Racism in the workplace is a serious problem. It’s hard to find clear statistics on racism in particular in workplaces, but, research shows that Black women are 4 times more likely to experience harassment at work than white women.This is just one example of the many organisations where racism occurs, and it is likely that these percentages are much higher. Racist incidents often go unreported, for example because people do not feel safe enough to report it.
This article is about racism in the workplace; unequal treatment of employees because of their origin, skin colour and sometimes religion. Racism in the workplace takes different forms, such as unequal treatment in job applications or promotions and racist comments between colleagues. In this blog, we discuss what racism in the workplace entails and what you can do to combat it. Want to know how to make your workplace a safer and more inclusive space for everyone? Then read on quickly!
What does racism in the workplace look like?
Racism in the workplace means that people are (consciously and unconsciously) disadvantaged or excluded in the workplace because of their skin colour, origin and sometimes because of their religion (for example Islamophobia). Want to learn more about the definition of racism? Then read more about what racism means and how it occurs in the Netherlands here.
Racism can manifest itself in different ways in the workplace:
- Open racism: This is clearly visible, such as discriminatory remarks or overt harassment.
- Subtle racism: This is less visible, such as racist micro-aggressions. These are small, often unconscious actions or comments that can have a negative impact. They can be hard to spot, but they can cause harm (read more about what constitutes racist micro-aggressions here).
Racism can occur as:
- Racism during the application process: For example, not inviting candidates with a ‘non-Dutch’ surname. Or asking about someone’s origin during the interview, when it is not relevant to the job (this is called microaggression).
- Unequal treatment when handing out promotions: Employees with a certain ethnicity get fewer chances for promotion or are paid less.
- Racist behaviour among themselves: Employees of colour may face racist behaviour from their colleagues and/or employer. Think of not including a colleague of colour in a meeting because you subconsciously have a certain stereotype about this colleague in your mind. This is another example of microaggression: subtle, often unconscious actions or comments that do a lot of damage. But more direct racist comments also have major consequences.
- Not taking reports of racism seriously: When reports of racism are not taken seriously by managers, this can create an unsafe atmosphere in the workplace. Reporters of racism thus do not feel heard and there seems to be no room for positive change within the team.
- Institutional racism: This is racism that is ‘ingrained’ in the organisation. It is in the rules for hiring people, for example, or in how people are judged. This can cause people to be treated unequally.
Effects of racism in the workplace
Racism in the workplace can have serious effects on employees’ attitudes and well-being. It can lead to:
- Stress and anxiety: Employees feel stressed, unsafe and unappreciated.
- Depression: Racism can lead to feelings of depression and loneliness, sometimes even suicide.
- Reduced motivation and concentration: Employees are less motivated and/or concentrated to do their work if they do not feel comfortable in their work environment.
- Reduced productivity: Employees are less able to concentrate on their work due to stress.
- High employee turnover: Employees may leave a company where racism takes place.
So racism in the workplace creates an unhealthy (toxic) corporate culture and this affects Black colleagues and colleagues of colour. Fortunately, whatever role you have, you can stand up against racism.
What can you do against racism in the workplace?
It is important to recognise racism in the workplace and take action against it. Here are a few tips:
- Learn more about racism: Read books, such as The Anti-racism Handbook by Chanel Matil Lodik, or attend a Fairspace training on racism. To recognise racism, you must first understand what it entails. Interested in training? Get in touch with us!
- Be alert: Pay attention to what happens in the workplace.
- Speak up: If you see or hear something that is not right, speak up. Talk to the person doing it, to a supervisor and/or a confidential advisor.
- Be an ally: Support colleagues who face racism. Show that you are against it. For example, by listening to your colleagues when they talk about their experiences, supporting them when they want to report racism to their supervisor and talking openly about racism and learning more about diversity and inclusion.
- Inform others: Tell your colleagues about racism, what it means and what the consequences are. Get anti-racism on the agenda within your organisation, by raising the topic during a meeting, for example.
- Organise training sessions: Encourage your company to offer training on diversity and inclusion.
- Seek help: Contact a confidant, the HR department or another organisation, such as Fairspace. Fairspace offers training for workplaces, such as ‘’Safety and inclusion in the workplace‘’. Read more about the possibilities here.
Conclusion
Racism in the workplace is a pressing issue. It is important to recognise racism and take action against it. By working with others, you can create a working environment where everyone feels safe and valued. Don’t give racism a chance! Together, we can make a difference.
