Although microaggressions are subtle, they can prevent people from bringing their whole selves to work. Therefore, leaders have to address them as they are not just jokes anymore.
Any comment or action that invalidates a person or discriminates against a person/group is known as micro-aggressions.
Here are some examples of microaggressions:
“Have you dressed up for a fashion show?” “What! Why did you get a haircut? You looked much better with long hair!” “He stopped greeting after becoming a manager; looks like he’s got attitude issues!” “This group thinks too much of themselves!”
Common causes of microaggressions
- Stereotypical representations of gender, communities, etc.
- Being unable to tolerate behavior or action which is different from their learned behavior or conditioning.
- The internal need to voice out comments/opinions that are not value-added.
- The need to express disagreement with the subject because it challenges their existing beliefs.
- Being taken aback by the shock that the person has carried themselves differently than they used to.
- The person has done something they disapprove of, although it is accepted at the workplace.
- Projecting one’s insecurities on others because they are unable to confront them.
Types of microaggressions
Microassualt: It lowers a person’s self-esteem or hurts them. For example, passing a derogatory comment about a person’s work despite knowing that they are working towards improving it.
Microinsult: Microinsults are subtler than microassaults. For example, indirectly indicating that a person obtained a promotion because of affirmative action.
Microinvalidation: Invalidating a person’s experience, feelings, or thoughts or negating a person’s experience upon listening to their experiences. For example, negating a queer person’s experience at a social party by stating that they are just overreacting.
How to address microaggressions
Educate employees about micro-aggressions: Creating awareness about the threats of micro-aggressions is the first step toward fighting them.
Acknowledge micro-aggression as a complaint: One should understand that impact matters, not the intent. If a team or an employee is constantly involved in micro-aggressions, people in charge must commit to taking action against them.
Device policies against microaggressions: Sometimes, unintentional jokes could also be microaggressions. Jokes that degrade a person’s identity, community, body shaming, to name a few, are various manifestations of micro-aggressions.
Although words cannot change reality, they have the power to change how a person perceives reality. Microaggressions could be the reason why the best employee left the organization.
