Recognizing and preventing the strain of hypervisibility

Members of marginalized communities experience the distress of hypervisibility in the workplace and beyond—the feeling of being overly visible because of an individual’s race or ethnicity, sometimes to the point of overshadowing their unique skills and personality.

This type of extreme focus on skin colour in the workplace instead of the substance of the professional in the context of the relevant business can sometimes detract from due recognition, reward, and cultivation of employees’ distinct talents as a technician, for example. It can also be detrimental to the mental health of individuals who experience this type of attention.

In partnership with the Black British Business Awards and The Network of Networks, (TNON), Bloomberg continued its ongoing conversations around race and the workplace with a dynamic discussion on hypervisibility in the Black community.

Sophie Chandauka, Global COO Shared Services and Banking Operations at Morgan Stanley and Chair of TNON, introduced and moderated the conversation, which centred on the increase in workplace hypervisibility felt by the Black community following the Black Lives Matter protests around the globe that were sparked by the tragic murder of George Floyd.

Participants from over 60 different companies discussed what hypervisibility looks like, what it feels like, its harmful effects, and what can be done about it.

Key Takeaways 

1. Hypervisibility is traumatic

Alina Addison, the founder of Adaptaa, an Executive Coaching and Leadership Development company specializing in Emotional Intelligence, encouraged attendees to participate in a poll which asked participants to rate on a scale of 1-10 how hypervisible they have felt in the past six months. More than 40% submitted a rating of 8, 9, or 10.

Many participants shared how this extreme level of hypervisibility has made them feel like they are not being recognized as individuals with a substantial contribution to make at work, beyond the color of their skin.

During workplace discussions of events like George Floyd’s murder, many said they felt extreme stress, as if their thoughts were expected to represent their entire race. These expectations from co-workers were especially difficult at a time they were simultaneously working to process and manage their own trauma surrounding the tragedy.

In the wake of these ongoing racial tensions around the world, many participants in the discussion described feeling scrutinized, exposed, daunted, vulnerable, exhausted, and lonely at work.

2. If hypervisibility has you feeling overwhelmed at work, it’s okay to speak up

If your co-workers or managers are spotlighting you for your race and/or relying on you to be an expert on racial injustice, it is okay have an honest conversation with them about how they are making you feel.

Addressing an issue with a co-worker or manager is never easy. Before communicating with them, however, it is important to acknowledge that the co-worker may be unaware they are engaging in hurtful or problematic behavior.

Often, when we feel anger toward another person, it is because they did not meet our expectations for how we feel they should behave. At the same time, it is possible we have failed to actually communicate these expectations to the other person.

To foster real change, it is important to reach out to those who are engaging in behavior you do not feel is appropriate and directly address their words and/or actions. The best way to approach this conversation is to express the behavior that is upsetting you, describe how it makes you feel, and explain the change you hope to see. From there, invite the person to enter into an agreement with you to act differently moving forward.

Addressing someone’s negative behaviors often requires sharing how those behaviors make you feel. Feelings are often considered a four-letter word in a work environment, but the emotional part of our brains have too much power to be ignored.

We should not dismiss our emotions as illogical distractions. Even in the workplace, it can be helpful to listen to our feelings, acknowledge them, and yes, even talk about them.

Think of your emotions as data. In essence, they are your brain sending signals to your body to pay attention to something that is going on. It is a survival technique, a way for your brain to communicate to you whether or not something is right.

As such, if hypervisibility is affecting you in your workplace, you do not have to ignore or brush off those feelings.

3. It is crucial to find balance between your day job and diversity and inclusion work at your company.

As the Black Lives Matter movement has gained momentum, companies are increasingly turning to their Black employees for guidance on how to drive conversations around race and ethnicity.

In some ways, this presents an exciting opportunity for Black employees who are eager to make their voices heard and want to push for change in their workplaces. Nevertheless, it is critical to find a balance between participating in this D&I work and accomplishing the job you were actually hired to do.

Pamela Hutchinson, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Bloomberg, offered advice for those who are trying to balance a day job with D&I work. It can be challenging to be an active participant in your company’s D&I efforts without the support of your manager. Whenever possible, involve your manager in conversations around how you can work to manage both your day job and the D&I efforts you want to join.

Together, you and your manager can work to lay out a way to incorporate the D&I work you want to do into your work life.

4. Importance of allyship

To reduce hypervisibility in the Black community, it is the duty of those who are not Black to become better, more active allies. These non-Black employees are responsible for working to understand what type of actions are problematic, as well as the trauma those actions can cause.

Non-Black employees must take it upon themselves to learn about hypervisibility, how they perpetuate it, and how to correct any behavior that allows hypervisibility to thrive. Their employers must also encourage change and provide resources.

Hypervisibility in the Black community is a global issue, one that every workplace has a responsibility to address as they continue to dedicate more resources to D&I. According to the Middle Report, an effective race allyship campaign starts by recruiting individuals who are committed to actively supporting the cause and are comfortable speaking about race. It should aim to encourage a culture of psychological safety and greater belonging, which ultimately supports colleagues suffering from hypervisibility.

Bloomberg continues to explore the meaning of active allyship. For those who want to become better workplace allies, a recent post on Bloomberg’s Inclusion Blog lays out some key actions.

Links to further reading:

Race & ethnicity in the workplace: The road to active allyship

Leveraging the power and potential of minority ethnic talent