An alarming 78 per cent of women who face microaggressions self-shield at work. That means, they alter or adjust their appearance or conduct in order to safeguard themselves. That is rather worrisome when globally people are waking up to the fact that women are finally finding their place in the board rooms. If women feel the need to change who they are in order to feel included, then women have not been empowered in the true sense of the word, have they?
A recent report, ‘Women in the workplace 2023’, by McKinsey, reveals that one per cent of all women feel that others get credit for their ideas at the workplace. This is worrisome because only 14 per cent of all men surveyed feel so.
Many women prefer not to express their opinions just so that they do not appear to be aggressive members of the team. Needless to say, this suppression of their genuine feelings and opinions causes them stress. Women who experience microaggressions and resort to self-shielding themselves to safeguard themselves are three times more likely to considering giving up their jobs. They are also four times more likely to feel burnt out. Organisations and employers who are ignoring microaggressions at the workplace are now allowing the women in their workforce to put in their best.
So what exactly are ‘microaggressions’?
Microaggressions are embarrassing or humiliating comments or biased actions, targeted at the race, gender or other facets of people belonging to minority communities. Such comments are intentionally or unintentionally made to hurt the sentiments of marginalised communities. For instance, praising a Japanese employee in a US firm for her flawless English simply because she is not born in the US can be an example of microaggression. This is a subtle way of discriminating which tends to have a strong effect on the well-being of those targeted.
To protect themselves from such comments, the targeted people try to change their conduct, behaviour or appearance. They try to keep their true opinions or feelings to themselves, refrain from voicing their thoughts and even try to alter their appearance so that they are less noticed.
The report reveals some 32 per cent of women with disabilities feel that others get credit for their ideas, while 26 per cent of LGBTQ+ women feel others get credit for their ideas. About 21 per cent of all women say the credit for their ideas goes to others at work. About 21 per cent of white women, 17 per cent of Asian women, 15 per cent of Latinas and 22 per cent of Black women feel the same way. When it comes to men, only 14 per cent of all men say that the credit for their ideas is given to others. The figures speak for themselves.
About 24 per cent of white women feel their judgment is questioned, while 16 per cent of Asian women, 17 per cent of Latinas and 27 per cent of Black women share the same opinion. About 39 per cent of women with disabilities, 33 per cent of those belonging to the LGBTQ+ community and 23 per cent of all women in general have their judgement questioned. However, only 14% of all men have every had their judgment questioned.
About nine per cent of white women have been mistaken for someone more junior at their workplace. About eight per cent of Asian women, six per cent Latinas and nine per cent Black women share the same opinion. About 14 per cent of women with disabilities admit that they have been mistaken for a much junior-level employee, and so do 11 per cent of LGBTQ+ women and nine per cent of all women. However, only five per cent of all men have had such an experience.
While merely 10 per cent of all men feel they are interrupted or spoken over more than others, a good 22 per cent of all women have been interrupted while speaking. Also, 22 per cent of white women, 19 per cent of Asian women, 19 per cent of Latinas and 24 per cent of Black women have been interrupted or spoken over more than others.
When it comes to demeaning and othering, women haven’t had it easy at the workplace.
While five per cent of all women, three per cent of Asian women, five per cent of Latinas and six per cent of Black women have received comments on their appearance at work, only two per cent of all men have had such an experience. A significant 14 per cent of LGBTQ+ and 12 per cent of women with disabilities feel others comment on their appearance.
While 12 per cent of all women have faced comments pertaining to their emotional state, only six per cent of all men have done so. Twelve per cent of White women and seven per cent of Asian women have been commented on for their emotional state.
While only 10 per cent of all men admit to having been criticized for their demeanour, 14 per cent of all women admit to having been criticized. In fact, 15 per cent of White women, nine per cent of Asian women and 18 per cent of Black women say they have been criticized for their demeanour.
When it comes to accents, only three per cent of all men compared to four per cent of all women feel judged. Two per cent of White women, eight per cent of Black women and seven per cent of Asian women feel judged because of their accent.
While seven per cent of all women feel others make assumptions about their culture, only five per cent of all men feel so. Two per cent of White women, 17 per cent of Asian women, 16 per cent of Latinas and 13 per cent of Black women admit that others make assumptions about their culture.
How is such microaggression harmful?
Women, especially Asian women are more likely to be mistaken for other colleagues of the same race or ethnicity. Such an experience is common amongst Black women too. That means, their contributions may actually not be noticed at work. This also shows lack of respect for them and their race. As a result eight per cent women feel the need to alter the way they look and put on a more professional attire and look. Only four per cent of all men feel this need. Again, women are more likely targets.
Nine per cent White women, seven per cent Asian women, seven per cent Latinas and nine per cent Black women admit to feeling pressured to change how they look and put in efforts to bring about more professionalism in their appearance.
Similarly, compared to 32 per cent of women, only 23 per cent of all men feel the need to tone down what they say to avoid being hated. A significant 32 per cent White women, 28 per cent Asian women, 26 per cent Latinas and 37 per cent Black women admit to toning down what they say to avoid being unlikable.
It is worrying that 22 per cent of all men refrain from speaking up or sharing their opinion compared to 31 per cent of all women. A whopping 44 per cent Black women feel ncomfortable disagreeing with their colleagues, compared to 57 per cent White women and 51 per cent Asian.
When women try to self-shield to safeguard themselves from microaggressions at work, they are 4.2 times more likely to experience burnout, 3.3 times more likely to consider quitting the job, 2.6 times more likely to not recommend their company to others and 3.8 times more likely to feel they lack equal opportunity for advancement.