The NBA acted swiftly to fine and ban for life a team owner accused of making racist comments. What can you do about bad behavior among employees in your hospital or health system?
Krishna Payne, director of equal employment opportunity and HR regulations Menninger Clinic, a psychiatric hospital in Houston, TX, remembers confronting a loudly sexist physician at one of her previous jobs.
"I think women should be at home raising kids, not working. You shouldn't be working, Krishna!" he chided her when she confronted him. Once she made it clear his comments would no longer be tolerated, he tried to poo-poo her concerns.
"Oh, I'm just an old dinosaur," he groaned in response.
His response might sound familiar to anyone following the saga of Donald Sterling, principal owner of the NBA's LA Clippers. He was recorded last month making racist comments in what may have been the capstone on a long history of bad behavior. The NBA reacted quickly and decisively, banning Sterling from the organization for life, and fining him $2.5 million, and in the process sending a strong message that racism will not be tolerated.
The Clippers scandal is an unpleasant reminder that racism, sexism and other forms of bigotry can still find their way into unexpected places—even workplaces populated by highly paid professionals.
While the powers of most HR leaders don't quite match up to the muscle of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, HR leaders must use what powers they have to send a strong a message to their employees who cross the line. Here are a few tactics:
1. Address Discrimination in Place
Veronica Zaman, corporate vice president of HR and Learning at Scripps Health in San Diego, says her organization has a clear expectation that employees respect one another, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, age or any other personal quality. Zaman says Scripps has become one of the most diverse organizations in the country in part because it has processes in place to deal with discrimination.
"If someone feels discriminated against, they should go to our employee assistance program. We have dedicated psychologists from within our team to assist them. They are internal, not a third party, as many EAPs are. We did that intentionally, as we wanted our EAP to be seen as co-leaders and colleagues.
"We get all the parties around the table and discuss the situation. 'What was the intent? What was real, what was perceived? Why?'" says Zaman.
2. Maintain Cultural Competence
Scripps requires its employees to undergo affirmative action training. "We have a very strong training program here. Everyone in supervisor or above role must complete [affirmative action] training online," Zaman told me.
Payne agrees that those in management need to lead by example when it comes to cultural competency. "Management is a reflection on you… and managers should be evaluated on diversity and cultural awareness." Like Scripps, her organization works to keep its managers up to date regarding diversity and inclusion.
Because healthcare is a field employing workers from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, it is necessary to have a heightened sense of cultural awareness and an understanding that certain actions or comments that might make others uncomfortable. In such a diverse environment, cultural competency is indispensable. HR should ensure that leaders are culturally aware and that they foster an environment of inclusion and tolerance.
"If you're really trying to promote diversity and non-discrimination, recognize and encourage those who promote it and actively demonstrate fairness and equality," Payne told me.
3. Practice Zero-Tolerance
Scripps has had very few problems with cultural insensitivity, says Zaman, because it's something its employees simply will not stand for. "Respect is one of our core values. Human resources usually doesn't even have to consider intervening, because our employees hold each other accountable. It's what we're about."
Payne agrees. "While some people act out of ignorance, some know full well what they're doing, and believe they have every right to be that way. You have to remind them that this is the professional world, not their world, and at this company, we treat people with respect."
After the doctor she'd confronted about his comments regarding women in the workplace said he was 'just an old dinosaur,' she took him to task.
"We didn't hire you to be an old dinosaur; we hired you to be the head of a department. It's not legal for you to inflict your view on your coworkers… it's not what we pay you to do," she remembers saying to the doctor.
"We have to have those crucial conversations," says Payne, adding that, even in zero-tolerance environments, it's vital to be sensitive to the offender, too—they may just have to be educated or may not realize they have a bias. They may take the feedback personally, but the conversation has to take place. "Take your time. Don't jump to conclusions or be judgmental," she advises.
"You approach it respectfully and factually," she says. "Ask them, 'What do you think the impact was on that person? How do you think it made them feel?' Then, tell them how it made them feel."
These conversations are confrontational and may be uncomfortable, but they are necessary. It's the responsibility of HR leadership to initiate them to ensure that bad behavior is eradicated from the workplace.
Lena J. Weiner is an associate editor at HealthLeaders Media.