Microaggressions in the Workplace

Welcome to Hire Potential with Indeed, a series of fireside chats with experts in diversity and inclusion, employer branding, recruiting, HR and more.

In this episode, Rebecca helps define this often opaque and misunderstood term, providing specific examples of what a microaggression can look and sound like. From a female executive being repeatedly spoken over by male colleagues in meetings, someone telling their Chinese-Australian coworker that they “speak English so well” to an offhand comment about displaying “OCD” behaviours, she dives into the range and breadth of microaggressions and the consequences these comments and behaviours can have (especially when compounded over time) on individuals who experience them. 

Harvard Business Review’s research shows fostering inclusive work environments increases job performance by 56% and decreases employee turnover by 50%.When microaggressions are perpetuated in workplaces, inclusive environments cannot thrive. 

Beyond identifying microaggressions, this episode also explores how employers and workplaces can educate teams on how to manage microaggressions as the receiver, observer or perpetrator. As always, practising allyship is central to the conversation.

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Prologue

Erin: Welcome to Hire Potential with Indeed. A welcoming workplace is built from the ground up with attention to diversity, inclusion, accessibility and openness. But the way many leaders and companies approach this is full of grey areas, uncertainty and quite often, fear. Hire Potential with Indeed is here to demystify the process through the most powerful channel possible, conversations, groundbreaking ones, too. 

I'm your host, Erin Waddell, strategic insights consultant and D&I evangelist in Australia for Indeed. I've worked in the recruitment industry in Australia for the last seven years and have been in Australia for 10 years. 

In this podcast series will tackle the issues we face in the modern workplace, from diversity and inclusion to remote working, accessibility, fair hiring practices and more. This podcast is an initiative of indeed.com, the world's number one job site with over 250 million unique visitors every month from over 60 different countries. 

Introduction

Erin: Before we dive in, I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting today, and to any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders who may be listening. I pay my respects to their elders’ past, present, and emerging. 

In this week's episode, we're going to do a deep dive on microaggressions in the workplace. For minority groups, the term microaggression may be all too familiar, but for those in the cultural majority, the term is often unknown or misunderstood, which leads to an ongoing cycle of microaggressions affecting minority groups on a daily basis.

In Australia, media outlets from Mamamia, The Conversation, to SBS have reported on the damaging effects of microaggressions in our workplaces. SBS reporter, Michelle Elias, explains, "While it might appear to be an innocuous compliment or come from a place of interest, microaggressions have a cumulative effect, causing considerable psychological distress and further marginalising a group." 

In this episode, we explain exactly what microaggressions sound or look like, the true damage they can cause, and how we can work towards eliminating them from workplaces through education and conversation. To help us understand this nuanced topic. We are joined by Rebecca Stevenson, Manager of Diversity and Inclusion at Downer, one of Australia's leading civil engineering companies. Welcome, Rebecca.

Rebecca: Thank you. Thanks for having me today.

Erin: Our pleasure. Rebecca, can you share with us a bit about your role at Downer?

Rebecca: Sure, absolutely. I'd just like to start off by paying my respects to Aboriginal elders and traditional owners of our lands that we're meeting on today, and pay my respect to elders’ past, present, and emerging. So, I'm coming to you today from the traditional lands of the Dharug people in Western Sydney and, certainly like to indicate that myself personally, and of course, with Downer, are really committed to our continued efforts around reconciliation. 

So, my role at downer is the Manager of the Diversity and Inclusion team. I've been with Downer for about two and a half years, and I'm responsible for developing and leading the strategic plan and the tactical initiatives to create and foster a really open and diverse, and inclusive work environment.

So, our purpose at downer is really to create and sustain modern environments by building trusted relationships with our clients and customers, and our promise is to work closely with our customers to help them succeed using the world's leading insights and solutions. So, Downer designs and builds, and sustains assets and infrastructure, and facilities, and we are the leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand, so super exciting. So, I work very closely with Downer's individual lines of business to really inspire and raise the capability and create the behavioural and cultural changes to support them in designing and implementing targeted initiatives that really enhance our business performance.

Downer is really an incredible company to work for with so much diversity amongst its employees, we've got approximately 44,000 employees and also such a rich diverse business service offering. There's eight different lines of business that are completely independent of each other. On one hand, you might have hospitality and health and education, and then on the other hand you'll have roads and utilities, or infrastructure projects. So, a really diverse massive organisation responsible for developing and driving all the aspects of the diversity and inclusion of gender right across the business. We've just finalised Downer Australian and New Zealand diversity and inclusion strategy 2022 to 2024, so it's a really exciting time for us at Downer about ready to roll that action plan out.

What does microaggression in the workplace look like

Erin: Thank you for sharing about that. So, today we're focusing on a piece of the diversity and inclusion puzzle that's not always very comfortable to talk about, and even less comfortable to experience, and that is microaggressions. Now, they can be obvious or subtle, they can be intentional or unintentional, and often they go unnoticed and sometimes unnoticed by both parties. To get us on the same page. Can you explain what a microaggression actually is?

Rebecca: You're right, they often go unintended. But a microaggression is really defined as a comment or an action that's subtle and often unconsciously spoken or unintentionally expressed, but it really is a prejudiced attitude towards any member of an underrepresented or marginalised group. Like we've said, microaggressions are usually unintentional, and they occur when our implicit biases, which are our attitudes and our assumptions and stereotypes that unconsciously affect our actions, lead to someone to say or do something inadvertently discriminatory. So, microaggressions aren't just rude or insensitive comments, but they're ingrained within our unconscious bias towards someone's race, or ethnicity, or gender, or sexual orientation.

Erin: Great explanation, thank you very much. I think many of the people that experience microaggressions tend to be from more minority groups. Indeed did a D&I report, we discovered that minority groups are more likely to hide aspects of their identity in the workplace. So, 60% of LGBTQI+ people hide their identity at work, 59% of people with a disability said that they hide their disability at work, 21% of people with a religion other than Christianity, 12% of people who identify as being part of a cultural minority group. And I would love to find out from you, what are some examples of common microaggressions in the workplace that some of these minority groups might experience?

Rebecca: It's often challenging for people to really understand that they've been the subject of a microaggression. They might fly under the radar for those that we really don't know that they're microaggressions, but it's a clear form of exclusion and when we're talking about statistics, I think the research says is about 26% of our workforce has experienced at some stage a microaggression at work, and another 22% are really unsure whether they have or haven't. So, they impact all races, ethnicities, and other social groups, and it's really one of the biggest challenges that workplaces face in relation to building an inclusive culture or inclusive workplace. Microaggressions are usually specific to the group being discriminated against and often play into those stereotypes and other misconceptions about the individual groups. They can be difficult to identify 'cause they're often subtle and not really intended to be malice. But because of this, the recipients witnessing these might not know that they're actually the subject of microaggression.

Examples can include, you know, a female executive who is repeatedly interrupted and spoken over by a male colleague during meetings, and they might assume he knows more than she does, or an employee tells their Chinese Australian worker, "Your English is really good." And that's really insulting. It's like it's unusual for a visible minority group to be fluent or well-spoken in English. Other examples can include an employee that continues to use the wrong pronouns for their transgender colleagues, despite being corrected on multiple occasions. An employee says to the team I'm being so OCD today and minimising and making jokes on mental illness, but it also extends to ignoring people. So, this is a nonverbal action. It might seem somewhat trivial, but it's often hurtful in the workplace, and it can be seen quite often for females working in those male-dominated industries, you know, a lot like Downer, and they're experiencing no or little response when they pitch ideas in a meeting.

Erin: Those are fantastic examples. I have experienced microaggressions in the workplace. I'm sure you have at some point as well. I wanted just to take it back to when you said, you know, the non-Anglo-Saxon-sounding names. There was research done by the Australian National University, and they submitted 4,000 fictitious job applications with distinctively Anglo-Saxon indigenous Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern names to measure the labor market discrimination in Australia against minority groups. And what they found is that candidates with Anglo-Saxon names on their resumes got more callbacks than candidates with any other type of name. For example, applicants with a Chinese name to receive as many callbacks as an Anglo-Saxon applicant, they needed to submit 57% more applications in Brisbane, 61% more applications in Melbourne, and 92% more applications in Sydney.

It's things like that, that the name does not look Anglo-Saxon then they're just getting immediately dismissed, and it just makes you think about, "Okay, well, once they do get in a role what's happening in that workplace, is it going to be exactly the same thing if they get into a meeting?" And meetings can be hotspots for microaggressions, just like you said, towards underrepresented groups including women, where people don't get that chance to talk, that same consideration for their ideas or their pitches or their voice at all. And actually, it's one of the reasons that I left engineering. I was a mechanical engineer and I was dismissed so many times that I finally gave up. I said, "Okay, I can't get my ideas listened to or taken seriously, and it really greats on you in the end." So, I do wonder when it comes to, you know, other minority groups, how much do they have to put up with and what is the breaking point for them? I think that's something I think about as well. 

Is it something you've experienced in any of your roles where people have kind of reached a breaking point?

Rebecca: Oh look, absolutely. And, and it's more common I think than we think it is. It is a problem. But looking at some of these strategies to address some of these challenges, like line recruitment processes and really reviewing what we do in engaging our potential candidates, and then all thoughts about the culture. I think it's really important that we focus intentionally on a culture of inclusion and making all the processes and procedures around platform systems inclusive. And I think that's one of the key changes that, you know, we need to, as a society and a community, we need to make sure we're intentionally doing.

The harmful impacts of passing microaggressions off at ‘jokes’

Erin: You're right. It is up to not just the employer and not just the employees. It is a societal change that needs to happen. A societal shift as you will. And interestingly, I think often microaggressions are passed off as jokes. People are making jokes, they think are funny, they think that the person that's receiving the joke is going to also laugh at it, but a lot of times it can make people very uncomfortable. Can you explain why comments or actions that some people may pass off as a joke are actually microaggressions?

Rebecca: Determining exactly what counts as a microaggression isn't always easy, and the complexities around the complex have really prompted people to provide or give many responses. So, they'll say when they see somebody might be offended by a comment or a statement, "Oh, they're all just jokes." Or "I meant it as a compliment." I think there's a few reasons for that. Down-right humour in the workplace has a lot of benefits. It reduces stress and creativity just to name a couple, but I think there's a couple of reasons why people pass them off as jokes. And unfortunately, anyone who has been the target of a joke and like you've said earlier, we've all been there, humour can be effective at making people feel excluded, and that's not what we want. So, at its worst, humour is often used to try and pass off some pretty terrible sentiments as harmless.

I think there's a degree of embarrassment too, I think that people do not understand how their comments can affect other people. So, calling out offensive humour as inappropriate can be really awkward, and no one wants to be, you know, a killjoy and not have fun in the workplace, but doing so really invariably does invite defences. Like I was only teasing, or it's just a joke, or can't you take a joke. Examples of inappropriate humour in the workplace really include anything that makes any of our team members or colleagues feel targeted or excluded, and that affects our productivity and it also increases our liability. So, it's important that business leaders really don't allow these microaggressions to go unaddressed. So, you can tackle inappropriate humour in the workplace without really making the employees feel like they can't relax and joke around, but the key is really to drill down to the specific ways that people are offended, and then teach the team how to respond.

So, I guess in summary, it's a lack of diversity awareness, we're all on different stages of awareness and understanding around inclusive language and behaviours, and often the comments are unintended. So, you know, whereas one person might take a comment as offensive, another person might think that that's appropriate. So, the appropriate use of terminology I think has also changed over time, so language is not static and it can’t be used independent of its historical context. So, if you use the phrase peanut gallery, it historically refers to the cheaper seats in the theater many, many years ago where the non-white patrons were forced to sit. So, if we understand where some of these terms we used and where they came from, we can identify that it’s not appropriate certainly from a perspective of inclusion and it would offend a lot of people. So, the context is also important too, in which a comment is made and can play a big part in calling out the microaggression. I think the last point is really that people make mistakes and it's okay to make a mistake, but it's about learning from the mistake and being curious and inquisitive, and understanding the different perception of why that microaggression offended someone.

Erin: And I think another piece of that is the receiver of the microaggression. I think at times, you know, maybe they're new to the company, maybe they're new to the team. I've heard a lot of stories of people that felt obligated to laugh along at the joke. Do you have any advice for people that have received microaggressions? Because, you know, it doesn't matter if you are an employee or an employer, anyone can receive a microaggression. Is there any advice you have for someone that feels obligated to laugh along at one of these microaggressions on how to respond to one?

Rebecca: Yeah, interesting. It's around the whole group thing, and I think people tend to want to feel like they're accepted. So, when a microaggression occurs it's awkward for people to really call it out and you've really gotta have that culture of support and understanding within that environment to stand up and speak up. I think calling it out is really important and being able to support and be an ally when there's a group of people, we all wanna be liked. It's human nature, it's hardwired, and when there's a group of people that allow these microaggressions to go unchallenged, or raise awareness about them, I think people generally need to take a good look at that situation and put themselves in other people's shoes.

How an employee's experience in the workplace can be impacted by microaggressions

Erin: Yeah. I think it's a really important one, but it's a really hard one to do. It's so much easier to say that than to actually do it. If you're not a part of that minority group, it's really hard to actually know what their experience is like, and the empathy is the piece that can really help you understand. So, research by Harvard Business Review tells us that fostering an inclusive work environment can create a 56% increase in job performance and a 50% drop in turnover risk. With that in mind, how can an employee's experience in the workplace be impacted by microaggressions that they receive?

Rebecca: They're incredible statistics just around performance and turnover risks, and the major challenges that organisations face. But this is all about the value of inclusion and belonging, and I think these statistics were actually extracted from the article called The Value of Belonging from HBR. We all have this intrinsic and ingrained human trait to feel a sense of belonging in our lives, but also in the workplace. And whenever I'm delivering a presentation or speaking on diversity and inclusion, I always use the phrase, happy cows make the best milk. So, when our employees are working in an inclusive environment where they feel that their differences are supported and really respected, they can fully participate in the workplace and bring their whole selves to work. They're happy, right? So, when they're happy productivity increases, creativity increases, innovation increases, and there are many, many benefits from a commercial perspective on our employees being happy.

So, microaggressions really interfere with that culture of inclusion, and over time can really manifest into a toxic organisational culture. So, the problems with these microaggressions for the person targeted with a microaggression, the simple fact is these comments hurt. And even if there wasn't any malice intended or they were unintentional, they do bring people down and further create feelings of alienation within people who already experience some feelings of being challenged or overwhelmingly high rates. So, microaggressions also reveal an offender's bias against a group. So, feeling the individual making the comment may not even know he or she possessed it, so they can slip under the radar at work because they're subtle, and employees may or may not know if they should be reported, do I challenge it? What do I say? How do I feel? But the first step really in addressing these microaggressions in the workplace is to be aware.

So, employers, in this case, need to be really vigilant and create that awareness of the implicit bias amongst their staff, and really take the time I think, to educate all of their employees on what microaggressions are, and in fact, the negative impacts that they can have on the workplace. Finally, I think reinforcing a culture of openness and willingness to discuss bias and learn from mistakes is really important too, 'cause you've got an environment where we all grow and we're all in a different learning trajectory around diversity and inclusion, and we need to be able to feel like we can learn from mistakes.

Erin: Just on that note about the responsibility of the employer, is educating about avoiding making them as important as education around calling them out real time?

Rebecca: Employers really need to be aware of their responsibilities to ensure that the working environment that they're leading or the workplace culture does not put people's psychological safety or their mental health at risk. So, we know microaggressions over time can have serious harmful effects on individuals, so it's really important that there is a, you know, a targeted program or a strategy around education of what microaggressions are, and then options around how to deal with them. If you are on the receiving end, if you witness if you are the perpetrator. I think it's really important that we all have that education and awareness and know, so we can call it out respectfully and so they don't take it personally, and they don't get defensive, they look at it as a learning opportunity, but it's just as important as dealing with that. So, in another Harvard Business Review article, which is called When and How to Respond to Microaggressions, they indicate that these actions, which are a type of bias, which we know are a bias, are at least as harmful or more harmful than overt forms of racism or discrimination. 

So, to address the behaviours in the workplace culture is really, really super important and we need to understand them in a lot greater depth. So, they seem small as the name suggests microaggression, but when it's compounded over time, and it could be for various reasons, not just one reason. It could be a number of reasons from an intersectional perspective, we need to understand the impact this has on the employee's experience, and their physical health, their psychological wellbeing, and in fact, the research suggests that subtle forms of interpersonal discrimination like microaggression, can really create an ongoing challenge for individuals in terms of their mental health. So, employers really have that obligation to develop target practices to really address inappropriate workplace behaviour, and deal effectively with the complaints. And as employers, we all have that responsibility to make sure that our employers are treated fairly, and these responsibilities are certainly set out in federal and state anti-discrimination legislation and the Fair Work Act.

But taken together, they really make certain types of workplace behaviour unlawful. So, it's important that we understand that as well and make sure our employees and, you know, all of our communities are aware of the unlawful, the laws around discrimination and that people we could be race, or it could be nationality, it could be ethnicity. It could be a whole raft of things. But also, the Human Rights Commission Act protects people from discrimination. So, there's lots of legal legislative reasons why, but a workplace culture and understanding the impacts over time is also very, very important.

The best way for an ally to address a microaggression they’ve witnessed

Erin: I think that is really important to understand that it's not just, you know, the company policy, that's there to protect you. It's also the legislative acts, but also another really key, important player in this could be an ally. And no one probably wants to be a silent bystander, but a lot of times it's also putting yourself out there for, you know, you could be targeted next. So, as an ally what is the best way to address a microaggression that you've witnessed?

Rebecca: If you are a bystander or a witness to a microaggression, it's really important that you need to be supportive to the victim or whom the microaggression was directed. We know that microaggressions are hurtful, but the words from an ally can be even more powerful. So, kindness to the victim and disapproval to a micro-aggressor will certainly be remembered. And being part of an ally in the workplace is really speaking up when you witness some kind of oppression of a marginalised group or an underrepresented group. And the tips for addressing the microaggression for allies are the same as what we would suggest for the victim. So firstly, if you're an ally and you don't belong to an underrepresented group, it might be harder for you to spot a microaggression. If you think you've witnessed a microaggression but you aren't sure, you might want to consider talking to a, a, a co-worker or somebody else within that group, just to understand the impact of what the words that have been said would have on an individual within that group.

Secondly, I think if you're not part of the group that's being marginalised or part of that underrepresented group, the individual may not view the way that the microaggression came across as you would. So, to understand it is really important as an ally to really have a good evaluation of the impact of what that microaggression made on the individual. So, it's also again, around education. It's really important to call it out. It can be difficult though, because you don't know whether that response that you're going to get from the perpetrator, if we call them perpetrator, and we know that it might not be intentional. It might be, you know, a defensive or reactionary response, but we want people to really understand and learn and grow from people challenging these kinds of microaggressions.

Erin: And the most, I think, uncomfortable position to be in other than being the person that receives a microaggression is finding out that you have committed a microaggression. In your opinion, what is the best way to take responsibility if you have committed a microaggression and make amends?

Rebecca: I think being open and honest, understanding and like we've said, putting yourself in another person's shoes, that's a really important characteristic to have if you are on the receiving end. And there's lots of emotional responses if you are, because, you know, like we've said again, microaggressions are often unintentional, so it could come as a shock yeah, if you realise you've actually hurt someone, and we're all human, we make mistakes, but need to learn, and we need to really understand what our own unconscious biases are and the actions that, you know, we need to take to better ourselves and our understanding of the impact that a microaggression can take. What I would recommend that you do, is make the other person feel heard and follow their lead in the conversation. So, understand and make them feel like you're listening and really value what they're saying. I would suggest offering a genuine apology that acknowledges the impact and harm that your comments have caused, and certainly keeps striving to learn and understand. It requires a lot of grace and humility and commitment, but it's important that you want to learn, and genuinely come across that you want to learn. 

I would say the don'ts if you are in this situation, don't fall prey to the fundamental attribution error, you can still be a goodwill intentioned person who says something offensive and then learn from it. Make the conversation about you, it's not about you, it's about the person who has had that feeling of being affected by what you've said or done, and instead, perhaps express some kind of gratitude for your colleague's trust and belief that you're capable of growing. And it takes a lot of strength and courage for someone to call it out straight away, so don't overdo your apology but certainly, make it sincere. 

Erin: I think the other best piece of advice is that it's not the person that received the microaggressions' responsibility to educate you, it has to be your responsibility to go out and do the research, do the education, and find out how you can grow just like you said. But I think putting the onus on the person that is receiving the microaggression is something that can tend to happen, and it's not their responsibility to teach you or anybody else why that was a microaggression. So, I think those are some really great tips. Rebecca, it's been fantastic having you today, but I have one last question, which is how we finish every episode of Hire Potential with Indeed. And that is, what do you think it will ultimately take to ensure a better and more inclusive workplace in the future?

Rebecca: It's been really lovely being here, having a chat with you too. But I think there's a few key points under this question. And I think it really takes everyone to be intentional in focusing on their actions and behaviours around being inclusive. In order for inclusion to really become the DNA of the way we do business, it's important to understand the demographics and make-up of our organisations, and our community, and a real reflection of the culture as the foundation of an inclusive environment. So, I really love this quote, if we don't intentionally include, we unintentionally exclude. And this is really the power of diversity and it thrives in a culture of inclusion. And we know that diverse and inclusive organisations are a lot more productive and innovative and high performing, because of the diversity of thought and the backgrounds and an organisation really can't leverage all the benefits of increasing a diverse workforce without an environment that's inclusive.

So, I think that's our first step. Is intentionally creating a very inclusive environment, and that would take a number of different, you know, steps or actions around doing that. But emphasis on the culture is an intentional act by all employees from the CEO, right down to the ground level grassroots of an organisation. Everybody has that responsibility. I think the second point is really to understand the business case for inclusion, and the benefits that are derived in every functional and operational area of the business, and the fact that the benefits of diversity and the expansion of the views, and the understanding of the viewpoints and productivity motivation is a true culture of inclusion. And we know that our world's really changing. So, experts predict that by 2044, get this statistic, groups formally seen as minorities are going to collectively reach a majority status. So, in other words, the groups that are currently underrepresented will become a majority in some industries.

So, we need to start to deliver a lot of programs for groups simply to accommodate the changing demographics of the workforce. And we know we've got five generations in the workforce at the moment, and each has been brought up in different times with different values, and different expectations of employers. And our workforce is really becoming increasingly diverse. 75% of our employee base will be millennials by 2025, and we know that millennials are about 16% more diverse than our baby boomers. So, we need to really focus our initiatives intentionally around accommodating and supporting some of these groups. Also, from a business continuity perspective, there's a real untapped talent market out there that we need to support in reflection of our community. I think we need to recognize our biases, so there needs to be support and education around understanding our bias and that's just ongoing, but we need training through, you know, really different means. So, storytelling and real situations and understanding people's experiences, and listening to the voice from the shop floor. So, really understanding, you know, what our people need and what they want, and what they're calling for to create that environment of inclusion and belonging.

Erin: Thank you so much for your insight and your wisdom today on this topic. It's been fantastic to hear the advice that you've been giving, and I hope that our listeners take it on and A, become aware of what microaggressions are on a deeper level, know when they see one and are not afraid to call one out if they see one happening. Thanks again, Rebecca, it's been fantastic having you.

Rebecca: Thank you so much, Erin.

Conclusion 

Erin: Thank you for listening to Hire Potential with Indeed. Before you go and start building a better workplace, don't forget to hit subscribe, and leave a review if you found this podcast helpful. If you'd like to read our full D&I report, click the link in this episode's description to fill out the form. 

Just a quick note, the views and opinions expressed in this episode by the guests do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Indeed. Additionally, the information in this episode does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. Instead, all content we discuss is for general informational purposes only and you should consult with a legal professional for any legal issues you may be experiencing.

The data in this podcast references Indeed’s 2021 D&I report. 

Sources: Indeed is the world's #1 job site according to Comscore, Total Visits, March 2021.

Sources: Over 250 million unique visitors every month, Google Analytics, Unique Visitors, February 2020.

Sources: The research in the report referenced in this episode was commissioned by ThatComms Co on behalf of Indeed and conducted by YouGov. The study was conducted online between 11 - 17 February 2021, involving 2,060 working age Australians (aged between 18-64) currently in either full or part-time employment, or actively looking for work