Addressing and Preventing Microaggressions in the Workplace

At ASME, we are deeply committed to fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our global engineering community. Creating a culture rooted in DEI often means having difficult, but important, conversations. It is important to address and prevent microaggressions in order to create a respectful and inclusive workplace.

A microaggression is an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination. The name implies that these instances are small or insignificant, but compounded over time, microaggressions can have a real effect on an person’s experience, as well as their physical and mental well-being.

Understanding and addressing microaggressions is crucial for fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging, highlighting the need for us to enhance our awareness and skills in identifying and addressing these instances.

People who commit microaggressions might not even be aware of doing so.

How to avoid microaggressions:

• Avoid making assumptions about someone’s ethnicity, religion, sexuality, or background.
• Try to be aware of the stereotypes or assumptions you may have and challenge yourself not to put stock into them.
• Ask respectful questions if you would like more information.

Regardless of the intent, microaggressions can still cause harm and it is important to have an open and honest dialogue about how they affect us. This is an essential step in creating a workplace that is truly inclusive and comfortable for all.

For more resources, please visit ASME’s toolkit.

With regards,