Black History Month is a time to honour the contributions and experiences of Black individuals across all walks of life, including the workplace. But how can companies better support their Black employees beyond just this month? To find out more, we spoke with Richard Odufisan, co-host of the Tales From The Plantation podcast and DEIB Project Manager at Somerset House. Richard shares his own experiences navigating the professional world as a Black employee, the challenges he's faced, and how companies can create environments that empower Black talent throughout their careers.

1. Hi Richard! What does Black History Month mean to you, and how do you see its significance in the workplace?

Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of Black people, not just historically, but in modern society as well. It’s easy to forget that Black History month is still less than 40 years old, so many of the people making history now, may have been born before the time we even acknowledged a need for sharing these stories. For all of us working now, it should stand as a reminder of the resilience and achievements of Black people despite the vast systemic challenges that have, and still exist. In the workplace, it is supposed to be a time for companies to actively recognise the experiences of Black employees, both past and present, including gaps in the lived experience both within and outside the workplace, and either start or continue the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Most importantly though, this isn’t something that’s supposed to be limited to one month. Let’s not get to the first of November and just move on. Where the real value lies is in how companies carry forward these conversations and actions throughout the year.

2. Can you describe your journey in the workplace and how your identity as a Black man has influenced that path?

I’m not going to pretend that I’ve had a terrible career, I have had multiple promotions, I’ve been able to work at some incredible places, BUT it has been a mix of personal ambition, incredible privilege, amazing role models AND navigating the realities of being a Black man in predominantly white corporate environments. Since I started working professionally back in 2010, there have only been 3 years (2019-2022) where I can say I had a community at work that included more than 10 other Black people—this is not to say that we were on the same projects or teams, but I was at least aware of that wider network within the company. Despite the creation of a Black network at Deloitte, when it comes to the teams I’ve delivered work with, I can count on one hand how many other Black people I’ve actually worked alongside.

This lack of representation has been a challenge at times. It can feel really isolating and there’s that real internal battle with yourself around what version of you shows up at work, which means I had to work that much harder to find my voice and navigate spaces where I was frequently the only Black person in the room. Selfishly, it is my identity as a Black man that has pushed me to become a stronger advocate for diversity and inclusion, both for myself and for those who come after me. It’s given me a clear perspective on how corporate environments work and how they need to evolve to truly be inclusive. But it has also meant that I’ve had to constantly be mindful of the way I’m perceived and actively work against unconscious biases that might be held about me or others who look like me. When you’re the only one, you can easily fall into the trap of being the benchmark that everyone after you is scored against.

3. What challenges have you faced as a Black employee, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges I faced was the huge personal emotional investment I placed on my own success and the success of those around me. Early in my career, one of my close friends at Deloitte (another Black man) and I were motivated to support each other in getting promotions, one because we were friends, but also because we wanted to become the role models we never had. That sense of responsibility weighed heavily on me, especially when I made the decision to leave Deloitte. I felt a ridiculous amount of guilt, as if I was letting people down by leaving before reaching Partner—almost as if I had "given up." I worried about what message that would send to others who looked up to me.

That pressure extended beyond my own career, too. I used to feel personally responsible for helping others who came to me with complaints about unfair treatment or a lack of support. I saw it as my duty to "save" everyone who was struggling with the systemic barriers I had been lucky enough to navigate. When people ended up leaving because of those same barriers, I internalised it and allowed it to affect my own mental wellbeing.

Over time, I’ve learned that it’s not my responsibility to save everyone (thanks therapy!). While I can support and advocate for others, the burden of fixing a system that isn't designed to support us can’t rest on my shoulders alone. However, that challenge is still very real for me because these issues hit so close to home. It’s a constant balancing act—wanting to help others while also maintaining my own mental and emotional health. You can’t pour from an empty jug and all that!

4. Were there key moments or experiences that made you feel empowered or supported in your career?

You’d think that the awards and shoutouts would be top of mind, but I’m still working on my own self-confidence there. The real moments of empowerment for me have come from the smaller, almost quiet experiences. For example, there was a manager who trusted me to stay on a project even though he admittedly had doubts about my abilities early on. Then, there were the people who pushed me to apply for roles that I probably wasn’t perfectly suited for, but they offered me the support I needed to cover those gaps until they weren’t gaps anymore.

It’s the leaders who let me into the room, gave me the space to speak, and then amplified my voice when it mattered, encouraging others to follow me into unknown territory. Sometimes, all it really takes is having people around you who see what you can be, even in the moments when you can’t see it yourself. Those are the moments that have truly empowered me and shaped my career.

5. How important is mentorship and sponsorship in helping Black employees progress within a company?

Mentorship and sponsorship are absolutely critical, but so is allyship. Mentors and sponsors can come from unexpected places, so it’s important to be open to those relationships and to seek them in the right places. Like I said, I have rarely worked with more than a handful of black people, and in my career have only ever had one black Project Lead, so if I’d waited around for someone to meet those criteria, I doubt I’d have been where I am today. A mentor doesn’t always have to look like you or have had the exact same experiences, and sometimes allies in senior positions can be your biggest advocates. Equally important is building peer-level support within your network—those who understand the journey you’re on and can offer encouragement and advice from a place of shared experience and will also progress through their careers to the point of getting to positions where they may be able to advocate for you in the future, nepotism shouldn’t be the only source of opportunities, but let’s not rule it out completely!

Building a strong community around you overall is essential for your benefit, but it’s also important to make sure that you are feeding into others as well as being fed. Mentorship and sponsorship work best when there’s reciprocity. We don’t make lasting change unless we all commit to paying it forward, supporting others as we climb. When allyship, mentorship, sponsorship, and peer support are all aligned, Black employees (like all of us) are more empowered to progress and thrive within their companies.

6. What can companies do to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for Black employees all year round?

The key is to be intentional about it. It’s not about empty gestures or one-off events like panels for Black History Month. Companies need to step back and think about the overall experience they are trying to deliver for all of their people. From there, create systems of checks and balances that allow you to see where gaps in that expected experience exist for different groups, including Black employees. Once you have a clear understanding of those gaps, you can design initiatives that have clarity of objectives and intended outcomes.

I’m not a fan of the "initiative-first" approach, which often results in efforts that are more about assuaging guilt, following trends, or mimicking what other companies have done. These initiatives rarely address the root causes and can even lead to the understandable "why them, but not me?" question from other groups. Instead, focus on defining the experience first, measuring where things fall short, and then developing initiatives that are specific to addressing those gaps. That’s how you create lasting, meaningful change, rather than temporary fixes.

7. In your experience, how can Black employees advocate for themselves and their progression within a company?

The first step is understanding the "rules of the game" and identifying the people who can support your journey. At Deloitte, I would coach people by explaining that three key stakeholder groups often shape your career path: your People Lead, Project Managers, and the Partner in charge of your area. The People Lead needs to know your ambitions year by year, so they can guide or challenge you, while Project Managers help you understand the expectations for both your current role and the next level up. Lastly, the Partner helps you see the long-term vision and decide whether it aligns with your goals.

But even if your company doesn’t have these specific roles, these are the types of conversations you want to be having. You should be thinking about who in your environment can help you with your year-to-year goals, who can give you clear expectations on how to demonstrate readiness for progression, and who can give you insight into the long-term vision. Building relationships that allow you to have these conversations is key to delivering on your intended career outcomes.

By approaching your career with these conversations in mind, you can better advocate for yourself, align your goals with opportunities, and make informed decisions about your future.

8. What advice would you give to young Black professionals who are just starting out in their careers?

Absolutely be patient but persistent. Starting out can be tough, and you’ll likely face challenges, but developing resilience is key because no career is without its bumps and bruises. Don’t be afraid to say yes to opportunities you hadn’t considered before, even if they feel outside of your comfort zone—there’s always something to learn from each experience. Many young professionals at the start of their career will be between 18 and early 20s, and even assuming retirement by around 70, that means your career will last about 2 and a half times the amount you’ve even been alive, so take the leap. It might be something you unexpectedly fall in love with, or it could be something you know you’ll never want to do again (for me, that was actuarial work and tech architecture—huge respect for those who can do it, but I’m definitely not one of them!).

Building meaningful relationships is also essential. Not everyone at work will be your friend, but that doesn’t mean you should shut everyone out. While I find the phrase "bring your whole self to work" a bit grating, I do believe in letting people see enough of you to build authentic connections. When people know you well enough, they’ll be more likely to advocate for you and share positive things about you when it matters most.

9. What changes have you seen, if any, in how companies approach diversity and inclusion for Black employees?

There have been some noticeable changes since 2020, especially in the way companies have openly committed to diversity and inclusion efforts. But unfortunately, much of that initial momentum has been lost in the noise surrounding "wokeness." While surveys continually show how important this work supposedly is on leadership agendas, and it’s clear that a diverse and inclusive environment is of growing importance to employees, the challenge is making sure that actions speak louder than the words.