Creating Psychological Safety for Black Leaders: In Conversation with Chivon John

Despite significant efforts to diversify the talent pool, the representation of Black professionals in top leadership positions remains alarmingly low. In Canada, less than 1% of corporate leaders are Black, highlighting the urgent need for change. While progress has been made since 2020, the pace of improvement remains frustratingly slow.

So, what is holding back Black representation in the C-Suite? While there are various solutions and considerations to explore, one crucial factor often overlooked is workplace psychological safety. It’s important to recognize that even leaders are not immune to mental health challenges. In fact, a recent survey by Deloitte revealed that nearly 70% of executives are contemplating leaving their current jobs for workplaces that prioritize their well-being.

To shed light on the barriers faced by Black leaders and highlight a crucial yet often neglected solution for increasing their representation in top leadership roles, this Black History Month, we spoke with Chivon John. Chivon is a renowned workplace wellness expert, speaker, and educator who shared her valuable insights on how HR can support Black leaders and build a mentally healthy workplace where Black professionals feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

1. What are some challenges Black leaders (incl. Black women leaders) experience at work? How can the lack of psychological wellbeing impact Black leaders and their representation at work?

Although we spend a significant portion of our lives at work, unfortunately for many Black leaders and employees navigating the workplace comes with shouldering heavy weights that impact our wellbeing.

Bringing ‘your whole self to work’ is unrealistic and unsafe when you’re perpetually on guard to bias (also known as carrying emotional tax), or combatting the weight of racism and discrimination which 54% of Black Canadian have reported to experience at work.

Systemic exclusion and vast pay disparities have also limited Black workers in senior and executive roles, where they are often underrepresented. Even though Black women remain highly ambitious in pursuing executive roles, according to a report from McKinsey and Lean In, they are more likely to be met with unactionable feedback and “receive signals that it will be harder for them to advance”. Leaving many individuals working twice as hard, while being shut out or even forced out of their positions.

In many ways, the workplace is failing Black leaders and employees and there is a lot of work to create cultures where everyone can thrive.

2. What are some of the problems with current mental health programs especially in light of Black History Month?

A common problem with mental health programming, particularly within organizations, lies in their individual-focused approach, which often overlooks or minimizes the broader systemic issues impacting mental well-being—issues such as workplace trauma, racism, financial challenges, and the impact of capitalism.

Who and how you receive support often matters too. A 2018 study revealed that 60% of Black employees would be more willing to seek mental health support from a Black professional, highlighting the importance of including culturally competent resources and practitioners within your mental health strategy. Another point of consideration is reflecting on the importance of community and social connectedness in supporting our mental wellness vs healing in isolation.

3. What does supporting Black mental health and wellness at work mean to you?

Supporting Black mental health and wellness at work extends beyond surface-level diversity commitments and employee assistance programs. It involves a deeper commitment from organizations to confront the systemic factors contributing to the mental well-being of Black employees. Creating psychologically safer spaces is vital and requires going beyond the reliance of individual focused wellness programming.

I envision a workplace where Black and racialized individuals no longer bear the burden of conditioning themselves to be excessively resilient or constantly on guard against distressing conditions that adversely impact their health. Achieving this vision, however, requires a collective effort to dismantle ingrained systems of inequality and discrimination.

On a personal level, my journey towards supporting my mental health at work has included a process of unlearning. This has involved challenging the notion that “I must work twice as hard” to be successful and questioning the belief that my strength is measured by my ability to endure distressing situations at work. It has involved unravelling my own self-sigma on accessing support which is an area that drives my mental health advocacy. Studies have indicated that Black Canadians with poor or fair mental health were 25% less likely to seek mental health treatments and 40% believe that seeking treatment is a mental health issue is a sign of personal failure.

Supporting Black mental health and wellbeing requires breaking free from these harmful narratives and fostering environments where individuals can flourish authentically, without the added weight of loads we shouldn’t carry.

4. What are some ways HR can help create psychologically safe and healthy environments for Black leaders (and even employees) to help them feel supported and valued in their roles?

Research has shown that Black leaders and employees require differentiated solutions to feel psychologically safe at work.

A few things that organizations can do and reflect on in support of the wellbeing of Black employees include:

• Focusing on changing the workplace and not people. This requires doing the necessary work of learning and unlearning the ways that white supremacy is upheld within organizations. Supporting the wellbeing of Black employees requires more than individual interventions and public DEI commitments. It requires an honest look at the ways employees are systematically excluded or experience trauma at work. 
• Provide resources and spaces to process trauma and grief. The last few years have brought to the surface the impact of collective trauma and also lack of spaces to process grief. In supporting Black employees, what resources are available to process grief and racial trauma, both within and beyond the workplace? What steps has your organization taken to become trauma-informed?
• Provide access to trauma informed and culturally responsive mental health resources to employees and additional support for ERG leaders. Black employees are more likely to experience low psychological safety and trust at work and the same is no different when engaging with wellbeing resources.
• Invest in additional wellness support for ERG leaders for processing vicarious trauma, offering peer support and managing emotional labour. ERG’s are important spaces that support employees but what support are you providing to the ERG leaders?

A 2023 Research report from Workhuman Report indicated that employees who participate in an ERG experience higher psychological safety but are also more likely to report levels of stress and burnout than those who don’t participate.

ERG Leads tend to gravitate to creating these spaces within workplaces out of empathy or passion for the cause and perform these tasks in addition to their regular work. They stretch themselves and at times work overtime to complete these tasks. heightening their risk of burnout or even resentment towards ERG work. To support the wellbeing of your ERG leaders, consider how they can foster collective resilience rooted in rest? What practices, rituals, or support systems can your ERG implement to help them prioritize rest, prevent overwork,  and support each other’s emotional well-being.

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