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Writer's pictureNina Rodgers

Reconceptualizing Labor Using DEI Principles

This time of year always makes me reflective as we prepare to let go of summer for the fall and winter seasons. As we come back from the Labor Day holiday weekend, I’m reflecting on the power of rest and labor


Black and whte photograph shows 14 women posing with protest signs. The majority of the women are women of color. 5 of them hold signs. Right to left sign 1: Cleveland Women Working Proposes Solution: Raises for Women and Minorities; Sing 2: Calude Crooge Blair; Sign 3: National City Bank, Stop Forcing Your Employees Onto Food stamps; Sign 4: National City Bank is Scrooge of the year not Bank of the Year; 5: Cleveland Women Working Demands More Pay, Promotions For Women

and what these two themes mean for the field of DEI. 


The Racist, Anti-Black Origins of Labor in the United States

There is no getting around the fact that in America, labor is inextricably linked to the history of chattel slavery. Our economy and industrial power as a country was built on it, and established the societal, social, and economic order that we still operate under to this day. Without reparations or legislation that acknowledges, apologizes for, and takes accountability for the harms done, we leave our labor force – and the Black women who uphold it – to deal with its painful legacy. 


That legacy is still seen in the workforce today, where practices like meticulously quantifying output and productivity and maximizing and monetizing workers' labor by any means necessary are ongoing. As many folks celebrated a day off yesterday, hourly workers and caregivers, many of whom are Black women, were still working. So, how can DEI be used to reverse this?



Seeing Labor as an Extension of Our Values, Not as a Means of Control or Productivity

Labor does not, and should not, equate to a decline in our quality of life, exploitation, or abuse. Using DEI principles can help us shift the thinking that working has to be synonymous with strife to working being synonymous with fulfillment and personal expression. 


 A historical black-and-white photo of a group of predominantly Black women standing together on a street during a laundry workers' strike. Two women in the front row hold signs that read "This Laundry is on Strike - Laundry Workers International Union Local 135." The women are dressed in winter coats and hats, standing in solidarity for workers' rights. The group includes both men and women, representing a collective effort in the labor movement during the early 20th century.

On a practical level, this can be lived out in organizations by creating the conditions for employees to do work they feel most passionate about, and providing them with the tools to achieve goals that not only meet company values, but their own personal goals. Merging the two should not be taboo; it’s a necessary step in the labor movement, and building the power of women of color. 


Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity and Growth Over Retribution

Across every sector, data is king. And in America, if you can’t quantify your achievements or prove your worth through numbers, you are essentially locked out of the labor market. 


DEI and anti-racist principles teach us that there are stories, and ultimately people, behind the numbers. By taking an approach that prioritizes people over profits, companies can create an environment that is safe, affirming, and lives its values from the inside out. 


This shift also requires dismantling the belief that without harsh penalties and fear being used to control employees, a company can’t be successful or profitable. It is a racist, and anti-Black assumption to believe that without a boss micromanaging you or colleagues belittling one another that an employee or a company can’t be successful. If anything, those are the elements that are creating a workforce full of dissatisfied and burnt out workers. 


As we move into the fourth quarter of this year, we can shift the concept of rest only being for the summer and labor being synonymous with strife by following DEI principles. Are you a DEI or HR professional wanting to tackle these types of issues at your workplace? Are you a woman of color struggling to quantify your work for a promotion or career change? Sign up for our coaching special today to accelerate your growth and development!

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