My conversation with Business Psychologist, Sara A.
Ayoola: Thanks for joining me, Sara, to further shed light on this topic.
Ayoola: Sara, what do you think is worth highlighting for minoritised ethnicities in terms of their relationship to work?
Sara: This is a big topic, and I can also speak from my experience being a minority, on areas we can both resonate with.
Sara: A key thing to highlight is boundaries. Each person needs to acknowledge their personal boundaries in the workplace and uphold these.
Ayoola: That is very interesting, please tell us more.
Sara: Boundaries in the workplace are about protecting your worth and your resources. Knowing one’s values, skillset and limits within work can help maintain well-being in the workplace.
Sara: It’s important to remember that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. People can benefit from reserving parts of themselves. Having reserves promotes safety of wellbeing instead of working to burnout.
Ayoola: This is very insightful Sara. I think we all need to sit with that, let it marinate …
Ayoola: Another perspective I want to focus on is the internalised legacy many of us inherited from previous immigrant generations. Namely, overworking and not having meaningful restful rhythms. Can you speak on this?
Sara: Yes, overworking and not having a healthy balance within immigrant communities can be due to various factors, some of which are: a sense of dutifulness, obligation and proving oneself.
Ayoola: Wow, I can resonate with a lot of that in my own experience. Trying to assimilate as a young girl at school became needing to prove myself to fit in at work.
Sara: Unfortunately, a sense of duty or obligation, can be exploited in the workplace, by employers, managers and colleagues. Individuals from minoritised ethnicities may be perceived as ‘more diligent’ leading to disproportionate assignments of heavier workload and challenging tasks.
Ayoola: I can see how this would easily perpetuate the cycle: you’re a hard worker, so you get more work, you burnout and don’t rest well. Then return to the same old same old..
Ayoola: I guess most workplaces do now have an Occupational Health department or some kind of wellbeing at work program. Hopefully this means that culture at large is improving when it comes to health at work. Either way, we have quite a way to go, especially as minorities.
Ayoola: What is your advice then Sara, or message of hope, for us as minoritised individuals in the workplace?
Sara: To address the issue and see organisational change relating to this, it’s important to have more open discussions in the workplace, particularly with senior leadership. Often, people are unaware of these challenges because it doesn’t affect them. Cultural change in the workplace needs to be led from the top.
Ayoola: Wow, again! So much wisdom. Thank you for sharing all of this in effort to raise awareness.
Ayoola: I remember being part of an initiative a while back called Reverse Mentoring. The aim was to have open discussions with senior leadership about the lived experience of minoritised individuals in the workplace. It was very meaningful for me to contribute towards making change.
Ayoola: Thanks again Sara for being part of this project.
Ayoola: Finally, dear reader, if you would like to learn more skills on your boundaries, join me at a Relational Wellness Space. And if you would like to learn more about health at work, then join me at a future Occupational Wellness Space.
Ayoola: Thank you for reading and be kind to yourself at work. 😊
Be well,
Ayoola