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Slights, snubs, and slurs: leader equity and microaggressions

Lynn R. Offermann (Organizational Sciences and Communication, George Washington University, District of Columbia, Washington, USA)
Tessa E. Basford (Organizational Sciences and Communication, George Washington University, District of Columbia, Washington, USA)
Raluca Graebner (Organizational Sciences and Communication, George Washington University, District of Columbia, Washington, USA)
Sumona Basu DeGraaf (Organizational Sciences and Communication, George Washington University, Washington, USA)
Salman Jaffer (Organizational Sciences and Communication, George Washington University, District of Columbia, Washington, USA)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ISSN: 2040-7149

Article publication date: 26 April 2013

1847

Abstract

Purpose

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The present study aims to apply the construct of microaggressions to organizational contexts by examining perceptions of discrimination in ambiguous interactions between White supervisors and Black subordinates and their impact on work outcomes under varying conditions of leader fairness.

Design/methodology/approach

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US participants (N=387) responded to scenarios describing supervisor‐subordinate interactions involving subtle to blatant discrimination, after being told either that the supervisor had a history of fair, equitable treatment of subordinates or that the supervisor had a history of unfairness and inequity.

Findings

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Leader equity impacted discrimination perceptions, affording leaders greater benefit of the doubt in ambiguous interracial interactions. For all levels of microaggression severity, microaggressions were perceived less when the supervisor had a reputation for equity and fairness; expected work outcomes were also better when the supervisor had a reputation for equity and fairness at all levels of microaggression severity.

Research limitations/implications

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As blatant discrimination grows more and more unacceptable, examining the subtle and sometimes unintended aspects of workplace discrimination is increasingly important. The authors’ results suggest that a leader's reputation for equity and fairness may mitigate the effects of racial slights.

Originality/value

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To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the impact of leader equity on microaggressions and the first to empirically explore the impact of microaggressions on work outcomes. Their results suggest the importance of establishing leader reputations of fairness and training staff to recognize even subtle forms of discrimination and exclusion.

Keywords

Citation

Offermann, L.R., Basford, T.E., Graebner, R., Basu DeGraaf, S. and Jaffer, S. (2013), "Slights, snubs, and slurs: leader equity and microaggressions", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 374-393. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-05-2012-0046

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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