Strategies to Combat Microaggressions in the Workplace
Microaggressions are defined as “the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups.” These hurtful actions can be related to someone’s race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic background, or any other aspect of their identity. Microaggressions happen in everyday life and can be overlooked or brushed aside. However, experiencing microaggressions in the workplace can have a significantly negative impact on an individual’s psychological safety and work performance.
At ModelExpand, we believe addressing microaggressions is a powerful and effective way to create more inclusive teams and reduce attrition rates. In this month’s Culture + Diversity event series, we dove deeper with panelists from Slack and Newfront on strategies to combat microaggressions in the workplace and how to facilitate respectful dialogue. Click below to watch the full recording!
Click play to watch the Event Recording below
Event Recap
When it comes to combating microaggressions in the workplace, our panelists shared some helpful insights and advice as leaders and as individuals who have experienced this in their personal and/or professional lives.
Microaggressions can be either intentional or unintentional - both of which are able to make a significantly negative impact on the person receiving the microaggression.
When it comes to microaggressions, it’s important to center the situation on the person in the receiving end and how it may have impacted them. There can be compounding pain, aggravation, and isolation experienced by the individual.
Lived experiences and identities are factors that impact microaggressions experienced by an individual.
Every person has their own unique life experiences - whether that includes how we’re raised, the neighborhood we grew up in, religious views we hold, etc - these play a factor in how we view the world and people. Biases we hold can be contributed by our lived experiences.
In addition, our identities we hold can impact the number of microaggressions we may experience. Intersectionality of identities increases the likelihood of someone experiencing microaggressions, sometimes even within our own communities.
It’s okay to take the time and space to respond to a microaggression you experience in the workplace.
People react to situations differently, especially when it comes to receiving a microaggression by a colleague. Rohini highlighted steps that she found helpful that were shared by author, Stacy Gordon, in her book “Unbias: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work.” These steps were to: pause and process, ask what they meant by comment, understand what they meant, share how you felt by the action, and take the opportunity to explore.
Other helpful tips shared include taking the time to reflect and write down what you want to say to the person who made the microaggression before having the conversation.
Be brave to have the conversation with the person who made the microaggression.
Regardless of when you have the conversation, be brave to have the conversation and do it in a way to communicate how the comment and situation made you feel, and be direct of the impact it had on you. Give yourself the time and space to feel seen and heard.
Psychological safety is critical to fostering a workplace culture centered around its people.
Think about the type of environment that you’re fostering as a leader for all employees to feel welcomed, safe, seen, and heard. It’s important to provide a culture where individuals are given a safe space to feel empowered to have open feedback conversations.
Active listening is powerful.
When someone experiences a microaggression, the act of actively listening goes a long way. Listen to what they have to say, understand the impact that the situation had on them, apologize, and learn from the experience.
Microaggressions can have a long-term impact.
People want to work at a place where they feel a sense of inclusion and belonging. When individuals get to a point where they feel a negative impact on them emotionally, physically, and/or mentally, people check out and this leads to company turnover. You only need one toxic person to affect a team’s work environment. It’s important for any organization to put their people first, and that starts with being treated well.
Acknowledge and praise people who combat microaggressions and contribute to a workplace where folks feel seen, heard, and appreciated.
Whether it’s making sure someone’s voice is heard in a meeting or calling a colleague out for making a microaggression to another, share the positive impact that they made. We all need more allies, especially by those in leadership positions.
Resources
What are Microaggressions?: Their Impact is Anything but Small | Cleveland Clinic Article
Microaggressions are a big deal: How to talk them out and when to walk away | NPR Article
When and How to Respond to Microaggressions | HBR Article
Unbias: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work | Book by Stacey Gordon
Microaggressions in Everyday Life | Book by Derald Wing Sue and Lisa Spanierman
Eliminating Microaggressions: The Next Level of Inclusion | Video
ModelExpand is a diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm focused on radically accelerating the presence of historically underrepresented people in the workforce. ModelExpand’s work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes and CultureAmp. Need support embedding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within your organization? Contact us below.
