by Chaneen Cummings-Kouassi, Human Resources, and Diana Levey, Global Marketing
We work to cultivate a corporate culture of comradery, trust, and support. More often than not, we succeed. This series, HR Matters, from JMP’s Human Resources group celebrates our workplace wins and offers opportunities to make JMP an even better place to work and have a career.
The significant impact of microaggressions
Has anyone ever made an assumption about you and/or your capabilities based upon a preconceived notion? Have you ever been repeatedly overlooked or disregarded in meetings for no apparent reason? You may have thought to yourself, would this person have acted in this manner or made this comment if I were not a member of a particular group (sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, etc.)?
If so, there’s a possibility that the comment or action was a microaggression.
In a TEDx talk, Kathryn Wilson posited that microaggressions are little biases. “Microaggressions are spoken reflections of inner prejudices,” she said. In other words, microaggressions are verbal manifestations of a person’s implicit bias. Implicit bias is a negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group.
Microaggressions at JMP
As people who see trust and inclusivity as integral parts of the JMP culture, we decided to explore this topic. Several of our JMP colleagues indicated that they experienced microaggressions at work.
A Black female employee reported feeling like an outsider on the SAS campus. In one instance, an instigator quizzed and questioned what she was doing at the office and presumed she was an intern, insinuating they could not possibly be at the same professional level. This caused her to feel mistrusted and even unwelcome. As a result, she conducts most of her work remotely and limits her in-person office time. In addition, multiple members of the JMP staff have experienced being misnamed, which is when a person of color is mistaken for another colleague of the same race and sex. From the McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace 2023 study: “Asian and Black women are seven times as likely as White women to be confused with someone of the same race and ethnicity.”
Further, some JMP female employees indicated that they have experienced being told they are too dramatic, too sensitive, or take things too personally. According to the Women in the Workplace study, women are twice as likely as men to report that others comment on their emotional state. LGBTQ+ women experience it three-and-a-half times as often as men, and women with disabilities about four times more often than men do.
More examples of microaggressions
Microaggressions can happen anywhere. In the workplace, they happen online as well as in person. Here are some common examples of microaggressions:
- “I didn’t realize you were Jewish. You don’t look Jewish,” signaling that a person of Jewish heritage has a stereotypical look. (Of course, similar statements happen to people from many backgrounds.)
- “But where are you really from?” signaling that where someone grew up isn’t their “true” origin. This microaggression often happens to people who are in ethnic and racial minorities, whom others assume are immigrants.
- "You're so articulate for [your ethnicity]." This statement can perpetuate stereotypes that certain ethnicities are expected to be less articulate.
Microaggressions are “the ‘paper cuts’ of discrimination,” explained CultureMonkey, a human-resources tool provider. “While seemingly minor, they can accumulate over time, leading to significant emotional and psychological distress. These repeated slights can erode an individual's self-esteem, leaving them feeling isolated and undervalued.” According to Harvard Business Review, “The reality is that microaggressions are not so micro in terms of their impact.”
“The workplace is a mental minefield for many women, particularly those with traditionally marginalized identities,” according to the Women in the Workplace study. “Women who experience microaggressions are much less likely to feel psychologically safe, which makes it harder to take risks, propose new ideas, or raise concerns. The stakes feel just too high. On top of this, 78 percent of women who face microaggressions self-shield at work or adjust the way they look or act in an effort to protect themselves. For example, many women code-switch – or tone down what they say or do – to try to blend in and avoid a negative reaction at work. Black women are more than twice as likely as women overall to code-switch. And LGBTQ+ women are 2.5 times as likely to feel pressure to change their appearance to be perceived as more professional. The stress caused by these dynamics cuts deep.”
Intentional or unintentional, these slights take many forms. “They can target various aspects like race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or mental illness,” published CultureMonkey.
What can we do to reduce microaggressions in the workplace?
Second, reflect on your behavior and determine how your biases may manifest themselves. Have you made nonfactual assumptions about colleagues in a particular group? How heavily do you weigh opinions from members of one particular group over those from another group – for no reason other than their membership in that group? It’s important to note that people can also have implicit biases about groups of which they are members.
Third, arm yourself with information. SAS has several resources to help us identify our implicit biases, understand microaggressions, and reflect on our behaviors:
There are articles and literature that guide how to mitigate microaggressions in the workplace:
Per the Harvard Business Review, “Once you realize a microaggression has been committed, and you decide to act, it’s important to remind your friends or colleagues of the difference between intent and impact. While the speaker may not have intended the comment to be offensive, we must acknowledge the impact of our statements. Intent does not supersede or excuse actual impact. For example, you could say to the person, ‘I know you may have intended your statement to come off as ______, but the way I received it was ________.’ Sometimes simply highlighting the gap between intent and impact can be enlightening for the other person.”
These discussions are not easy, but they are imperative if we want JMP to be a more inclusive and caring company. If you have thoughts about how to combat microaggressions or would like additional information about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at JMP, you can always reach out to your Human Resources Business Partner or the JMP DEI Action Team.
From the Harvard Business Review: “The goal is not to be fearful of communicating with each other, but instead to embrace the opportunity to be intentional about it. Creating inclusive cultures where people can thrive does not happen overnight. It is a continuous process of learning, evolving, and growing.”
