Peter Wagogo

 Theory Paper Part 2 Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Comparing Experiences in Racial Minority and Majority Work Settings Introduction Although American employers have sought to eradicate racial discrimination in their workplaces, this problem still endures. The White employees tend to receive better treatment in settings where they are the majority while the Blacks tend to have a less-privileged status in work environments where they are a minority. Other racially discriminated groups in the United States include Indian immigrants and Muslims. The marginalized groups are confronted by unique workplace and social hurdles that undermine their ability to prosper (Jones & Schmitt, 2014). Discrimination in marginalized groups arise from interconnected factors, comprising devaluing the work they do, the prevalence of entrenched biases based in race, perceptions regarding relative significance of some types of work, job-related segregation, and resistance to structural change (Logan, 2008). However, Black workers tend to feel more appreciated, motivated, and committed in workplaces where they are a majority. This is an experiential paper in which I compare my experiences while participating in settings in which I was in a majority and minority. Racial Minority Setting This occurred when I volunteered to work at …. In this work setting, there were only few black Americans compared to whites who dominated the workplace. Whereas the organization sought to eradicate racism in the workplace by implementing the right policies, the war could only be won by a change in each staff’s attitude and mindset. Some of the common challenges I encountered as a minority included discomfort, preferential treatment, isolation, stereotyping, hostility, overcritical, and consistent overlooking. Throughout the period I worked in this organization, I was often uncomfortable and unhappy. Before I joined the organization, I read a few reviews which clearly suggested that racism was occurring at the organization’s offices. Whereas I chose to ignore the information, the ingrained, institutional, and insidious attitudes of my White colleagues forced me to hold back in many occasions (McGuire & Miranda, 2008). For me, the discomfort arose from the fact that I had to be constantly reminded that I am Black. As a result, it was hard to please my White bosses who never appreciated my work at all. At the end, I became very honest in my review of the organization and asked the White bosses to tackle the issue. I also noted preferential treatment from my bosses and supervisors. Preferential treatment occurs when an organization alters its actions based on race or ethnicity. In particular, the organization’s supervisors were very strict with Black employees than their White counterparts. At the same time, more Black employees were suspended than White employees. This did not occur because they were guiltier than the Whites but because they were Blacks. There were also cases of isolation among minority race employees. The employees avoided fellow employees from other races. Whereas I was a victim of this problem, I feel that Muslims were the most isolated group in this organization. Most Whites and Black staff avoided Muslims for fear which they never disclosed. The other aspect of isolation occurs when one feels they are not a valued member of their team. Again, there were cases when my input was ignored during team work. I felt like I was not a valued member of the team and this did not only happen to me but my other Black colleagues as well. Stereotyping entails wrong generalizations based on mistaken beliefs and false information which attributes similar characteristics to all members of a group, disregarding victims as persons in their own right. In the organization I worked for, it was apparent in the language used and topics of discussion by colleagues at the workplace. A divide was created by terms like ‘they’ and ‘us’. It was common to hear staff making derogatory comments about a particular element of a person’s culture and customs. For instance, Black women employees were accused of being too aggressive. The organization’s workplace was hostile to minority groups like Blacks, Muslims, and Indians. During the time I was employed by the organization, I witnessed two cases of hostility. An Indian immigrant woman was mocked for her accent by a section of the organization’s staff. The organization had chosen her to present a speech during a celebration organized by the firm’s sponsors. The second case involved a Muslim man who was criticized for not taking a drink during a social event attended by organization’s staff. When we raised the issue with our bosses back at the office, no action serious action was taken. Over criticism from White team leaders was also common within the organization. According to Mossakowski (2008), criticism of staff performance from team leaders and peers is common because of the increasing pressures of modern time-poor and stressful business world. While positive criticism helps employees correct their mistakes, it is good to consider how fair the criticism is to all staff, especially minority groups. Some criticisms go a step too far and are racially instigated. Many Black employees in the organization reported being maligned for doing their work. A colleague once told me that whether she delivered a project on time, or early, she always felt that her work was never deemed good enough. Last but not least, I also felt being consistently overlooked. The prolonged issue of glass ceiling results in many brilliant, motivated, and well-educated Black people fail to obtain jobs, promotions, or salary increments, compared to their White colleagues (Mezuk et al., 2010). However, when these opportunities finally arise, individuals from some races often realize that their efforts are constantly confronted and demoralized by individuals both above and below them on the career ladder. There were many instances when I applied for a job promotion while working in this organization but my efforts were rendered null and void. I felt the constant need to prove myself worthy of these opportunities but I was totally ignored not because I was unqualified but because I was Black. Racial Majority Setting The best example of a work environment where I was in the majority racially was at Forever Family and Moms Raising Sons where I worked as a social work volunteer for 4 months. My work experience was completely different from the setting where I was in the minority racially. Some of the advantages I observed included supportive supervisors, strict policies aimed at promoting racial equality, and efforts to promote racial diversity and acceptance (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007). As a Black worker, I felt more supported, engaged, and committed to my job. My bosses and supervisors were supportive and consultative. I never struggled with feeling inauthentic at work. They appreciated the good work I was doing and other than recognizing my unending efforts, they often awarded me with job promotions and salary increments. I never felt the pressure to create disguises of conformity subduing my personal feelings, views, and attributes to fit in with organizational ones. Regarding strict policies aimed at promoting racial equality, this organization implemented suspension on employees who discriminated minority groups. If a racial discrimination case was reported and investigations demonstrated that the case was valid, the perpetrator would be suspended for two weeks. If a worker is found guilty of racial discrimination for three consecutive times, his or her contract would be terminated. The other effort by the organization to promote equality in its workforce was equal salary and hiring purely on merit. While Blacks were the majority in the organization, other minority races had equal opportunity of being hired, promoted, and of salary increments. Conclusion Working in a setting where you are in the majority and minority racially are two extreme contrasts. Whereas I faced challenges like discomfort, preferential treatment, isolation, stereotyping, hostility, overcritical, and consistent overlooking where I was in the minority, I felt supported, appreciated, and recognized the efforts to promote racial diversity and acceptance where I was in the majority. Some of the most discriminated minority groups in America include Blacks, Indian immigrants, and Muslims, among others. While companies are attempting to eradicate racial discrimination at the workplace by enacting and implementing strict policies, the war can best be won by a complete change of attitude towards these groups. Therefore, American employers must continually strive to attain racial diversity in their workplaces. References Jones, J., & Schmitt, J. (2014). A college degree is no guarantee (No. 2014-08). Retrieved from http://cepr.net/publications/reports/a-college-degree-is-no-guarantee Logan, A. (2008, April 29). The state of minorities: How are minorities faring in the economy? Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2008/04/29/4283/the-state-of-minorities/ McGuire, T. G., & Miranda, J. (2008). New evidence regarding racial and ethnic disparities in mental health: Policy implications. Health Affairs, 27, 393-403. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.27.2.393. Mezuk, B., Rafferty, J. A., Kershaw, K. N., Hudson, D., Abdou, C. M., Lee, H.,... Jackson, J. S. (2010). Reconsidering the role of social disadvantage in physical and mental health: Stressful life events, health behaviors, race, and depression. American Journal of Epidemiology, 172,-. doi:10.1093/aje/kwq283 Mossakowski, K. N. (2008). Is the duration of poverty and unemployment a risk factor for heavy drinking? Social Science & Medicine, 67, 947-955. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed- National Center for Education Statistics. (2007). Status and trends in the education of racial and ethnic minorities. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/minoritytrends/