The Impact of Stereotype Threat

We have learned about what stereotype threat is, and how we can recognize it in our workplace. However, more importantly, we need to learn about what the impact of stereotype threat Is for Indigenous employees and how we can begin to address it.

Stereotype threat takes a psychological, emotional, and physical toll. It can lead to anxiety and trouble focusing, contributing to poorer performance.

 

Stereotype Threat and Information Processing

Stereotype threat not only affects performance but also makes it harder for people to learn new things. People under stereotype threat generally do not learn new things as well or as quickly, which in the workplace can mean fewer chances for promotions and career growth. Further, research has found that stereotype threat causes emotions such as feeling powerless, irritated, and uninterested, which can lead to psychological effects such having lower goals and withdrawing from others in the workplace.

 

The Organizational Impacts of Stereotype Threat

These physical, emotional, and psychological negative outcomes of stereotype threat have broad repercussions for the workplace and organizational culture. Some of these repercussions include:

  • Biased decision-making in hiring, promotion, and task assignments, resulting in inequitable opportunities for Indigenous employees.
  • Feeling stereotype threat can stop employees from feeling free to offer their perspectives,  limiting the potential for innovation and creative problem-solving within the workplace.
  • Overall morale and well-being in the workplace can be impacted when there are employees who experience decreased job satisfaction and engagement due to stereotype threat.
  • The negative impact of stereotype threat may contribute to higher turnover rates, particularly among individuals from stereotyped groups who may feel marginalized or undervalued.
  • Stereotype threat can also lead to strained relationships among colleagues, fostering an environment where misunderstandings and miscommunications are common.
  • Workplace cultures affected by stereotype threat may struggle to establish genuine diversity and inclusion, as individuals from underrepresented groups may be hesitant to fully engage or contribute

As we can see through these examples, stereotype threat can impact overall workplace morale. This ultimately leads to a less supportive atmosphere for all employees. The perception of inequitable treatment based on stereotypes can erode trust among team members, hindering effective communication and teamwork. As a result, stereotype threat can impact every element of a workplace.

 

Reflection

Think of the following case study:

You are sitting on the hiring committee at work for a new position on your team. The lead hiring manager is reluctant to interview someone because of their name on their resume. The manager says they are sure this applicant is Indigenous so it would not be worth the time to interview the applicant because they would not fit into the organization’s culture.

Answer the following questions with this scenario in mind. You can share your answer with a colleague, or reflect on it by yourself.

  1. How might stereotyping such as this affect workplace culture?
  2. How do you think it might affect individual employees on the team or those who may join the team?
  3. What action could you personally take to try and address this scenario if it occurred in your workplace?

 

License

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Stereotype Threat Copyright © by Roya Amini and Catherine T. Kwantes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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