With the killing of George Floyd, the topic of inequality and injustice can be a difficult conversation for Americans at home and, especially, in the workplace.
The standard operating procedure in the average business says avoid discussions on topics of politics, sexuality, gender, and race, but Cheikh Mboup, president of Edible Arrangements, said it might be time to change the norm.
"The need for a solution is absolutely necessary," he told Cheddar. "When you come to a point in which it's impacting the lives of so many, and many of them working with the establishment, I think we're left with no choice but to have those diverse conversations."
Mboup explained how Edible Arrangements is tackling taboo subjects head-on and creating a workspace where employees can speak freely and even seek third party mediation from on-site therapists, despite traditional obstacles to such talks in a business setting.
"We must have a conversation first," he said. "It's so hard to articulate, but the start can't be to not have a conversation"
For Mboup, discussing sensitive topics, especially in the wake of the recent spate of high-profile police killings, is essential, and that there is a responsibility to speak up not only to make the workplace a more comfortable environment but also the world.
"It's not some sort of a workplace need, but it's really a need for society itself when it comes to the fact that we want our next generations-to-come to not talk about or witness what we've witnessed on TV," he said. "We have the responsibility to never be silent about it, but to create an atmosphere where it can be talked about respectfully."
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