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Dialogue first

41The Winters Group, a global diversity and inclusion consulting firm, recently announced the findings from its survey on

Race & Workplace Trauma During the Age of #BlackLivesMatter. The goal of the survey was to explore if, and how
employees have been impacted by the disproportionate number of killings of black men and women by police, and the

56implications for the workplace.

During the summer of 2016, following the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, The Winters Group hosted a
series ofVirtual Learning Labs that examined race­based trauma, and provided leaders, allies, and coping employees
with strategies for creating spaces for authentic dialogue and engaging in self­care. As part of the Race & Trauma
series, attendees were also invited to participate in a survey that gauged their reactions to, and perspectives towards
race relations, the recent police shootings, and the impact these tragedies have in their work environments. Four
hundred (400) respondents completed the survey.
"For years, race has been diversity work's 'four letter word.' Leaders and practitioners have avoided dialogue around
race because its seen as taboo and difficult to talk about in the workplace," said Mary­Frances Winters, Winters Group
CEO and Founder. "We can no longer afford to avoid these difficult conversations. Organizations do not exist within
vacuums, and we can only begin to tackle these issues if we talk about them. Our learning labs and this survey are a
means to get the conversation started." Continued on next page

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