How To Raise Your Voice Against Office Discrimination
It is a sad reality, but a reality indeed! Coming to the 21st century with such scientific discoveries talking about how similar homo-homo sapiens are, we are still dealing with discrimination. Especially in a place of occupation (…where we spend more than 8 hours of our day).
Office politics and colleague bullying are at their highest peak now. We are sorry to say that, as a corporate culture, we are quite uncultured when it comes to acceptance. Especially over something which people have no control over.
Yes, I am talking about the different types of discrimination that people go through on a daily basis at their workplace, whether it is their ethnicity which is somehow dictating their worth. Or their gender, which determines their capability. Or stagnation of a promotion because you are “too young for this position.”
Our workplace demands efficiency and yet throws a blind eye towards these scenes of discrimination. Well, not anymore!
You always have a voice to raise and a mind to take action!
Do you know how? Here is how you can raise your voice and take action against discrimination.
What Is Discrimination?
It is an action to take unfair and prejudiced action against someone based on a vicious social stereotype. Some examples of discrimination are women not being given a higher job post because they are emotional beings. Or believing that an individual of African-American descent could only be the one with a criminal record.
Types Of Discrimination
Here are the different types of institutional discrimination which you should be aware of, especially subtle microaggression in office:
- Age Discrimination: When a senior judges a junior’s capability because of their age.
- Disability Discrimination: When it is believed that someone’s physical discrimination derails their mental capability.
- Sexual Discrimination: When a corporation judges someone’s skill based on their sexual orientation.
- Religious Discrimination: Discrimination in office based on their religious preferences.
- Nationality Discrimination: Discrimination based on someone’s country, especially if they just moved from another country to work.
- Pregnancy Discrimination: When one judges a pregnant person or a mother’s skills to complete their work, i.e. assuming that they wouldn’t be able to take the responsibility.
- How To Raise Your Voice Against Office Discrimination
- Gender-Based Discrimination: Capability of a woman judged due to their gender or Emotional Intelligence, i.e. they are not logical enough to handle a task.
How wrong is workplace discrimination?
Well, there seems to be no end to the problem. In the workplace, you may face discrimination due to any of these nine protected characteristics:
- Race
- Gender type
- Age issues
- Sexual orientation
- Religious perceptions
- Nationality
- Ethnicity
- Disability issues
Remember, workplace discrimination does not cover colleagues only. It applies equally to any interview candidate, supplier, or office cab driver. And the fact is that there are tons of cases of discrimination every day.
The US now has anti-discrimination laws for more than 50 years. However, the scenario has rarely changed. 60% of the US people claim that age discrimination is a serious problem. Rain or shine, they will face some or the other form of age discrimination.
Secondly, most US workplaces are prone to racial discrimination. Around 49% of black employees face direct discrimination. They face around 4 to 5 times more discrimination than their white counterparts.
Raising A Voice Against Discrimination
Here are some of the best ways you can raise your voice against discrimination and help the aggrieved person at the same time.
1. Gather Knowledge
Raising your voice without knowing the proper legal matter and rights can be fruitless for you. Plus, it can prove fatal for the person you are speaking for. This is why gathering Knowledge is more important if you wish to make a point.
Try to read more about the numbers, statistics, and kinds of discrimination which are going around in different workplaces. How their pattern matches with the one you are working for, and the legal consequences against it. If required, take assistance from discrimination lawyers to know about the subject matter from a legal front.
2. Get Comfortable With Not Being Liked
When we first join an organization, we love to befriend everyone. Especially the one who is in a more advantageous position than us. That is indeed human nature to be everyone’s favorite. However, it is not necessary to also be comfortable with not being liked. If you are always trying to be a “Yes Man” and please the likes of everyone, you might never be able to raise your voice against anyone.
Especially the senior management who are indulging in discriminating behavior towards a hard-working colleague of yours.
3. Think About Your Language
When we ask everyone to raise their voice against any injustice, we do not mean literally raising your voice to your maximum pitch. Rather, keeping it professional when speaking about discrimination will help you the most.
It is all about making the right statement and using the right language. If you are calm and able to present your point without losing your own emotional bandwidth, people will be more interested in listening.
As Aristotle once said,
“Anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.”
– Aristotle, Greek Philosopher.
When speaking against discrimination, the ability to showcase your anger in the right way is what makes all the discrimination.
4. Have Your Facts Straight
Do not go up to HR with a rumor you heard and start charging. First, get your facts in place. Remember, the world runs on solid proofs, and unless you are able to provide one, your case doesn’t stand a chance.
That being said, we are not saying to ignore any workplace discrimination rumor. Rather, take some time to verify the contents of such a rumor. Sometimes, it is a case of vicious microaggression. But, it could also be a simple misunderstanding between two parties.
You wouldn’t want to take a misunderstanding as a serious case, as it may make you a less credible source from now on.
5. Talk To Your HR First
When you have a strong suspicion against a workplace discrimination case, always go to HR first. Taking up the matter and letting them know about it makes them aware. With this, they can begin their investigation regarding the said person.
However, you also have to keep a closer eye on where the case went after your complaint. Are the HRs taking action, or are you still seeing the action being repeated? If there is repetition, you have every right to raise a more stern voice.
Protecting The Aggrieved One
Amidst all the rising voices against workplace discrimination, you shouldn’t forget one important detail: you are responsible for protecting the aggrieved individual in the workplace. Whether you saw them facing the issue or they simply confided with you, This is how you can protect them:
- Ask them to speak to the HR in confidence before you go.
- Ensure they always have someone to talk to.
- Encourage them to take video proof if possible.
- Stand beside them if they are facing an issue on the office floor.
- If the scenario gets too serious, do not be afraid to advise them to resign.
Your one action can give many the voice to speak up. Never underestimate the power of protest, and always speak up when necessary.
Who will Protect you?
Remember, discrimination is a strong peril in the workplace. But the most dire part is that people are unaware of their rights. Ensuring fair treatment in professional settings is essential, and there are several anti-discrimination laws in the US that help protect employees. The most important ones are:
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
This is a direct branch of the federal government. Their prime role is protecting employees’ rights. When your company has more than 15 employees, you can claim EEOC’s coverage.
The body will independently scrutinize all workplace issues. They may investigate your office policies like hiring, promotion, pay, leave, etc.
Civil Rights Office
If your religious freedom is at stake, contact the Civil Rights office. Similarly, you can ring their bell for any civil-liberty-related issue. The same body also educates office groups, social workers, and others on privacy, freedom, and other individual rights and leverages.
State’s Labor Office
There is a separate Department of Labor in each state. Each state has separate federal laws to tackle the problem of office discrimination. You may also locate and communicate with your local office easily.
How to detect a discriminatory workplace?
Something is not right about the place if there’s a subtle undertone of implicit hostility. Often, the discrimination would come at you like unintended or naive behavior, But it does not remain platonic or innocent after a point of time. How can you identify such a workplace? Here are some cues:
Low diversity
Are you facing racial discrimination in your office? There might not be any visible or apparent issues to prove that. But the proof is in the pudding. If there are only male or white employees in your company, lodge a DEI investigation.
Retaliation
Are whistleblowers becoming scapegoats in your company? And that’s happening time and again? There might be someone who’s breeding discriminatory behavior in the workplace.
Offensive conduct
Is your workplace conversation normal? Are you comfortable with the CEO eavesdropping on your chats someday? Do you talk with potential hires the same way? If not, there’s a chance that you need to clean up your banter.
There’s training for everything.
Discrimination is not a norm, but still common in the workplace. Maybe we can’t resolve discrimination or bias in the workplace in a day. But what’s stopping us from striving to do so?
The APA is planning on organizing moves to approach workplace discrimination. But we must address the same at a micro level, too.
More Resources:
