3. Microaggressions have a ‘micro’ impact

Microaggressions are the almost imperceptible discriminatory comments and attitudes people sometimes face at work. The name may make them sound small – in fact, many of us assume that we can simply brush them off and move on. However, research shows that microaggressions have a macro impact on women at work.

One of the key issues is that women tend to ‘self-shield’. The study claims that the vast majority (78%) of women who face microaggressions “self-shield at work, or adjust the way they look or act in an effort to protect themselves”.

Self-shielding can include code-switching and altering one’s behaviour to appear more suited to the current work environment. According to the study, large numbers of women, particularly LGBTQ+ women, women with disabilities and women of colour, say that they tone down their personalities, hide aspects of their identities or change their appearance at work. Many also note that microaggressions have severely impacted their sense of psychological safety in professional environments. In turn, this can lead to more frequent cases of burnout and job switching.

These 4 myths are still plaguing professional women – now, a new study debunks them once and for all