What if you found out your boss made racist remarks?
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What if you found out your boss made racist remarks?
On Tuesday night, twelve guys are scheduled to show up at work – a short shift where they’ll collectively earn millions of dollars for themselves and their franchise, the Los Angeles Clippers.
But the job could prove tougher than usual in the aftermath of racist remarks allegedly made by team owner Donald Sterling released over the weekend.
The NBA is still investigating the legitimacy of a recording that appears to show Sterling making racist remarks about African-Americans, but the controversy made us wonder: What’s it like to work for a boss who you believe harbors prejudice against you and others?
We asked people on Facebook and Twitter to share their experiences:
One tip for employers – if there is a prejudiced person calling the shots, experts say it’s best to give them the boot. “Workplace Discrimination Has Real Economic Consequences” begins one section of a 2013 study by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee. Some of those consequences include lower profits for companies, a high turnover rate and decreased employee productivity at work.
The NBA has not yet decided what, if any, action it will take against Sterling. However, workplace consultant Virginia Clarke has advised employers on how to handle prejudice when it surfaces in the workplace.
“I advise companies to not tolerate bias or discrimination at any level,” she says. “Boards of directors must hold senior leaders accountable for such transgressions. Senior leaders need to start making leaders and owners accountable for their behavior and the development of their subordinates.”
Clarke, a partner with executive leadership recruiter Amrop Knightsbridge, continues, “Leading in a multicultural world is a leadership competency that needs to be learned in some cases. In order to be a real competency the learning must transcend tolerance; it must require a demonstration of true understanding and empathy.”
Have you ever had to work for someone you believed harbored prejudice against you or others? How did that experience affect your ability to do your job? Leave a comment below, on Facebook or tweet us @MarketplaceAPM.
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