Racism and Discrimination Create Invisible Stress in the Workplace

Most people can ignore a single mosquito bite, but if you get one hundred mosquito bites every single day, it affects your quality of life, and you begin to fear all mosquitoes like the plague.

The study 'Ethnic Minority Stress in the Workplace,' based on a survey and interviews, shows that 68.2 percent experience discrimination at work in the form of comments and jokes about their background, skin color, language, or religion. It affects the general well-being of three out of four of the study's participants. In fact, 90.1 percent experience reactions such as anxiety, anger, sadness, discouragement, overthinking, frustration, and/or powerlessness. For two out of three, there are also physical reactions such as headaches, lack or increased appetite, heart palpitations, restlessness, and/or sleep disturbances.

If someone says something to me or maybe looks at me, I can think if it has something to do with my skin color. I do not know, but I am hyper-alert all the time because it is always in the back of my mind, she explains.

Being outside the normal group can also involve dealing with negative stories from the media or intrusive questions about one's religion or traditions.

- Knowledge about ethnic minority stress is real. It is a situation that many have felt alone in and perhaps thought, 'Is it just me who is oversensitive,' but no, it is real. You do not experience this because you are oversensitive or easily offended. It is a persistent state that arises due to discrimination and racism, says Muneeza Rosendahl.- It is a sensitive area, but one must acknowledge that racism and discrimination occur in the workplace, which one may not be aware of precisely because it is unconscious, says Muneeza Rosendahl.

- Many do not go to their manager or HR with these issues because they fear not being taken seriously. They fear comments like: "Oh, was it really that bad" or "We also need to have a little fun sometimes," says Muneeza Rosendahl and continues: - But it is important that employees feel that management understands what they are going through, and the more inclusive initiatives you make, the more people will benefit from it because it improves the overall work environment.

- Ethnic minority stress is something that affects many. Maybe you have a good friend who feels that he or she cannot be completely open about what they experience. So, acknowledge the lived experience. Listen to what the other person says. You may not understand how it feels, but you can always show understanding, says Muneeza Rosendahl.