What is a microaggression at work? Several reference articles have looked into the subject and here are some seemingly innocuous words to avoid with colleagues…
Disinterest in the CDI, multiplication of stops, loss of meaning, questions about teleworking… Since the pandemic, the relationship to work has been the subject of many questions. And social relations in the company hold a very special place. While a number of top CEOs want their employees back in the office, reconnecting with co-workers isn’t always so obvious.
“Micro-aggressions”, often communicated through language, can indeed make a workplace “uncomfortable” or even “toxic”. Several media such as Forbes or Business Insider have already covered the subject extensively across the Atlantic. But what is a micro-aggression at work? Here are some mistakes to avoid, so subtle that it’s often hard to guess if you’ve ever blundered.
This list is obviously not exhaustive, many other phrases or expressions should be avoided so as not to appear aggressive or negative. It is often said that “no problem”, carelessly dropped after a task or service, is disturbing because it actually implies that you had a problem with it. Conversely, saying “it’s not my problem”, even if it’s true, signals that you don’t care about the difficulties of your colleagues and even that you blame these problems on them.
“I’m very busy” or “I’m overwhelmed” may have the merit of frankness, but it also signals to your interlocutors that they should not ask for your help, or even talk to you sometimes.
