Tackling Micro-Aggressions in Organizations: A Broken Windows Approach

Abstract

Micro-aggressions are the subtle verbal and nonverbal slights, insults, and disparaging messages directed towards an individual due to their gender, age, disability, and racial group membership, often automatically and subconsciously. The authors of this manuscript contend that companies should adopt an ethic of care approach to managing diversity, and take some meaningful steps to ensure that their minority employees are treated with respect. The paper proposed a broken windows approach to reducing micro-aggressions within firms via leader acknowledgement, management by walking around, and micro-aggression training.