Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity for workplaces to honor and celebrate their Hispanic employees, and to educate non-Hispanic employees on its importance.
Currently, Hispanic employees make up 16% of the US workforce, and this number is expected to rise. Therefore, it’s crucial for companies to do their part in raising awareness and celebrating diversity to make them feel welcome.
In this blog post, we’ve shared a few ways you can promote inclusivity and diversity in the workplace this Hispanic Heritage Month.
1. Host regular educational events throughout the month
Create a special committee prior to the start of Hispanic Heritage Month to plan and organize educational events. Make sure senior Latino employees are a part of the committee. Create a schedule and a budget. You can do a company-wide survey to get everyone’s opinions on what kind of event they would like.
Here are some ideas that you should consider:
- Speaker event with Hispanic community leaders
- A potluck lunch where everyone brings one Hispanic dish
- A mini-carnival that highlights small Hispanic businesses that people can buy from
If you’re hiring vendors for your event, try to find local Hispanic businesses to collaborate with.
Put up posters to highlight each event and keep them up for the duration of the month. Sites like PosterMyWall have a ton of Hispanic Heritage Month templates that you can customize and put up in your office.
2. Get employee input
You can’t start an important conversation without involving the people affected the most by it. Hence, when thinking of ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, get input from your Latino employees.
Ask them what they feel is lacking in the workplace. Do they feel discriminated against? Do they have any ideas on how the company can make everyone feel more welcome? Organize a brainstorming session with them and together, find ways in which the workplace can be made better for them.
Also, use this opportunity to give your Latino employees a platform. Ask them to share their stories – personal experiences, family history, you name it. Invite all other employees to listen in, and start an open dialogue. The best way to educate people is to talk about things candidly and respectfully. If your Latino employees feel heard and appreciated, that will automatically lead to a more welcoming environment for them.
3. Organize a watch party
A watch party is a great way to educate people about Hispanic Heritage Month while giving employees an opportunity to bond and socialize.
Choose a fun and educational movie or documentary that highlights contributions made by Hispanic people or that celebrates their heritage. Then, order some food and invite all your employees to watch it at the office. Turn it into a party!
After the movie, people can discuss it or share their own experiences. Or just eat, dance, and have a good time! Make sure to include Hispanic music and food at the party. Your employees will be able to learn more about Hispanic culture, all while having a great time.
Here are some movies/documentaries to consider:
- I’m No Longer Here
- Book of Life
- Which Way Home
- The Beast
4. Volunteer for an organization
A community volunteer program at your company would be the perfect way to honor and help Hispanic people and businesses. Shortlist some Hispanic organizations you can work with, then encourage your employees to volunteer. Facilitate this process by offering pick-and-drop services to and from the organization.
Supporting a Hispanic non-profit is a big deal because it shows your employees and customers that you care. It will also help you build a lasting partnership with the organization, and establish you as a trustworthy brand within your locale. You can even continue your partnership after Hispanic Heritage Month is over, and organize internship and apprenticeship opportunities with them.
Contact your Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to connect with local businesses and organizations to see how you can help them.
5. Make diversity the focus while recruiting
This Hispanic Heritage month, show your employees how committed you are to ensuring diversity in the workplace. Work with senior management and revamp your recruiting strategy to make diversity a priority. Remember that hiring people from diverse backgrounds is key to fostering an inclusive workplace. This will create a healthier work culture for your existing non-white employees as well.
If you have a referral process for hiring, make sure you communicate the fact that inclusion is just as important as talent. At networking events, encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for a job at your company.
While diversity during the hiring process is crucial for building an inclusive workplace, remember that you have to create policies for inclusion once the hiring process is complete as well. These can include anything from feedback sessions to proactive steps to make everyone feel welcome.
Final thoughts
Hispanic Heritage Month is a great opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Hispanic people in American culture, and businesses have a major role to play in this. Encouraging important conversations and listening to your non-white employees is the first step to doing your part. So this Hispanic Heritage Month, use your reach and resources to celebrate and promote diversity.