Workplace Socialization: Reproducing Racism? Or Challenging Discriminatory Standards?

In this chapter, we apply theories of anti-racism to human resource development (HRD) issues related to attracting a diverse workforce by way of realistic and transparent organizational socialization strategies. We argue that (1) pervasive whiteness within organizational cultures prevent white employees from considering that BIPOC employees experience racism at work; (2) Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical white Studies (CWS) are theoretical frameworks to help us understand the pervasiveness of racist organizational cultures; (3) early and transparent communication within ROPs surrounding the personal identities and potential experiences of BIPOC newcomers is an act of anti-racism; (4) common barriers to resist against a racist system are swiftly refuted; and (5) there are ways in which to resist the dominant organizational culture by implementing race- acknowledged.