Dear India Inc., There Really Is No Place For Microaggression At The Workplace

"Wow, was that really your idea? You’ll definitely get the promotion under diversity quota." 

"Why are you being so hysterical? Is it one of those days? Will you be able to work from the site?" 

How often, as women, do you hear these barbs lobbed at you? What about these behaviours:

You are spoken over during meetings, even as your male colleagues get their voices heard, often repeating your ideas. Someone else gets credited for your idea. Or your ideas are not taken seriously.

Dear India Inc., there is a word for all of this—it is called 'Microaggressions'. 

The list of behaviours that count as microaggressions is endless. Work plans are made outside office and you are not included; ideas are discussed during cigarette breaks and you are just informed; just because you are a woman, you are given all the ‘womanly’  tasks—ordering lunch and coffee, taking notes in the meeting or making rangoli at the office function. Necessary jobs, but given to you because of your gender and assumed that only you can or should do it?

What’s worse is that you are not treated as a leader or boss. You are forgotten to be marked on important emails. While you are talking, your team leads continue to look into their phones or laptops.

The Deloitte Global Women at Work 2022 Report highlighted how almost 60% women in corporate jobs have complained of encountering microaggression at the workplace. Microaggression, passive aggression, mansplaining, sarcastic remarks, cold treatment, hostile body language and demeaning gestures are all part of this list.

Unfortunately, most women don’t even realise that these behaviours qualify as microaggressions or that they need to be reported.

The report further said that despite the number of women experiencing non-inclusive behaviours, only 31% of these behaviours were reported, with harassment far more likely to be reported than microaggressions (66% vs 23%). The most common reason women gave for not reporting these behaviours was that they did not feel it was serious enough to report. 

Interestingly, one-fifth of women experiencing microaggression didn’t report it because they were worried the behaviour would get worse. 93% believed reporting non-inclusive behaviours would negatively impact their careers, and most felt that action won’t be taken if these behaviours are reported. This speaks volumes about the work culture and absence of psychological safety that women have at work.

In fact, in some offices, microaggressions are meticulously used to create a hostile work environment. Dear India Inc., have you noticed that people in your organisation are consciously or unconsciously doing this? 

In this entire situation, if one adds the element of intersectionality, microaggressions take on a whole new meaning.

If an employee is from a certain caste, if she is from a marginalised community, or from an LGBTQ community, or comes from a small town, lesser-known education institute, or even if she is just dark-skinned—microaggressions can take on forms that can leave a lasting impact.

Caste-based microaggressions have made their presence felt even in Silicon Valley, where people from marginalised communities have complained against several successful brands using microaggression and casteist slurs, engaging in discriminatory hiring and firing, sexual harassment and relentless passive aggression.

Sexist remarks and misogyny are laced with humour and served on a platter.

Microaggressions are not just targeted at women. Men face microaggression in equal measures. Men also suffer from toxic masculinity, where they are expected to be a certain type and are reprimanded or taunted if they are not aggressive enough, not ambitious enough, or not polished enough.

What are these microaggressions costing the company? Well, to start with, women don't feel safe. They also feel judged and guilty at the same time. This hampers their growth, their performance. Then, there are women who just walk out. They don't want to work in a toxic environment. Either way, a company is losing a good worker.

So, Dear India Inc., here are some handy tips:

• Leaders and managers, make an effort to recognise and accept that this is happening in your organisation or that perhaps, you are party to it too.

• Have regular feedback sessions with women employees, make them comfortable, and encourage them to report microaggressions. Have a dropbox, in case you feel they would rather do this anonymously.

• Stand up for your female colleague if you see this behaviour in action. You can be the change and a good ally.

• And women, speak up. Face the bullies and practice comebacks:

1. "Wow, did you really just say that?"

2. "Hey, I would like your active attention please."

3. "I would like my idea to be heard."

4. "Please respect my need for space."

Fighting microaggressions is the only way to stop them from becoming harassment.

Mugdha Kalra is a journalist with over 20 years of experience. She is a renowned inclusivity expert and was chosen as one of BBC100Women, 2021.

The views expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of BQ Prime or its editorial team.