Building Inclusion and Diversity: How to Deal with Microaggressions at Work

The incredible value of diversity in the workplace has been proven time and time again. Teams that bring together people of different cultures, perspectives, and experiences are better positioned to be creative, innovative, and grow towards greater success. Promoting an inclusive environment within diverse teams does bring its own unique challenges though. One of the most nuanced of which is navigating microaggressions—those subtle, often unintentional comments or actions that may cause offense.

Microaggressions are subtle but impactful, and addressing them effectively is key to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment. Whether you’re an individual just trying to improve yourself, or a manager working to help your diverse team thrive, addressing microaggressions in a positive way is essential to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected and valued.

Understanding and tackling microaggressions head-on can transform workplace dynamics for the better. So, let’s take a look at what microaggressions are exactly and some great tips for how to deal with them when they show up.

What Are Microaggressions?

Microaggressions are brief and often unintended behaviors, statements, or actions that may marginalize individuals or groups. They often take the form of everyday slights, comments, or actions that, whether intentional or not, communicate bias. They can stem from unconscious biases, lack of awareness, or outdated stereotypes. For example:

• Saying to someone who is multilingual, “Wow, your English is so good, for someone from your country!” while implying surprise at their fluency.
• Asking a colleague from a minority background, “Where are you really from?”

While these examples may seem harmless on the surface, they carry undertones that can alienate or diminish someone’s identity. In many, maybe even most, cases the person making the comment does not intend to offend. However, it is important to remember that while intent matters, it does not negate impact.

How to Recognize Microaggressions

Recognizing microaggressions requires active listening, empathy, and a willingness to examine your own assumptions an biases. There are three main types of microagressions – microassaults, microinvalidation, and microinsults.

• Microassaults are intentional and subtle discriminatory actions or comments. They may or may not be meant to hurt or offend the victim. Often the person committing a microassault is not aware of the larger connotation or seriousness of what they are doing, and may think it is a joke ‘all in good fun.’
• Microinvalidation occurs when someone intentionally, or unintentionally, minimizes the experiences or efforts of others. This often results in the recipient feeling misunderstood and invisible.
• Microinsults are comments or behaviors that are unintentionally discriminatory. These are often the trickiest to identify because they usually come along with unconscious biases and good intentions.

Some signals to keep an eye out for when it comes to microaggressions are:

• Verbal Remarks: Comments that stereotype or diminish someone’s capabilities or experiences. These can fall into any of the categories listed above, so remember that humor or good intentions do not necessarily mean that no microagression is occurring.
• Nonverbal Cues: Pointed actions like using a sarcastic or mocking tone of voice, closed-off body language or avoiding eye contact, touching someone’s hair without consent, or ignoring someone in meetings are examples of nonverbal microaggressions.
• Environmental Microaggressions: Policies or practices that unintentionally marginalize certain groups, such as celebrating only one cultural holiday while overlooking others, or not providing important documentation in a language that all employees understand.

Building awareness starts with questioning our automatic reactions and the potential impact of our words and actions on others. Keeping an open dialogue is one of the best ways to recognize microaggressions in yourself or others, and to make changes for the better.

How to Deal with Microaggressions

If You Experience Microaggressions

Experiencing microaggressions can be disheartening and emotionally taxing. It can impact your mental health and make you feel unsafe at work. Addressing the microagressions that you experience effectively is essential for your well-being and for cultivating a more inclusive workplace. Here’s how:

1. Pause and Reflect: Assess the situation before responding. Did the comment or action genuinely offend you? If so, consider whether addressing it immediately or later would be more productive, and prepare what and how you would like to share with the person who committed the microagression.
2. Engage in Open Communication: Calmly and directly address the person involved. For example, “I don’t think you intended this, but when you said/did ____, it made me feel ____.”
3. Honest Feedback: Give feedback that helps educate, not shame. This opens the door for learning and growth and for respect on both sides.
4. Seek Support: If addressing the issue feels overwhelming, confide in a trusted colleague or manager who can help mediate the conversation.

These moments of communication can foster understanding and improve workplace relationships and team dynamics.

If You Commit a Microaggression

No one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. This is especially true when it comes to encountering our own ignorance and unconscious biases. The key is how we respond when this happens:

• Listen Without Defensiveness: When someone shares they have been impacted by a comment or behavior of yours, avoid dismissing the other person’s feelings or explaining away your actions. Instead, focus on understanding their perspective first.
• Apologize Sincerely: Acknowledge the hurt caused without justifying your intent. Missteps may happen, but a heartfelt apology can strengthen relationships.
• Communicate respect: Reaffirm the respect you have for the other person. If you committed the microaggression unintentionally, this may also be a nice moment to let the person know that, while you now realize the comment was not a handy one, your actual goal was to connect and get to know them better so you appreciate them trusting you enough to share and openly communicate about the offense they experienced.
• Commit to Growth: Use this as a learning opportunity. Reflect on how your words or actions came across and take steps to prevent similar instances in the future.

A genuine apology and effort to change can turn a potentially negative interaction into an opportunity for deeper connection and understanding. This will improve not only your individual experiences, but can lift up the entire office environment.

Decreasing Microaggressions in Your Team

Preventing microaggressions in a team is not just the responsibility of the manager, it is a group effort. Creating a culture of inclusivity requires consistent actions and open dialogue by all involved. Here are some steps that managers (and individuals) can take to improve how microagressions are dealt with and can be avoided in your team:

1. Build Awareness: Encourage ongoing education about biases and their impact. This could include hosting workshops, sharing articles, or planning team activities designed to open the conversation. Bringing the topic out of the dark and creating a space where team members feel safe to discuss these topics is an important step in improving the inclusivity within your team.
2. Foster Curiosity and Respect: Celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives that diversity brings. Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions about someone’s culture or background (without stereotyping) can build stronger connections.
3. Celebrate Diversity: Foster genuine curiosity and interest in each other's backgrounds and experiences. Often, the more you learn about someone the easier it is to understand and appreciate the way they think and see the world. This can enrich your own view and may even open up unexpected opportunities for friendship and collaboration. Plus, it can be really fun to immerse yourself in the beauty and quirks of another culture or perspective.
4. Learn Together: Diversity and inclusion are a team effort. There is a lot to learn for each person, and for the group as a whole. Give each other the benefit of the doubt and share resources and promote open discussions to deepen everyone’s understanding. As team members understand that everyone is committed to fostering a respectful environment and that they are all in it together, more inclusive interactions will occur and a positive team atmosphere will be created.

When teams embrace diversity and inclusion wholeheartedly, they not only minimize microaggressions but also cultivate a sense of belonging that enhances collaboration and productivity. Success here we come!

Why Inclusion and Diversity Matter

Diverse workplaces are fertile ground for innovation, creativity, and growth—but only when team members feel safe, valued, and respected. Microaggressions, if unaddressed, can decrease trust and negatively impact morale, undermining the very benefits of diversity.

At its core, inclusion means striving for continuous improvement in how we interact, communicate, and collaborate.

At the heart of inclusion is the ability to listen, learn, and respect one another. By addressing microaggressions thoughtfully, we pave the way for teams to thrive. It requires empathy, humility, and the willingness to step outside of our comfort zones to build workplaces where everyone feels valued and success is shared. The effort is well worth the reward.

Final Thoughts

Diversity stimulates success, but we also know that the journey toward inclusivity requires effort. By recognizing and addressing microaggressions, we can pave the way for teams to communicate honestly, correct behaviors respectfully, and celebrate differences.

Together, we can build workplaces where everyone feels supported and valued—a foundation for individuals to bring their authentic selves to work, unlock their full potential, and build professional relationships that are not only stronger but also more meaningful.

The path to inclusion starts with small steps. Let’s take them together.