62% of Black employees have experienced microaggressions because of their race, while 64% of women have experienced them because of their gender. 68% of US workers feel microaggressions in the workplace are a serious problem, and I agree.
In this post, we’ll take a look at what microaggressions in the workplace are, explore some examples, and consider what businesses can—and should—do to mitigate them.
What are microaggressions in the workplace?
Microaggressions in the workplace are subtle forms of discrimination against a marginalized group. This could involve an incident, statement, or action against them because of their gender, race, religion, disability, etc. These slights can be direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional.
As the name implies, they are often seemingly small things that can fly under the radar, but ultimately still negatively affect another person.
As they’re often more subtle, they’re harder to notice—let alone address. Over time, however, they can negatively impact your company culture and employee experience, leading to things like stress and burnout. So then your team can’t perform to its fullest and your business suffers as a result.
Examples of microaggressions in the workplace (and what to do)
Now that we know what microaggressions in the workplace are, let’s explore some common examples, then we’ll go into what you can do.
Micromanaging some employees and not others
Micromanaging is never a good idea, but if you do it with some employees and not others, your comments can become microaggressions in the workplace.
For instance, trying to control a female employee’s to-do list but leaving a male employee to manage his own tasks.
Talking over colleagues
28% of people have been spoken over at work. To be honest, I think this number might be higher, we just don’t always recognize it. Many of us interrupt people when we’re excited. Some of us are also so used to being interrupted we don’t even register that it’s happening—especially if we’re prone to doing it ourselves.
But that doesn’t make it acceptable.
According to the Women Interrupted app, women are interrupted 1.43 times a minute in the US. In the UK, it’s 1.67 times a minute.
Being talked over is so common that someone knitted a color-coded scarf, changing the color she was knitting with every time the gender of a speaker changed in a meeting. There was very little of the color that represented women.
These constant interjections can be a form of microaggressions in the workplace.
Telling someone to “smile more”
Most females have been on the receiving end of “just smile” or “smile more” at some point.
We’ve all heard, “Smile, it’s not the end of the world” from a random stranger or colleague before, too. How is that supposed to cheer someone up?
You have no idea what’s going on in someone’s life, or why they’re not smiling. No one ever says that to a man, either.
If the same comment is only directed towards people from a certain demographic, it may be a version of microaggressions in the workplace.
Nicknames
Always, always call someone by the name they prefer, not the name you want to call them. That’s it. It’s that simple.
It’s their name; their identity. They have the right to choose it, not you.
By choosing another name for them, whether well-intentioned or not, you may be causing them pain or stress. It’s a pretty targeted type of microaggressions in the workplace.
Mispronouncing names
Likewise, if you mispronounce someone’s name multiple times after they correct you it’s a sign of disrespect.
Problematic language use
Our language usage says a lot about how we think and feel. It’s a reflection of who we are on a subconscious level.
Making comments then dismissing them as “banter” or using old-fashioned terms that are now offensive can be signs of problematic language usage. As well as signs of microaggressions in the workplace.
Ableism
Despite being asthmatic, I once had to climb four flights of steep stairs in a Victorian building every day to get to the office. Exercise and cold are two huge triggers for me, and old buildings get cold. Especially in the stairwells, which often don’t have heat.
There was an elevator, but it didn’t work. And there was no rush to fix it. Nor was I able to work from home. Or even from a café nearby.
This is an example of ableism. Ableism can be overt, or it can fall into the category of microaggressions in the workplace. Either way, it put me in a preventable situation that triggered my asthma on a daily basis.
There are lots of other examples, such as not allowing neurodiverse employees to wear headphones to drown out noise, not providing a suitable chair for someone with back issues, or not giving enough space for wheelchair users to move around.
What can employers do?
The two most important things you can do are to encourage communication and education.
Encourage employees to talk to people outside of their team or demographic to get to know others as more than just someone competing for a pay check in the same company, but another human being just trying to pay their bills, too.
Education is also important. It shouldn’t be the responsibility of underrepresented talent to educate their colleagues on what life is like. If they want to, that’s fine. But not everyone does and you shouldn’t expect them to.
Instead, employers should host training sessions that teach people what it’s like and what to look for.
When they know how colleagues feel when they’re on the receiving end of microaggressions in the workplace, and what sort of behavior can be construed as offensive (even if they didn’t think it was) it can work as a wake-up call.
It’s not about shaming anyone or making them feel bad. What was acceptable in the 90s isn’t always now; the world has come a long way. (Anyone else remember the fat shaming of the 2000s?)
It’s about considering how other people feel with our language use and choice of actions, and thinking about how we’d feel if we were in their shoes.
Just because it was acceptable in the past, it doesn’t mean we should still be saying or doing it now. Or not call other people out on it.
Leaders set the precedent
Your leaders set an example. Everything from the language they use to the political figures and/or parties they support sets a precedent about what’s acceptable and what isn’t.
Employees need to feel able to call others out on their microaggressions in the workplace or problematic language. The more comfortable they feel doing this, the more their colleagues can learn and the more welcoming your organization will be to everyone.
If employees feel like they’re going to get in trouble for calling someone out, they’re less likely to do it and your business will attract fewer candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, resulting in less innovation.
Conclusion
Microaggressions in the workplace may be an inevitable part of life, but we can change that. It requires conscious effort and regular training to ensure we make the world a better place for everyone.
At some point, most of us will be on the receiving end of microaggressions in the workplace, or outside of it. The sooner we can stamp them out, the more welcome everyone will feel at work—and the more work they’ll get done.
How to support underrepresented talent in the workplace
Supporting team members from underrepresented backgrounds isn’t just about preventing microaggressions in the workplace; it’s also about offering opportunities. With a central hub for employee events, programs, and groups, you can encourage everything from mentoring to book recommendations.
Need help getting more from your employee initiatives? Book yourself a free Workrowd demo today.
