When White and Minority Workers Perceive Discrimination at Work: Racial Stress and White Fragility

About the speaker
Eddy Ng is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour and the F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business at Dalhousie University. His research focuses on diversity and inclusion, including public policy on fair treatment (e.g., employment equity and affirmative action) in the workplace, and managing across generations. His work has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He frequently comments on popular media outlets in Canada and the U.S. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and an Associate Editor for Personnel Review. In his spare time, he volunteers on the boards of Mensa Canada and a nonprofit arts organization.

Abstract
As racial minorities assert their rights in the workplace and society, some White workers are beginning to perceive this as discrimination and a threat to their privilege and identity. Based on a survey of working professionals, we find evidence that Whites experience more negative psychological effects (i.e., lower job satisfaction and higher work stress) from perceived discrimination than minority employees and are more likely to act to restore conditions of privilege by leaving their current job and employer. Minorities were less likely to switch employers, possibly due to internalized perceptions of racism and a belief that they will receive similar treatment regardless of the organization they work for. The stronger negative effects of perceived discrimination for Whites (vs. minorities) were restricted to work outcomes (job satisfaction, work stress, turnover intentions from one’s employer) and were not evident with respect to perceptions of overall well-being (i.e., life satisfaction), suggesting that White fragility may play a particularly influential role in work settings.