Though companies are taking measures to ensure diversity and inclusion in the workforce, episodes of microaggressions can disrupt an organisation’s culture and leave a negative impact on employees’ mental well-being to the extent that they might even quit their jobs.

Such remarks often target one’s gender, race or sexual orientation. If such issues are not addressed on time, they can lead to the creation of a hostile work environment. Employees will constantly feel alienated. Hence, it’s important to understand such issues, their long-term impact and how organisations can eliminate them.

Microaggressions: What and why

RP Yadav, Chairman and Managing Director, Genius Consultants Limited, describes microaggressions as subtle, often unintentional comments or actions that convey derogatory or dismissive messages. Unlike explicit acts of discrimination, which are overt and clear in intent, he says microaggressions can be more insidious, often dismissed as innocent remarks. And this difference can make it harder to recognise and address them, yet their cumulative effect can be profoundly damaging to an individual’s sense of belonging and self-worth.

Sonica Aron, Founder, Marching Sheep, says microaggressions are day-to-day slights that seep into our behaviour arising out of stereotypes and biases. For instance, a casual comment towards a new parent, irrespective of gender, commenting on their being rendered “unavailable” to the team for the next few months due to additional responsibilities. Even if said jokingly, she says such comments can put pressure on a person to demonstrate and prove their worth and availability at work.

Similarly, labelling people as “diversity hires”, regularly mocking someone’s dressing sense, or interrupting or speaking over another person in team meetings if that person is junior, less experienced, or of another gender are a few other instances of microaggressions that one might experience at work, she highlights.

Shruti Aggarwal, Co-founder, Stashfin, says such situations can potentially have a severe psychological impact on employees. In contrast to outright discrimination, which is intentional, microaggressions sometimes even go unrecognised by the person committing them. This makes it difficult to address them. However, their overall effect can erode an individual’s sense of well-being.


How they hinder diversity and inclusion initiatives
Microaggressions can significantly undermine diversity and inclusion efforts by creating an environment where marginalised individuals feel invalidated or unwelcome, says Yadav. This can lead to disengagement, decreased morale and higher turnover rates as employees may choose to leave in search of a more supportive workplace.

At Marching Sheep, Aron says that they believe an employee experiences an organisation through their managers and the kind of team environment they create. An organisation can have the best articulated inclusive policies and processes but if managers are not sensitised regularly on how to eliminate microaggressions for every employee, the policies and processes do not reach employees in letter and spirit, she adds.

Microaggression incidents can create a hostile work environment for employees from diverse backgrounds, undermining the very principles of inclusion, says Aggarwal. “While some employees experiencing microaggressions can feel the need to dismiss their cultural identities to fit well within the team, others might feel demoralised, resulting in lower productivity and job satisfaction. This environment may compel the affected employees to seek out workplaces where they feel respected and valued.”
Role leaders play in addressing and mitigating them
According to Yadav, leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone for a respectful workplace. Hence, they must actively educate themselves and their teams about microaggressions, encourage open dialogue, and implement policies that promote accountability and support for those who experience them. By doing so, leaders can foster a culture of respect and inclusivity.
Policies and processes are brought to life by leaders and managers. However, our leaders and managers come from the same society which is deeply steeped into stereotypes and biases, says Aron. Hence, she believes that continuous sensitisation, building awareness, and promoting allyship behaviours across all people managers is instrumental in today’s times.
Leaders play a critical role in preventing and addressing microaggressions by actively fostering a culture of respect and inclusion, says Aggarwal. By effectively creating awareness via training, leaders can set clear expectations for respectful communication to address the impact of microaggressions.

Plus, according to her, leaders must encourage open communication, bystander intervention, and diverse perspectives to openly address bias and model inclusive behaviour. Consistent actions and accountability will allow leaders to cultivate a positive work environment and ensure all employees feel valued and empowered, she adds.

How can individuals effectively respond to microaggressions when they occur?
Yadav suggests three effective ways individuals can adopt to deal with such situations. First, by addressing the remark directly and expressing how it made them feel, which can help raise awareness; second, by seeking support from colleagues or HR if they feel uncomfortable confronting the individual; and third, by documenting incidents to identify patterns.
Aron says it is important to call it out in a one-to-one interaction, and gently make them aware of how it impacts you. Chances are that they will not repeat it. However, in deliberate cases, one must show the courage to stand up for oneself and call it out. For example, she says if someone has a habit of interrupting you or speaking over you in team meetings, and despite a gentle reminder, you see no change, then you need to assertively tell them to stop.
She herself has been a recipient of microaggressions. She says there was a time when one of her managers had a habit of screaming and it adversely impacted her mentally and emotionally, affecting her productivity. The first couple of months, she tried to build a rapport with her. When that did not work, one day she answered back with data in the same tone and decibel.
In another instance, she was labelled as “not good enough” as she was an introvert. Without letting it impact her, she showcased her work and achievements through the right channels.

When responding to microaggressions, it’s essential to approach the situation with composure and focus on the action rather than attacking the individual, suggests Aggarwal. She says employees can calmly point out the behaviour by saying “this action/statement is hurtful as it reinforces a stereotype” or “can you clarify what you mean by that?”.

This approach allows the other person to reflect on their actions and might unveil an unconscious microaggression. However, If the behaviour continues, her advice is to seek support from a trusted colleague, supervisor or HR representatives.

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