Supporting your mental health and well-being as a Black HR professional

Throughout my career, I’ve told myself that I was living my professional dream. I was working directly with Black students and securing the corporate bag. But, what I hadn’t shared with anyone was the cost of it all; the all too familiar cost of being a Black gay man in Human Resources and Corporate America.

I have experienced racial trauma and gaslighting in the workplace. White women both desired my masculinity and feared it. My gay identity made my interactions with female students “safer” but made me a “threat” to my male students. My pro-Blackness was praised publicly due to my work with Black students, but behind closed doors, hindered my organizational advancement.

I’ve since prioritized my emotional well-being at work and created courageous spaces for Black folk to center our wellness. Check out these four suggestions to maximize your impact as a Black HR professional:

• Put on your own oxygen mask first. You can’t show up for others unless you’re showing up for yourself. As a Black person, you are likely affected by the very same complexities you’re helping others navigate every day. I want to encourage you to always choose you. Take that mental health day. Don’t think twice about taking vacation. Work will always be there for you when you return.
• Form your internal “braintrust”. As Black HR professionals, everything from talent management to coaching senior leaders to workforce planning falls across your (virtual) desk. You’re in the perfect position to form your own cross-functional “braintrust”. Who are your “people” that you can go-to unfiltered to ask a question, bounce an idea off of, and get some critical feedback? Once you form this group use it as a sounding board to reach innovative, cross-functional solutions.
• Help build your HR team’s muscle to save your own time. It can be daunting to be one of few folks on the HR/People team who has the expertise to handle racial trauma or advocate for folks of color through people processes. Instead of carrying this burden alone, create ways to help build your People team’s muscle in this area. Not only will it free up your time to have more culturally-competent People team members, but you’ll be able to flex your leadership skills to capacity-build, coach, and train. Promotion, anyone?
• Invest in an executive coach. Unfortunately, many Black folk don’t get the continuous feedback and coaching that we need to grow and advance our careers. My executive coach, Jewel Love of Black Executive Men, provides the time, space, objectivity, and feedback I need to trust myself, honor my strengths, dive into my areas of opportunity — all in a space that is culturally-relevant and affirming. Trust me — it’ll be an invaluable experience for you. Pro tip: If your company has any professional development stipends for employees, you might be able to get reimbursed!

As Black HR professionals, we deserve to thrive at work. The HR function needs our voices, our perspectives, and our advocacy to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in people and business strategy. It’s our time to level up and be well.

Originally printed in the new Black in HR: Volume 1, Issue 1 e-magazine.