The Impact of Microaggressions on Indigenous and Minority Employees
Although microaggressions can affect all employees in various ways, Indigenous and other minority employees can often find themselves experiencing the profound emotional and psychological impact that they can have in a professional setting. This can affect the way these employees interact with others within their workplace and how they view themselves within a professional environment.
These impacts can show up in many different ways in a workplace setting. A few examples of how they may show up include:
- Feelings of isolation and exclusion from the broader community.
- Anger, frustration, and stress resulting from daily encounters with microaggressions.
- Heightened vulnerability to mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
- Reduced self-esteem and self-worth, often stem from the constant invalidation of one’s identity and experiences.
These impacts can have a profound impact on the environment of the workplace, and more specifically how safe Indigenous and minority employees feel within them.
With this in mind, take some time to reflect on the following question and your own lived experiences:
Reflection
- Does your workplace have any practices that you think actively work to make your place of work more inclusive for all employees?
- What are these practices and how effective do you think they are at making a safe and inclusive environment for indigenous employees?
