When employees who have been marginalized because of their race work in predominantly white spaces, it can be mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. They experience Racial Battle Fatigue, a term coined by Dr. William A. Smith. They do not feel psychologically safe, therefore they are unable to bring their full authentic selves to work, which has shown to increase symptoms of depression. The stress of microaggressions…and the emotional tax of being “othered” leaves marginalized individuals feeling as if they do not belong.

Asare: How can corporations support employees who are experiencing race-based trauma?

Harris: Many corporations fail to recognize how racial inequity intersects with the wellbeing of their Black Indigenous Person of Color (BIPOC) employees, so first acknowledging that racism exists is a great starting point. Leadership must not be afraid to call a thing a thing even if they are privileged to not have to experience the negative effects of racism. They should not gaslight or dismiss employees when they voice their experiences. And more importantly, BIPOC employees should not be punished for calling out racial injustice.

Create psychologically safe environments by elevating the emotional intelligence quotient of your leadership and staff. Often white colleagues fail to read the room because they subconsciously, or consciously, feel that they own the room...this is a lack of self-awareness and social awareness. Take time to put on some new frames so that you can actually consider how your BIPOC employees are feeling, in order to increase empathy. Bringing in experts to help navigate conversations about the effects of racial trauma can provide safe spaces to process what they are experiencing. Additionally, it’s helpful to have culturally competent therapists on your company’s employee assistance program (EAP) referral list.

Check-in with your BIPOC employees. After the murder of George Floyd, the silence from white colleagues and leadership was deafening. Black employees were left dismayed by the supposed allies who, when given the opportunity to show true allyship, were quiet. From an organizational level, make sure that if you issue a statement, that it isn’t hollow and just lip-service. Make sure it is written with integrity and includes voices of the group you are intending to support. Lastly, be a company dedicated to continuous learning, committed to be an anti-racist organization and [creating] holistic equity within your workplace.

Asare: What are some self-care routines you can recommend for BIPOC employees?

Harris: There are specific self-care routines that people who have been marginalized can implement such as [participating] in activities that affirm your culture…[creating] and [maintaining] healthy boundaries like saying no to requests to lead diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at [workplace] if this is outside of your emotional capacity. Also, call in Black. This is taking a mental health day to process racial trauma. If you have experienced a microaggression, journal and process your thoughts and emotions to make sure you are validating your feelings and also keeping receipts and documentation that you may need in the future. Minimize code-switching so that you achieve greater alignment between your professional and personal identities. Fighting racism is exhausting so intentionally instill a practice of rest and good sleep hygiene.

Asare: What can organizations do to support employees post-election? 

Harris: Leadership can expect a potential drop in productivity for several weeks post the election. This can be exacerbated if there are protests and increased civil unrest. Consider not scheduling meetings on November 3rd and 4th. Also, if feasible, reprioritize deadlines to minimize unnecessary stress. Let clients know that there may be a delay on deliverables. Create safe, small discussion spaces for employees to process their feelings. Remember that the election should not be written off as “political” …it is very much personal. Your organization is a community of people; therefore, you should have a people-first model. Make time to check-in with your team and lead by example when it comes to encouraging employees to practice self-care.


To learn more about Farah Harris and how she can help you reach your organizational or individually goals, click here.   

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

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