Building social capital for people of color: 5 ways companies can support a diverse workforce
Written by Claire O'Brien
Reviewed by Jessica Roper, MBA,director of Career Services at ۴ý
The concept ofprofessional social capitalis receiving attention in the workplace as organizations increasingly recognize its contribution to building more than just a thriving community. Specifically, social capital canimpact job performance, job satisfaction and even innovation.
However, social capital is as important to the individual as it is to the organization. According to the(AEI), Americans with close workplace friends are more likely to besatisfied at work, less stressedand less likely to experience anxiety and loneliness.
This is true for all employees, but employees of color can have a different experience with social capital. Recently, (JFF) and۴ý(ʳ)collaborated in exploring the concept of social capital through the lens ofemployees of colorto understand where we’ve been and where we need to go.
What is social captial?
Social capital is a somewhat technical term for a relatively familiar concept: If you’vebonded with co-workersover lunch,asked for career advicefrom more established colleagues, orreceived leads on job openingsfrom friends, family and others in your network, then you’ve invested in, and benefited from, your own social capital.
Think back over your job history. It’s likely the jobs where you connected with your co-workers, felt supported by your manager and wereoptimistic about your career trajectorywere where you thrived the most.
has shown thatmost jobs are found through professional social capital, which many Black Americans and other minorities have historically lacked. However, as organizations become more diverse, employees of color face unique challenges in building social capital due to systemic biases and discrimination. As a result, there is a growing recognition thatcompanies must take actionto support their employees of color in building social capital in the workplace.
Elements of an effective social capital framework
JFF, a national nonprofit dedicated to equal opportunity for economic advancement in the American workforce, collaborated with UOPX in creating adesigned to help minority workers accrue professional social capital.
The JFF framework outlinesof the mostinnovative social capital strategies. They are:
- Elevating current assets
- Building relationships
- Making connections and introductions
- Career onboarding
- Continuous learning journey
5 ways companies can support diverse workforces in building professional social capital
Building a framework is one thing. Putting it into action is another. Here are five tangible ways employers can support employees of color in building workplace social capital, based on the JFF framework.
1. Help workers use and expand upon existing social connections
Many workersmay not realize the extent of their personal networknor be prepared to take advantage of it. This is especially relevant for workers of color as forms of social capital in minority communities are often.
Exercises such asself-assessments and network mappingcan help workers think broadly and creatively about what resources they can access through their current relationships. For example, a family member who works at a bank can provide insight into what it’s like to work for a financial institution and pass along contact information to managers with job openings.
2. Formalize the onboarding process
New employees should be thoughtfully introduced to co-workers, made aware of their new organization’scultural normsand be informed about what their new positions require. They should also be allowed to explore theircareer and learning goals.
According to,career mapping, or the collaboration between managers and employees in creating a plan that supports both the company’s and the employee’s goals, contributes directly to employee retention, productivity and profitability.
As employees of color are less likely than their white colleagues to have access to, it is critical that supervisorsopenly shareinformation about advancement opportunitieswithin their organizations. Organizations that have been successful at this have created online hubs that include staff career progression opportunities, timelines, the necessary skills and ways to upskill (or reskill) based on worker goals and interests.
3. Actively engage former employees of color
is often underused as a method of strengthening an organization’s networking program, particularly regarding minority employees. But engaging with employees of color who have moved on to different workplaces offers the opportunity toinvest in the long-term social capitalof current and former employees.
To facilitate this opportunity, organizations might create adatabasecurrent employees can use to build upon and expand their networks. Additionally, companies canstay in touch with past employeesvia newsletters, notices of job openings and invitations to casual meetings and networking sessions.
4. Prioritize inclusive hiring by building partnerships with outside organizations
When companies collaborate with organizations that have strong relationships with learners and workers of color, workplaces build trust, raise awareness and provide moreequitable access to professional opportunitieswhile recruiting and retaining a more diverse workforce.
Potential partners might include historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), organizations like UOPX that arecommitted to DEIB efforts(diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging), nonprofits such as thecoalition or platforms such as.
5. Include minority voices when drafting and implementing inclusivity programs
Despite progress, American workplaces continue to reflect instances of discrimination and exclusivity.According to a report bytitled “The Social Workplace: Social Capital, Human Dignity, and Work in America,” 10% of workers have heard a sexist joke and 8% have heard a racist joke “in the past week.”Unsurprisingly, workers exposed to racist and sexist comments are less satisfied in their jobs. Yet managers, especially in predominantly white organizations, may not understand the impact ofon minority workers’ well-being and career outcomes.
Kimberly M. Underwood, PhD, university research chair of theCenter for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Researchat UOPX, explains, “Many companies focus strategies around one or two elements of professional social capital development, such as mentoring or training. However, developing a comprehensive plan requires companies proactively seek tounderstand the needs of employees of colorthrough the voices of this population. This is sorely missing from the equation of professional social capital development.”
But this change may well be underway as social capital becomes increasingly discussed — and examined — in the public sphere.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire O’Brien has led copywriting teams for Hilton Worldwide Corporate’s creative studio and advertising agencies specializing in the real estate, hospitality, education and travel industries. In 2020, she founded More Better Words, a boutique copywriting agency that taps into her global connections. She lives in Costa Rica with her husband and six rescue dogs.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Jessica Roper, ۴ý director of Career Services, is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in leadership within higher education. She has honed her expertise in student services and career development and is passionate about helping others discover and refine their skills.
This article has been vetted by ۴ý's editorial advisory committee.
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