The obligation to explain and take responsibility for one’s actions.

'Leadership’s lack of accountability to maintain a healthy environment made work challenging.'

A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.

‘Between the panny, zoom doom, and John’s 10pm work texts, Nina was overcome with burnout.’

Direct opposition between things compared

‘Something like night and day, there was a serious contradiction between the brand’s values on the site and it’s employees' accounts of being treated on a daily basis.’

To make or to show an unfair or prejudicial distinction between different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

Enough said.

The act of selfishly taking advantage of someone or a group of people in order to profit from them or otherwise benefit oneself.

If you see it, hear it, or feel it, say something.

‘An internal investigation revealed that the company’s family-like dynamic was actually fictional, smoke and mirrors, a myth - in short - a facade.’

Manipulating (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.

‘Gaslighting will have you thinking hot is cold and up is down. Beware of masterful manipulators.’

Unfriendliness or aggressive opposition.

‘When Aisha asked her boss for a copy of her most recent performance review, she was met with hostility.’

Audre Lorde said “Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge. They are chaotic, sometimes painful, sometimeS contradictory, but they come from deep within us.

Believe Yourself.

(lack of support system)

This isn’t a Nike advert. Workers shouldn’t be expected to operate at high levels without regard to their needs and well-being.

It benefits workers to know our rights, and everyone is better off when employers are knowledgeable about ways to meaningfully support those who work for them.

The absence of key resources, leadership, boundaries, support and process lead to conditions that make it difficult for employees to excel.

‘Thandiwe lacks the tools necessary to do her job.’

Indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group.

‘Nana was subjected to annoying questions and microaggressions from her co-workers whenever she changed her hairstyle.’

Say it with us: “Everything is negotiable.” Exercising our right to ask for what we want puts us in a position to get paid what we’re worth.

No job has unlimited access to workers. Communication that bleeds into personal time is a clear violation of boundaries. It can wait.

Women of color are severely underpaid. Equality cannot be achieved in a workplace until the gender pay gap ceases to exist.

“Pay me what you owe me,” said Rihanna.

Like Fantasia said, “Go ahead and free yourself.” Knowing when to walk away from a harmful work space is critical to our overall well-being.

Red flags are moments of hesitation that determine visible warnings in the workplace. From wee annoyances to large toxic issues—take record (receipts) when you see them.

To express one's opinions frankly and openly.

🗣️ Your voice has great power. Only by speaking up can you be the architect of change for yourself and others.

Operating in a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed.

‘The CEO’s lack of transparency around financials left employees in the dark and unsure of their positions at the company.’

Feeling unimaginative, and without excitement.

‘Being inundated with mindless busy work has left Sherry feeling totally uninspired.’

Issa no to “vacation shaming”—you should not be made to feel guilty for taking allotted time off work. This is your time to enjoy leisure without guilt, periodt.

Ultimately, work should accommodate life and not the other way around. In the great words of Toni Morrison: “You are not the work you do, you are the person you are.”

By recognizing a culture of belonging in the workplace, we hope you are seen for your contributions, connected to your coworkers, supported in your daily work and career development, and proud of your organization’s values and purpose.