The Experiences of Marginalized Groups in the Undercover Workplace

Happy Black History Month!!

For many, especially in the African American/Black community, the workplace can be a volatile place. Workplaces today are generally unhealthy, with people from all different backgrounds, professions or social categories having a variety of negative experiences. I think one of the many misperceptions some people have is that since they’ve never experienced negativity at work (or a certain type of negative experience), others speaking up about their experiences must be lying, embellishing, or just too sensitive.

If I were to tell you some stories of the types of behavior and experiences I've seen and been victim to in the workplace, you would think I was crazy or exaggerating. But no- when people believe you are part of an unsupported group who can do nothing for them, you see a different side of human behavior many other people don't think is possible.

My experience unfortunately isn't unique- this is a common experience of African American/Black Americans and other marginalized groups in the workplace. Why is this the case?

Socially constructed biases drive the undercover workplace culture by labelling others, keeping people segmented, and guiding the public opinion about certain experiences or groups of people in hopes of maintaining the status quo.

Let's review some common social biases that guide human behavior in the workplace:

Social Biases at Play in the Undercover Workplace

• Projection Bias: Projection is when people think that others should think, feel and behave as they do in any given situation, and cannot fathom that others have different thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from their own. For example, if you're quiet, someone projecting onto you may feel you are angry, because when they're angry, they are quiet. They cannot understand that being quiet is just some people's neutral state. Another example of this is when others treat you as if you are the stereotype, or whatever their perception is of you, even if you display qualities and behaviors contrary to that perception. Their fears and insecurities create discriminatory behaviors (which can sometimes even be dangerous) leaving us vulnerable to workplace bullying and other abuses.
• Groupthink: Simply put, if everyone thinks and behaves the same, they are easier to control. Projection biases are connected to groupthink- the idea that we all do and should think and act alike. So, corporate jargon such as "cultural alignment" alludes to changing the way you think, feel, and behave to whatever the established norms are- whether they are effective or not; right or wrong. Making matters worse, often these expectations are tied to the norms of the undercover workplace, and not the actual mission, vision and values advertised in the company. Alignment then has less to do with culture and working together effectively, than it does with control and keeping dissenting opinions and ideas at bay. Being a person of color, simply by existing, can put you at odds with this "cultural alignment". If you have an accent, a certain body type, or anything else that is deemed different from the status quo, socially this puts you at a disadvantage, adding to the emotional tax we often have to pay just to function and complete our tasks in the workplace.
• Ingroup Bias: This is huge and is the biggest factor in the development of and maintaining of the status quo. The creation of an "in" group and "out" group is manipulated to get people to behave in ways in alignment with the status quo. This includes forcing people to give up parts of themselves to be part of something comfortable for the masses. For example, code-switching, wearing only certain hairstyles, having to bring a special note to wear religious head garments, or the infamous permanent smile many of us women are asked to wear to seem "less intimidating." The fear of not being part of the "in" group that some of us may have is due to the social punishments inflicted on those who are deemed outsiders- such as being afforded little to no opportunity to grow, pay inequity, bullying/ostracizing and gaslighting ("If you would just do/be 'x', then you wouldn't go through this...")
• Motivated Reasoning: Victim-blaming and prejudice beliefs stem from a motivated reasoning bias- a bias in which people find reasons they feel justify why they believe what they believe. Like ingroup bias, motivated reasoning causes people to blame others for their experiences, without considering how the systems and environment may be impacting the person. For those who support the status quo as a way to keep societal order and encourage “collaboration”, I encourage you to think a little deeper on how exactly forcing one way of being and abusing anyone who doesn’t fit encourages effective collaboration and order. For whom?
• Ascribed Status: We come into the workplace with societal labels we didn't assign ourselves, that negatively impact our workplace experience. Making marginalized groups responsible for their marginalization that they didn't create seems unrealistic, and ties to the motivated reasoning bias above. When we are blamed for our own outcomes, it sounds like " You're not conforming the way we need you to, so you deserve the mistreatment you're receiving. Just conform, and we'll treat you better." Having conditions on if and when you'll treat someone well also seems antagonistic- why can't we just respect people as they are? Why am I only deserving of respect, regard, or opportunities IF I satisfy some arbitrary criteria I've had no say in creating?

An important thing to be aware of is this- status quo behavior is normal for people who align their life and experience to it. In other words, when people who believe in the status quo hear our stories, they will immediately employ the above biases to separate themselves from you and blame you for not aligning and being "right", "normal", or "good". So, expecting empathy and understanding from this group of people (which can include anyone from any background) only leads to disappointment and further victimization.

Some Questions to Consider- Shifting the Paradigm

So, where do you fall in any of the above? Are you a loyal supporter of the status quo, even though the status quo oppresses and abuses others? Do you find yourself on the "wrong" side of the status quo- forever labelled as something undesirable or "bad" simply for existing?

If you do support the status quo, do you also support others being abused or punished for not fitting in? Do people deserve the treatment they receive?

Consider your place in society and in your workplace, and also your stance on the oppression and abuse of others. Simply because it is not your experience, does not mean it doesn't happen- as I mentioned above, only those of us who find ourselves on the wrong side of things truly know the worse side of human behaviors. Your best friend who treats you well (because you fit well into their worldview) can be the same person gaslighting and abusing their coworker or spouse.

We need to be able to acknowledge and understand the realities of the world and the workplace in order to properly address the problems we face. This starts with self-reflection and understanding how our own behavior and biases impact the experiences of others, as well as authentic, transparent conversation about not only what needs to change, but how we can change it in order to achieve the ultimate goal of socially, emotionally, and mentally safe workplaces for all.

Nicole is an organizational consultant and personal coach, who is passionate about inspiring the changes our society needs for all to thrive. Using lessons learned from her own experiences and challenges, she hopes to help people within organizations by creating mentally, socially, and emotionally healthy workplaces for all.

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