How to celebrate Juneteenth at work

Juneteenth is an opportunity for workplaces to honor Black history, create shared understanding and recommit to racial equity. For HR, People and L&D leaders, the most meaningful celebrations connect reflection on June 19 to year-round learning, fair policies and everyday behaviors that help employees feel respected, included and able to thrive.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people in Texas were free. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth National Independence Day became a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. GovInfo provides additional historical context on Juneteenth.

When is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19.

       

How should you celebrate Juneteenth at work?

Creating understanding across your workforce is one of the best ways to celebrate Juneteenth at work. The annual holiday also presents an opportunity to review your DEI goals, invite reflection and strengthen the habits that support a more tolerant, harmonious, understanding and prosperous workplace. 

Consider a mix of learning and action:

1. Host a facilitated conversation or live learning session on the history and meaning of Juneteenth.
2. Share resources that help employees learn about Black history, racial equity and the ongoing impact of systemic racism.
3. Invite qualified speakers, historians or community leaders, and compensate them for their expertise.
4. Create optional spaces for reflection without asking Black employees to educate others or represent an entire community.
5. Connect the day to concrete workplace priorities, such as equitable hiring, promotion, feedback, psychological safety and career development.

Embedding DEI in the workplace

An effective DEI initiative is not created through a one-time celebration of a federal holiday. Nor should any DEI initiative be about a check-the-box exercise. DEI programs that deliver results require recognizing the potential a diverse workforce can bring to help your business grow. For HR and L&D teams, the goal is not only awareness. It is sustained behavior change in how people communicate, make decisions, give feedback and create opportunity.  

How do you promote DEI in the workplace?

1. Make DEI part of your company’s DNA by including it in your mission and values.
2. Review your company policies to ensure they are bias free and that you promote equal opportunities and fair treatment for your entire workforce.
3. Educate employees about different cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
4. Acknowledge holidays that celebrate cultural history. (Download our DEI holiday calendar here.)
5. Encourage open conversations with employees and invite feedback.
6. Make it the norm for employees to speak up when they feel they are, or a colleague is, being unfairly treated.
7. Review your recruitment and performance processes to ensure you’re proactively hiring and promoting a diverse talent pool.
8. Measure progress over time so your DEI commitments are connected to policies, leadership behaviors and employee experience.

Inclusive cultures are productive cultures.

By embedding DEI in your workplace and creating an inclusive culture, you can create an environment where employees feel empowered and can thrive personally and professionally. An organization that actively promotes DEI initiatives can support employee morale and productivity because employees are more likely to feel valued and accepted. 

High employee morale can also support stronger staff retention. Employees who are happy at work are more likely to stay at a company longer, which means your organization can spend less money and time on recruiting.

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