De-Escalation training: From offices to factory floors
Workplace Violence
People are often unaware of how their words or actions can send the wrong message to others with different experiences and perspectives than their own. Unintentional slights, snubs or insults – also known as microaggressions – are rooted in unconscious bias and can leave others feeling judged, misunderstood, disrespected and excluded.
While microaggressions lead to alienation, subtle and intentional acts of kindness called “microaffirmations” can foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels welcome and valued. As part of a comprehensive training approach to preventing microaggressions, practicing microaffirmations in daily interactions can have a positive effect on workplace culture.
Mary Rowe, a pioneer in the understanding microaggressions, states that practicing microaffirmations not only increases one’s tendency to be “universally respectful” to others, it can also be a step in counteracting the effects of bias, including racism, sexism, ableism and ageism.
Microaffirmations are small, intentional actions or words that convey respect, validation, and encouragement, helping to build a more inclusive and supportive environment. In contrast to microaggressions, which subtly exclude, microaffirmations work to include and uplift. These positive cues create a sense of belonging and can directly influence team collaboration, psychological safety, and retention.
Microaffirmations may include facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures, and language that communicate care and attentiveness. Examples include publicly recognizing a colleague’s contributions, referring to specific points from past conversations, or simply greeting someone warmly at the start of the day.
These are other common microaffirmations that let team members know they are valued and included:
- Make a concerted effort to pronounce names correctly
- Respect and use people’s pronouns
- Invite someone to participate in a business event, committee or project
- Stop by someone’s office for a chat, socialize with them and get to know about their life outside of work
