How Decision Makers can Avoid Microaggressions During Job Interviews

Microaggressions are the result of biases that influence behavioural, environmental and verbal actions. These actions moreover influence and play into systemic forms of discrimination towards marginalised employee groups within the workplace. Microaggressions occur due to a lack of acknowledgement of unconscious biases that impact behaviours. These not only occur within workplaces but can also occur during the hiring processes, or during interviews.

What are Microaggressions?

Microaggressions can be defined as commonplace behavioural, environmental or verbal misdemeanours that occur either intentionally or unintentionally. They are mostly subtle ways of communicating hostility that have psychological impacts on marginalised work groups. Microaggressions are aimed at systematically disadvantaged group based on their social position or gender. During the interview process, microaggressions are aimed at targeting marginalised groups to take away space and opportunity. Rutuja, Head of Service Delivery at Ungender says,

“Since microaggressions are rooted in prejudices, they can lead to decision makers unknowingly or unintentionally favouring one candidate over the other based on presuppositions. This can result in companies losing out on diverse talent from different backgrounds. Bias training programs can help decision makers become aware of their prejudices and be mindful of not letting their biases drive the hiring process.”

Moreover, these behavioural impacts also position target groups within stereotypes. Within the interview process, these may make the interviewee feel invalidated. This not only removes isolates them at the very beginning from the workplace but also has detrimental impacts on how the workplace culture is shaped. Microaggressions during the interview process alienates a diverse pool of employees that hinders talent attraction for the company. This in turn harms business outcomes and revenue generation.

 

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Examples of Microaggression

Microaggressions can largely be divided into three categories. These are referred to as microassaults, microinsults and microinvalidations. Microassaults are aggressions towards marginalised groups that target physical spaces or target physicality of the person. These may show up in instances of hate comments on public places or jokes surrounding a person’s attire that have cultural symbols attached to them.

Microinsults are comments that are derogatory and targeted to insult marginalised groups. These often play out in the form of stereotypical attachments to marginalised groups, or when a person is seen as an exception to said stereotype. For example, an employer referring to how well a potential candidate speaks English as compared to stereotypical notions of those belonging to the candidate’s social group. These insults can also occur in the form of asking invasive questions to marginalised genders based on their appearance or stereotyping sexuality traits for queer candidates.

Microinvalidations are comments or actions that are aimed to invalidate struggles for the systematically and historically disadvantaged. They may occur when someone from a marginalised group bring up equity measures for diversity mandates or when the struggles faced by the person belonging to a marginalised group are discredited. Examples of this can be seen when employers invalidate struggles for working mothers by bringing up D&I policies that provide paid maternity leaves.

👉The best way to keep a check on microaggressions is by having a self-check and a team-check to make sure we are not, even unintentionally, causing discomfort to our teammates ✅#LetsUngender #UngenderWorkplaces

— Ungender (@UngenderTalks) August 4, 2021

Moreover, biases also play into microaggressions and manifest into discriminatory behaviour. For example, certain employers have a bias against currently unemployed individuals without taking into account environmental or social disadvantages. Some employers may also have biases that prevent them from hiring marginalised genders for certain company positions. Affinity bias also plays a role wherein employers prefer to hire candidates who are similar to themselves. These biases lead to microaggressions in the form of interviewers asking questions like how can a working mother take on a time intensive position or how can transgender candidates be confident enough to take on customer facing roles.

 

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Other examples of microaggressions during interviews include questions that have negative implications. Pointing out someone’s ethnic attire or physical trait during a job interview implies stereotypes that the recruiter holds against the particular social group. Moreover, pointing out the importance of merit or hard-work to disadvantaged social groups implies the invalidation of systemic obstacles. Backhanded compliments that aim to see the candidate in isolation from their target group are also examples of microaggressions. These include statements that aim to tone police woman or even statements that question a woman’s qualifications. These microaggressions during job interviews negatively impact candidates while also impacting the company’s recruitment process.

How to Avoid Microaggressions?

Bias training programs are an imperative to avoid microaggressions. These training programs not only address unconscious biases that employers hold but also aim to eradicate manifestations of these biases into discriminatory behaviour. Microaggressions alienate and isolate a wide talent pool for recruiters. Bias training programs aim to bridge the gap within D&I policies that are in place within workplaces and measurement of such policies based on impact.

Microaggressions can also be addressed via equity measures that impact how employers perceive their workforce. Moreover, regular training programs that not only focus on raising awareness but also on compliance for workplaces help employers keep a check on their unconscious biases. Legal mandates that traverse beyond paperwork and aim to prevent misconduct within workplaces also helps keep microaggressions within check.

Diversity and inclusion advisories help to align policy and process for workplaces that moreover help them avoid microaggressions during interviews as well as during everyday interactions. Moreover, LGBTQIA+ inclusion advisories also expand knowledge and aim to reduce ignorance when it comes to interacting with marginalised gender and sexuality groups. Having advisories in place can help recruiters and employers avoid microaggressions to invite a wider pool of talent for their companies while also improving innovation and workplace culture.

Written by: Anuska Roy

Ungender Insights is the product of our learning from advisory work at Ungender. Our team specializes in advising workplaces on workplace diversity and inclusion. Write to us at contact@ungender.in to understand how we can partner with your organization to build a more inclusive workplace.