Unpacking the Myths and Realities of Microaggressions
Unknowingly, we perpetuate much of the same bigotry, bias, and prejudice we are against when we misunderstand microaggressions. It’s been a hot-button topic for the last few years. Microaggressions have also grown into a topic of contention, contributing to future discord. Many looked at the prefix micro and reduced it to “small, unimportant, and of no significant impact,” further dismissing those who experience it as “sensitive” or “PC.” This is an unfortunate and erroneous conclusion constructed by a misunderstanding of the term. How it manifests itself in the world, and how it impacts the communities who experience them. We need to take a moment and step back from the arguments about microaggressions. To really unpack the concept, we’ll better understand its meaning, context, and how a further misunderstanding only contributes to more prejudice and bias. What are microaggressions? Kevin Nada, professor of psychology and author of books about microaggressions, describes the terms as such: “Microaggressions are the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. The difference between microaggressions and overt discrimination or macroaggressions, is that people who commit microaggressions might not even be aware of them.” Some examples of microaggressions (from real-life examples): Assuming an immigrant wouldn’t speak proper English – the assertion of “otherness” or that they are not “really” American. Assuming a minority student attends a university through some form of affirmative action – reflects an assumption of intellectual inferiority. Wanting to touch a Black woman’s hair – imposes inhumanity on the person; to touch them in some awe-struck way makes many people feel like an animal, a pet. A defining factor is that microaggressions commonly are assumptions based on stereotypes, good or bad, and it’s an issue because it reduces someone’s humanity to that of a limited collection of traits or stereotypes that come from popular media (a biased media) in many cases. The three main actions to avoid when discussing microaggressions. After defining what microaggressions are, we need to consider how to properly handle the topic. As discussed previously, some people dismiss the concept entirely. Through either the lack of knowledge, a misunderstanding, or firmly rooted prejudice. When this situation occurs, these are the three actions to avoid: Gaslighting: Gaslighting refers to acts of manipulation meant to make victims doubt their reality for the benefit of their perpetrators. It attempts to reduce someone’s experience to that of a figment of their imagination. Tone policing: When people with greater power chastise and condemn how a victim of oppression expresses themselves. It attempts to control or limit how someone voices their opinion; it’s asking an abused person to be calm and nicer when describing their abuse. Victim blaming. It commonly occurs with instances of sexism or sexual assault/abuse/harassment. For example, if someone voices that they were sexually harassed. And another person responds that it occurred because of their makeup or outfit. A great article to read about it is Why Do People Blame the Victim? by Very Well Mind. Once we can take a moment to consider someone else’s perspective we open ourselves up to learning more. Even when it’s uncomfortable. We begin unpacking these heavy concepts like microaggressions. We’ll be able to improve our conversations, how we view one another, and how we treat one another.
How to Remain Inclusive While Supporting Employee Mental Health During the Holidays
Companies will need to support their staff’s mental health during this holiday season more than ever. The last couple of years has been stressful, to say the least. In 2020-2021 we had more racial and social unrest. Throw in Covid-19 to metamorphose these years into a monster of death, destruction, and despair. Let’s not forget unemployment, staff shortages, and intense illness. – physical and mental. This period of trauma and disruption that we’ve experienced together has been heavy. But below, we’ve listed three keys to being intentional and inclusive in supporting employees during the holidays. Be Proactive and Think Ahead You know what your employees are struggling with because you’ve probably been struggling too, to some degree. So think ahead and anticipate the employee’s needs. Additionally, with the more serious issues, there are also multiple cultural holidays and observances (or non-observers). Ones like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Catholic observances through January. As well as Jehovah’s Witness religious non-observance, or those who don’t observe any holidays for personal reasons. Offer your available employee resources, i.e., EAP, PTO, schedule flexibility, etc. Your staff will need time off, and flexibility. As well as a little extra consideration. Listen to Your Staff. Keep an open ear to the staff. Whether through talking directly or remaining aware of any ongoing issues within the office. Employees are dealing with a lot and have been for almost two years now. But your minority employees may have experienced compounding trauma. Reports like the ones from Washington Post show that depression and anxiety have tripled in the Black and Latinx communities. Those communities were three times more likely to be infected by Covid and die at twice the rate. There’s a strong possibility that Covid has directly impacted your minority employees in one way or another. As well as by the racial, social, and political unrest that’s run rampant in recent years. In addition, a report from Limeade detailed staggering results on the deteriorating employee wellness. They found: 49% report having less energy for nonwork activities. 42% said they were less interested in socializing with friends. 42% were having trouble sleeping. 33% reported using more alcohol or other substances than usual. Empower Your Managers Management is your front-line defense to the well-being of the office. Supervisors, managers, and team leaders are in a great position to be privy to any issues or concerns. If you empower them, they’ll be able to offer support. Furthermore, they can offer solutions and put out any fires before they grow out of control. Management is the only way to properly implement the first two steps of Being Proactive and Listening to Your Staff – they will be the crucial factor in being consciously inclusive while maintaining and supporting the staff during the holidays. Just like this festive season is a time for family, it’s also the time to come together as a team. Contrary to popular belief, the holiday season doesn’t literally “pop up” on us. We know the holidays are coming. But because generally during this quarter, companies are trying to meet year-end goals. They forget that their staff will also have a collection of needs, deadlines, budgeting, and other personal stresses and struggles. A proactive plan including these three key factors will help keep all the moving parts organized.
Ways to Move From DEI Awareness to Action
After a couple of years of incredible DEI work, many organizations have found themselves at a standstill. They’ve spent time and resources on training and awareness campaigns. Nevertheless, they have found difficulty taking their efforts to the next level to find sustainable, substantial, and impactful success. All the intent and aspirations are there. However, they may be caught in the quicksand of “awareness,” and when that occurs, it can create even more issues. Employees may develop “diversity fatigue,” and others may disconnect entirely from all the hard work and efforts. To keep your team engaged and take your DEI efforts from awareness to action, follow the four P’s: Practice, Policy and Procedure, and Pipeline. Practice To turn intention and vision into something concrete and effective, the goals have to be practical. The ideas for DEI work are grand and have considerable implications like bias, racism and sexism, and systems. Although the training is lovely and informative, the long-term goals may seem out of reach. To bring things back to Earth, create goals that you can achieve with tangible actions you can follow. In addition, keep learning. Training that generates awareness and education can’t be a one-time occurrence; training must be ongoing, with new education occurring periodically to ensure everyone is updated and allows new development opportunities. Policy and Procedure Just like bias and bigotry make up the systems of discrimination, organizations need to create systems of justice and equity. Carefully crafted, thoroughly planned policies and procedures will make this system. For that reason, there need to be clear rules. Clear rules and policies that are unambiguous to ensure fairness and transparency. Also, there should be an evaluation of all the areas of interest and improvement as a procedure. Evaluate diversity and equity in pay, participation, and opportunities. Observe any issues, and create goals with metrics and milestones for review. Consistent evaluation will ensure progress. Pipeline The way to combat systems of inequality is by creating pipelines to opportunity and success. Much of DEI work becomes too heavily centered on the D – diversity. Organizations focus on the appearance of diversity, but not the equity and equality of opportunities and access. The primary complaint cited by racial minorities and women in the workplace is the lack of opportunities for advancement. It’s obvious when we look at the demographics of the upper levels of management. Diversity work is superficial when your diverse employees don’t have equal access to things like mentorship, networking, and advancement opportunities. Consequently, by following this strategy and remembering the four P’s of practice, policy and procedure, and pipelines, you’ll find great success in effecting substantial change and transforming vision and DEI aspirations into action.
What is Diversity Fatigue in Your Office?
A possible reason why your DEI efforts aren’t working right now is simple. Diversity fatigue. DEI, or D&I, has been the top priority in every industry in the past few years. While some companies are taking strong stances with loud voices to promote social justice and inclusion in their company; many have gone quiet. The fight for equality is losing steam, and it’s because people are physically, mentally, and emotionally growing exhausted. After the training or numbers have gotten better, the work towards equity and combating discrimination doesn’t end. Don’t let it exhaust you. It takes endurance. And many people have grown tired of the discussion because they believe it’s all “talk” with no substance behind it. To remedy this, you’ll need to understand why people no longer want to discuss diversity and then create a system of action. People are exhausted. Concepts like microaggressions, bigoted racism, sexism, homophobia, code-switching, passing, and being “othered,” are tiring your minority employees. The trauma that fills our news feeds and timelines aren’t academic concepts – they are real. So, if these employees lived this daily experience, they probably don’t want the added burden of being open and vulnerable in their workplace. The responsibility of being a part of the teaching or the ones tasked with solving the problems can be overwhelming. As much as many love and enjoy participating in ERGs, some feel absolutely exhausted by the idea. It becomes yet another weight to bear. Diversity fatigue is a real thing. Diversity fatigue compromises the feelings of exhaustion, disconnection, and sometimes skepticism associated with the movements to understand and address complex social issues. Some could say that due to improper DEI implementation, the waves of diversity support quickly developed a wave of disinterest in about two years. People become disconnected when the discussion seems hollow. Initially, your employees may be excited to discuss diversity and participate in groups or training. Still, if the impression becomes that everything is “all talk and no action,” they will quickly grow tired, disengage, and then disconnect completely. The solution is within the problem: action. Discrimination is systematic and bias is ingrained in many personal and company cultures. You’ll need to create a system to address these issues and prove intention through action to avoid diversity fatigue. Create a system: Develop policies and procedures that are: Anti-discrimination Ensure equity Encourage and promote diversity and inclusion This system will include: Hiring and recruiting – the pipeline Promotions, evaluations, and mentorship – the ladder The workplace – the culture Once your employees see actions that lead to tangible, substantial results, they will believe in your intention and efforts and, therefore, engage and participate more. It may seem challenging, but it’s possible, and the reward will be a more productive and engaged workforce and a model company culture rooted in fairness and decency. A couple of years ago, when everyone said “do the work,” this is what they meant.
Virtual Teams in Diversity Equity Inclusion
While remote work became a new norm due to Covid-19, much of the workforce has welcomed this shift with excitement. With the many benefits that remote work offers, one downside has been the detachment of many organizations’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Over the past few years, the country has been in the midst of a time of heightened awareness and a fight for equality, inclusion, and justice. Many organizations have been pushed to invest heavily in DEI efforts to become more socially aware. Still, the shift to a virtual workplace has threatened to derail much of these efforts. To ensure progression and success, follow this crucial strategy consisting of three elements: intention, communication, and flexibility. The Three-Part Strategy for DEI Success While Working Remotely Intention It is easy to get lost in the daily workloads and task juggling of the office, let alone with the increased hurdles and demands of a virtual team. You must be intentional about your DEI efforts. That means that whatever you were doing before, you have to be extra mindful of now, and you may have to double those efforts. Ways to be intentional: Follow up with your virtual team and ask what they need, considering the many different needs of a diverse group. Once you have those needs, be empathetic to any concerns and do what you can to actively address them. Encourage participation in meetings. Make time for a personal connection. Communication The first part of communication is setting clear expectations and standards to ensure everyone is on the same page. Without a doubt, a lot can get lost in translation (or transition) in virtual teams. The second part of communication is connection. Much of what keeps a workforce connected are those 5 to 10 minutes in the break rooms at the coffee station or water cooler or walking around the office between tasks saying “hi” to one another. Those small intermittent conversations provide levity, small breaks, foster connection, and keep a pulse of sanity running through usually hectic workdays. These moments may seem minor, but they have a significant impact on team dynamics. So you have to intentionally maintain the small moments of social connection, even when working remotely. Flexibility Remember that we were thrown into the virtual workspace due to Covid. Many people have young children, babies, elderly that they may be caring for, so there’s a good chance these employees will have a lot to juggle through the day – and the critical point to remember is that this is out of their control. Take this as an opportunity to be flexible when possible and embody a new style of management. Free yourself from the need to micromanage or report every minute unless it is necessary. Studies show that people work better when given freedom. In a Harvard Business Review report on hybrid and remote work, they discussed the disparities that can occur with micromanaging. This monitoring may actually lower productivity (not to mention erode employee trust and engagement). And precisely because we know that both employee surveillance and pressure to prove to a manager that an employee is “at work” varies by race and gender. Obviously, we should be concerned about how these practices affect the productivity and inclusivity of a hybrid workforce. Transitioning from the physical office to the virtual world has been challenging for everyone. Still, with an open mind, we can make the most of these circumstances and use it as an opportunity to “think outside the box.” It may not be easy, but we can maintain progress in our DEI efforts, stay productive, and keep growing and moving forward through intention, good communication, and flexibility.
How to Support Your Haitian Employees During a Time of Tragedy
The Haitian community needs our support now more than ever right now. The lives of many of our Haitian friends, acquaintances, coworkers, employers, and strangers are falling apart. And have been for some time now. With so many world tragedies surrounding us, it seems impossible to do anything. It can be overwhelming as so many people and communities, and causes need support. But even in the face of the seemingly endless reel of destruction and trauma, we can offer support. For the Haitian community and what they’re enduring right now, we can help and support through donations, understanding, and by lending our personal support in whatever ways we can. A very brief rundown In the course of a little over a decade, the Island-Nation of Haiti has endured an unyielding onslaught of natural disaster and political instability: On January 1, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. Following the earthquake, the country was further overtaken by a cholera outbreak. During October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall right before their harvest season and was the strongest storm to hit Haiti since 1964. This exacerbated the spread of cholera. COVID-19 lockdowns added to income loss and food insecurity. In 2021, Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated, leading to further political instability, violence, and social unrest with widespread gang activity. Five weeks after the assassination, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit western Haiti, the largest natural disaster to hit the country since the 2010 earthquake. Unquestionably, the most crucial fact to understand is that after Haiti fought off the French for their freedom, humanity, and independence, 20 years later. France came to their shores with armed warships demanding “reparations” for their financial losses. Haiti, a free country, was a threat to the slave-owning world. The United States feared being excluded from business and trade, so they agreed. They took high-interest bank loans and paid approximately 21 billion dollars to France, with final payments in 1947. This repayment for their freedom crippled the tiny island nation. How can we help? Donations. Financial support is always helpful and necessary. But to add to Haiti’s list of disasters, the relief funds have been a disaster as well, with much of the raised money never reaching the country due to mismanagement and a wave of outright scams. For example, the over half a billion raised for Haiti led to nothing more than six permanent housing units. Crucial advice from npr.org: Consult websites like Charity Navigator and GiveWell to determine charities’ legitimacy and avoid scams. The Federal Trade Commission also offers these tips for doing your research. Understanding and Support. It’s easy to look at Haiti as far removed from our history, but Haiti’s fight has been integral in our past. Haiti is the first independent Black republic founded by the formerly enslaved, fighting off French rule during the Haitian revolution. This revolution inspired the slave revolts and abolitionist movement in the United States. The Haitian revolution also assisted in the Louisiana purchase in 1803. Furthermore, this doubled the size of the United States, leading to further western expansion and growth. The States made the purchase from the French, who was running out of money during the deadly and financially exhaustive war with Haiti and needed to sell the land to recover. Without their fights for freedom, we’d be a completely different country. Whether you have Haitian coworkers, employees, or friends, offer emotional support from a place of empathy and understanding. If you are an employer, you can always provide organizational resources like EAP or offer schedule flexibility for bereavement and family care. Above all, it’s always good to be a friend and place of support for anyone in need. Only through togetherness can we overcome, endure, and thrive in the face of tragedy and despair. As written on Haiti’s coat of arms L’Union Fait la Force – Unity Makes Strength.
Common Misconceptions About Differently-Abled Employees
With October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to celebrate those with different abilities in the workplace. As a society, we often exclude differently-abled employees from inclusion conversations. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is in place there are still common misconceptions that create hurdles via silent and invisible discrimination. Let’s talk about a few misunderstandings so we can eliminate stigma. We all want to provide awareness and create a better and more inclusive environment for everyone. They need constant help. This assumption can go two ways, both well-intended and damaging. Well-intended. Coworkers may look at differently-abled employees moving through the office and want to offer help, but this well-intended act of kindness will be received more as pity than compassion. Consequently, this is why we use the term differently-abled instead of disabled. The human need to not be viewed as “broken,” or “incapable,” is essential in anyone’s self-esteem. Pushing someone’s wheelchair, or another device; without consent is one of the top microaggressions that occur. Damaging. The top three myths are that they… Won’t fit in. Can’t do the work. Require too much accommodation. These are fears, biases, and harmful stereotypes. Not facts. Differently-abled employees only require the proper tools and environment to succeed. This is their employer’s responsibility. Ensuring that they have the appropriate training materials and equipment is not complicated. Nor is it time-consuming, or expensive – they just require consideration and sincere effort. They are all the same. Not all disabilities look the same. In fact, many can overlap, have a variety of symptoms, or not be easily detectable at all. Don’t assume someone’s conditions and capabilities. Doing so leads to a lot of stereotyping or assumptions. The major categories of disabilities: Physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional, and sensory impaired disorders That they aren’t in your office. Many people don’t disclose their disability status with their employers. The stigma is stifling. So most choose to stay quiet: tightrope-walking a daily gamble of honesty vs. employment. Coqual (formerly The Center for Talent Innovation) conducted a study and found that 30% of the professional workforce fits the criteria for having a disability. Still, only 39% of these employees have disclosed this to their manager or anyone in HR. This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, take a little time to learn and explore a world you may be unaware of. You may find new eye-opening perspectives. Furthermore, by opening up your mind this way you can learn interesting new things. Fun fact – the African American community has a different kind of sign language, which became a trend on TikTok. Raising awareness helps to remove the stigma associated with being differently-abled so people from this community can be included, accepted, appreciated, and, above all… be free to be themselves.
Three Ways to Create Cross-Cultural Awareness in Your Organization
“I don’t know how to make everyone happy!” Celebrating diversity can seem impossible. The impression is that you need to make people understand everything about everyone – which is impossible. This isn’t the case. If you want to create an environment of cross-cultural awareness, all it takes is a little intention, honesty, humility, and planning. By following a few pieces of advice, you’ll be able to shift the culture in your workplace over time. Consider these three ways to create cross-cultural awareness in your organization Good faith communication. One main problem plaguing organizations right now – and people in general – is good faith communication. This simply means that people are approaching new relationships and situations with “good faith” that the other person doesn’t intend to harm. To implement this into any department is to create an informative plan that promotes this idea. Management needs to display this throughout the office. It’s difficult at first, but good faith conversations develop trust. As a result, a better work environment for everyone too! Create a cross-cultural calendar. A cross-cultural calendar will keep the department aware of all the upcoming events and observances of the different cultures through the department (and the world in general). For example, observing these various days on the calendar allows everyone to be appreciated, recognized, and, most importantly, seen, accepted, and included in the company. Cultural calendars include: Religious holidays DEI specific events and observances Cultural holidays and observances Any major cultural or political events that could impact the rest of the workweek. Protests designed to create awareness may disrupt the work week, so it’s necessary always to remain vigilant to any movements or protests. Develop a culture of education Finally, learning should be a great constant in life. If our leaders display a thirst for knowledge, we see them as humble. In the same way, we’ll want to follow in their footsteps. By keeping an environment that’s open to communication, you can understand your workforce better. Stay in touch with the needs of everyone that helps keep the organization running. For this reason, you create a transparent, interactive, and inclusive culture. Keep an ongoing database of cultural holidays to allow everyone to feel seen and appreciated. Some holidays may require time off or special considerations. To this end, when you have a culture of continuous education and learning, it brings everyone in the organization closer together.
The Three Key Micro-habits that You Can Use to Interrupt Bias Today
If everyone has the potential to be biased, then trying to change may seem impossible. Just because something is a part of human nature doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t strive to improve upon it. Specifically, it doesn’t stop the fact that bias has grave implications in the real world. Because of bias, people have been denied housing, employment, education, fair loans, and, in the most severe cases, people have lost their lives. So how do we correct something that so many of us do? Simple: micro-habits. Micro-habits are small changes that can be done daily to change behavior, limited or problematic beliefs. In other words, they are the first step is in tackling our most stubborn bad habits. and thoughts. By focusing on these changes, we can identify the biases that occur daily and trickle into the workplace. Three Key Micro-habits Mindfulness. The very first step in rewiring a biased system is awareness. Become aware that a problem exists in the first place. Being “in the moment” allows us to realize issues that occur. You can learn to discover negative thoughts or assumptions as they happen and develop the ability to process them with a clear mind to find a solution. Mindfulness is key to all aspects of changing beliefs and behavior. Pause your reactions. The philosopher Seneca said, “The greatest remedy for anger is delay.” Pause between anger and the action. If something happens or you’re in a situation where you recognize a strong bias, take a moment to pause and reflect before you continue to act. For instance, whether your act is a belief or a physical action, simply pause. The ability to stop and reflect is the most valuable, yet quietest, gamechanger. How many negative outcomes could have been avoided if someone would have simply taken a moment before reacting? Challenge your beliefs. A significant portion of bias stems from stereotypes. A stereotype is “an oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing held by many people.” Most stereotypes come from television, music, hearsay, or other biased sources and create a narrow, limited, and often ignorant worldview. Viewing someone through the lens of a stereotype is the best way to destroy the possibility of human connection. Challenging the beliefs we hold and investigating them will reveal much of the bad information we’ve held onto for so long and allow us to get to know each other for who we are and not our assumptions. To change culture, we must change behavior; to change behavior, we must change our habits and do this consistently. Great impact begins with small steps. By focusing on these micro-habits, we can all contribute positively to transforming our community, society, and ourselves for the better.
How the Great Resignation Will Impact DEI
Millions of employees have walked out of their glass and concrete corporate doors, pledging never to return. According to the Labor Department, over four million members of the workforce quit in April alone; a part of a movement equal parts labor and existential christened the “Great Resignation.” As hundreds of companies scramble to fill open positions, they have been met with another recruitment hurdle: their diversity and inclusion efforts. Without a clear understanding of what creates the limitations and difficulties, the national momentum championing diversity and equity may lose a bit of its steam, challenging any progress made and bringing many efforts back to square one. What’s driving this mass exit? Unfortunately for many companies, the pandemic, although very sad and tragic in its destruction, created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone: the time to think and reflect. The world moves at a breakneck speed, and the daily language is “go, go, go” doesn’t allow for the essential human introspection of “Does this make me happy?” “Does this even make sense?” And the time given by the world collectively being granted the chance to sit with themselves and think; people are taking this opportunity and running with it. If a company is unable or unwilling to pivot and be flexible, they’ll feel the brunt of the deflation from this modern workplace exodus and may never achieve the innovative and diverse team they may have been working so hard to build. Why is diversity so difficult to maintain right now? In a stunning new report from the academic publishing giant Wiley, for industries like the tech industry, the constant struggle with inclusion, equity, and diversity is one of the main contributing factors to their talent taking this opportunity to leave and never come back. According to the survey of more than 2,000 employees, 50% said they had left or wanted to resign from their IT or tech job because the culture of the company was unfriendly or made them feel not so comfortable, with 68% of respondents believing this was due to their ethnicity, gender, socio-economic background, or neurodevelopmental condition. Why don’t they want to return? For people from diverse communities, the pandemic was more than a health epidemic; it was an extinct-level collision of race, gender, and sexual orientation disparity and discrimination with a public health crisis. As tragic as this pandemic has been, not being in a workplace that is uncomfortable, unwelcoming, and littered with microaggressions and glass ceilings has been a bit of a relief for many people. Looking Ahead Leaders today have it tough with so many competing priorities. You have to work on retaining your workforce, cultivating a hybrid culture, improving the productivity and profitability of your business, AND pursuing DEI goals, all at the same time. The key here is to stay flexible and focused; make sure you look at this from longer-term play. As the saying goes, focus on DEI to being a marathon and not a sprint. Although it’s a crazy time – don’t rush your hiring process. Outsource or delegate a focused recruiting and onboarding strategy (if possible). Cast a wide net in diverse recruitment. Expand the ideas and framing of what “diversity.” means Have straightforward yet realistic expectations and requirements. Above all – be flexible. Old methods may not work in a modern and chaotic context. Although our way of life has been challenged, we can use this as an excellent opportunity to change methods, strategies and do what we’ve always said we wanted to do – think outside the box.