How to deal with racism on the dayjob

You mildly voice a concern at work to your supervisor who responds by writing you up for being “aggressive” and demanding that a third party be present during any future encounters between the two of you.

You notice that coworkers of a certain ethnic identity or gender are paid less than others and often verbally abused by your supervisor.

Sadly, these situations are not uncommon.

The Harvard Business Review conducted a study that aimed to test the popularity of the “angry Black woman” stereotype. Out of the 300 subjects who were tested, the study found that “participants were more likely to attribute the anger of Black female employees to internal characteristics, or her personality. This had negative consequences because internal attributions translated into lower performance ratings and leadership evaluations.”

According to American Progress, “Black workers, for example, typically get paid a great deal less than white workers. The typical median weekly earnings for Black full-time employees was $727 from July 2019 to September 2019, compared with $943 for whites.”

So, racism and prejudice are frequent occurrences in many workplaces. But a number of survivors choose to keep their heads down and ignore it as best they can.

Suppose you don’t want to ignore it? Then, what do you do?

One option is to report the behavior to Human Resources.

If you do, it’s important that you have proof of their inappropriate conduct. So, if comments have been made via email or in other documents, save those emails or documents and bring them to HR. One thing to remember is to avoid recording conversations without the other person’s consent. This might not be usable as evidence or proof as it may be a violation of privacy.

Experts also recommend documenting each incident of racism, including the date, time, and location of each situation.

All of the evidence you’re able to compile can be helpful in backing up a complaint that you bring to HR. A solid body of proof may motivate them to take action and solve the problem.

Rebecca Stevens has encountered racism at work on multiple occasions. She wrote an article for Medium on the subject and offered alternative suggestions on how to manage a racist supervisor.

Stevens’ five tips are below.

1. Make sure that your tasks and objectives are crystal clear. There is nothing that a racist boss likes more than to accuse you of poor performance. Be sure to deliver on your projects and ensure you have a list of allies within the team that can speak to your achievements. Most corporate performance management platforms contain a multi-rater option which allows you to get reviews from fellow colleagues regarding your work. Use this to get as much positive feedback as possible about your performance.
2. If your boss makes racist comments or inappropriate jokes, be sure to call them out on it. If there are witnesses, make sure you tell them how uncomfortable these comments and jokes make you feel. Make sure you send a written message to your boss explaining that the inappropriate comment or joke made you feel uncomfortable. You can even report the comment or joke to your HR department so that there is a record of the behavior there.
3. As soon as you realize that your boss is a racist, start looking for new opportunities elsewhere because no matter what you do, they will not champion you. You will always be fighting a losing battle with a racist boss, so the quicker you move away from them, the better. Try not to get into conflict with them because they will put all their energy into ruining your reputation and if they are white in a white-dominated environment, and you are black, chances are, people will believe them over you.
4. It is important to always try and control the narrative about you when you work for a racist boss. This isn’t always easy. Make sure you get several nonracist or antiracist mentors to provide feedback and guidance to you as you build your career. Identify a good mentor or mentor and stick with them, build a mutually beneficial relationship with them. Get to the point where your mentor can become your ally and can stand up for you or correct a wrong narrative about you. An ally mentor can protect you from a racist boss.
5. You might have landed up with a racist boss, but you need to protect other black and brown people from ending up in a similar situation. If another black or brown person asks you about how it is to work with your boss, be truthful about the experience. Provide fact-based reasons as to why you would not recommend that person come work for your boss regardless of how good the opportunity might seem like on the outside.

​In any case, being treated unfairly at work is disheartening. It may be helpful to speak with a counselor or even a career coach who has tips on how to improve your self-esteem and embrace your sense of identity as you heal. ​