What is Ethnic Minority? How it Impacts Workplaces? [Solutions and Tips]

What is ethnic minority? 

“Ethnic minorities refers to groups of people that have been historically categorised as minority groups,” explains Ansa Mahmood, Customer Success Manager at Develop Diverse. “Typically, this refers to people from non-Western backgrounds, who have historically seen their identity diminished to a certain degree compared to the majority group.  

“People who belong to different ethnic minority groups experience different degrees of discrimination and bias,” Ansa adds. “There are different stereotypes and types of discrimination that exist between different groups, but there are also differences between individual experiences of discrimination and bias between members of the same group. These can shape how each individual interacts with the world around them.”  

When each individual has their own experiences of discrimination and bias, it can be hard to know how your organisation’s language choices and methods of communication impact different groups.  

But what we do know is that although individual experiences of discrimination differ, there are some overlaps in how ethnically marginalised groups collectively experience discrimination and bias. And once we can spot what these are, we can make more conscious linguistic choices that lead to more inclusive communication, for everyone. 

Why is ethnic diversity important in the workplace? 

Ethnic diversity in the workplace is crucial because it fosters a more inclusive environment where varied perspectives lead to innovative ideas and solutions. Diverse teams are proven to be more creative and perform better financially. Additionally, ethnic diversity promotes social cohesion, reduces inequality, and enhances the company’s reputation, making it more attractive to top talent and customers who value inclusivity. 

Ethnic Minority Stress in the Workplace 

Without ethnic diversity, employees might face ethnic minority stress. This stress arises from being in an environment where they are underrepresented or subject to discrimination and microaggressions. Such stress can negatively impact their mental health, job satisfaction, and overall productivity. 

We held a webinar on this exact topic with Muneeza Rosendahl, a certified diversity and inclusion facilitator. You can watch the on-demand webinar today and gain more insight into ethnic minority stress in the workplace and how to tackle that. 

Bias based on ethnicity 

Bias based on ethnicity refers to prejudices or unfair treatment of individuals based on their ethnic background. This bias can manifest in hiring practices, workplace interactions, and career advancement opportunities.

Recognizing and addressing this bias underscores the importance of ethnic diversity. When workplaces are ethnically diverse, they are better equipped to identify and mitigate such biases, fostering a fairer and more equitable environment for all employees. 

Job Adverts 

When job adverts are ethnically biased, they can deter qualified minority candidates from applying. This not only limits the talent pool but also perpetuates a lack of diversity within the organization. For example, using culturally specific jargon or images that only represent one ethnic group can alienate potential applicants. The impact includes missed opportunities for diverse perspectives and innovation, and potentially reinforcing a homogeneous workplace culture that may not be welcoming to minority employees. 

Employer Branding 

If employer branding materials, such as emails or promotional content, include ethnic stereotypes or offending remarks, it can severely damage the company's reputation. For instance, a company that uses culturally insensitive language or imagery in its branding can alienate and offend both current and potential employees, as well as customers.

This can lead to public backlash, decreased employee morale, and difficulty in attracting and retaining diverse talent. Ensuring that all branding materials are inclusive and respectful is crucial for maintaining a positive and welcoming image. And it's okay if you use some tool or digital platform to guide your employer brand to be more ethnically diverse. 

How to improve ethnic diversity in the workplace? 

Improving ethnic diversity in the workplace includes implementing training programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion to help all employees recognize and mitigate biases. Along with that, reviewing recruitment processes to ensure job adverts are inclusive and employing blind recruitment techniques can reduce bias.  

Promoting an inclusive culture where all employees feel valued and open dialogue about diversity is encouraged is also essential. Supporting career development through mentorship and sponsorship programs can help advance the careers of ethnic minority employees. Additionally, regularly assessing diversity metrics and implementing changes based on the findings ensures continuous improvement. 

How to Find Ethnical Minority Stereotypes in Your Organization? 

Identifying stereotypes within an organization involves: 

• Conducting Surveys and Interviews: Gather feedback from employees about their experiences and perceptions of bias. 

• Analyzing Data: Look at diversity metrics in hiring, promotions, and turnover rates to spot patterns of inequality. 

• Reviewing Workplace Practices: Examine policies and practices for unintentional bias or exclusionary language. 

But if we take this one step further, then how can we identify the stereotypical language used towards ethnically marginalized people by our organization? 

Identifying unintentional bias towards ethnic minority groups in your organisation’s language choices — including job adverts, internal communication, and among teams — will help you build a more inclusive culture where everyone feels that they belong. In fact, this is a crucial step towards writing job ads while avoiding cliches.  

But how do you identify when stereotyping and discrimination pops up? It’s about identifying where experiences overlap to harm inclusion.  

“Everyone experiences discrimination to a different degree, so it’s impossible to surface all those different individual experiences,” Ansa says. “This is why when we talk about ethnic minorities at Develop Diverse, we’re not referring to one specific ethnic minority. We’re referring to everyone who is categorised within those groups. This might mean someone from an Arab background for example, or someone from a specific religious background.  

“In the Develop Diverse platform, we have found commonalities in language that express bias or discrimination. In our research phase, we identify the key words and phrases that have historically fostered exclusion among ethnically marginalised groups. Although there may be a variation in who this language refers to across different regions, identifying these common trends means organisations can see the impact of their language choices.”  

When the Develop Diverse platform identifies words that could express discrimination or bias towards people from marginalised groups, it’s not suggesting that all people from all groups experience the same level of discrimination. Instead, it’s more to highlight common trends that can communicate bias or discrimination among different groups.  

And often, it’s less about the word or phrase itself — and more about what it communicates to individuals from different backgrounds.  

“As a personal example, my parents are originally from Pakistan, and they immigrated to Denmark in the 80s,” says Ansa. “At school, I was always told I was bright because I had integrated well with the Danish kids, rather than based on my own merit. Now as an adult, when I see job adverts that use terms like ‘unique’ or ‘extraordinary’, I never for a second think that they’re referring to me.” 

A job description for example, that contains words like ‘drives’ or ‘native speaker’ might seem quite innocuous to an individual from a majority group. But it’s how these words are interpreted by folks from different groups that matters. ‘Native speaker’ may communicate to an expat worker that they can’t apply to your role. ‘Drives’ may communicate to a Black candidate that your culture is competitive and non-inclusive.  

Identifying and eliminating these unintentional instances of non-inclusive language means your organisation is better able to create an environment where people from different backgrounds and groups feel able to thrive. 

How to Describe Ethnicity in Writing? 

To describe ethnicity in writing we suggest you to – 

• Mention ethnicity only when relevant. Don’t force it – focus on the person and their story. Usually job descriptions don’t require mentioning any ethnicities. 

• Avoid stereotypes and slurs. There’s a world of difference between “a strong Latina character” and a stereotypical portrayal. 

• Be specific, not general. Instead of “BAME,” use “Chinese” or “Nigerian.” 

• Respect self-identification. If unsure about someone’s preferred term, ask! 

• Embrace multiple ethnicities. People can identify with more than one group. 

• Consider global audiences. Terminology for ethnicity varies by country. 

• Focus on people, not labels. Use terms like “Black people” instead of “Blacks.” 

• People-first language matters. “Students from Vietnamese backgrounds” is more respectful than “Vietnamese students.” 

• Use “background” or “heritage” to describe ethnicity. 

• “Racialized” might be appropriate for groups categorized by others. 

• Capitalize ethnic group names. “Black,” “Chinese,” “White” – all deserve capitalization. 

• “White” is preferred over “Caucasian.” 

• No hyphens for compound terms. It’s “African American,” not “African-American.” 

• “African Caribbean” is the current standard. 

• “Mixed heritage” is more inclusive than “mixed race.” 

FAQs 

Does BAME Include Polish?  

BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) typically does not include white ethnic groups like Polish. It's more accurate to use 'ethnic minority'. 

Does BAME Include Mixed?  

Yes, BAME can include individuals of mixed ethnic backgrounds. 

Does BAME Include White Others?  

Generally, BAME excludes white ethnic minorities. It focuses on non-white ethnic groups. 

Is Eastern European an Ethnic Minority?  

In some contexts, yes, Eastern Europeans can be considered ethnic minorities, especially in countries where they are a smaller, distinct group. 

EndNote 

Now that we understand what an ethnic minority is and how it impacts the workplace, we hope you will be able to increase ethnic diversity in your organization.

Remember, promoting ethnic diversity is not just about meeting quotas but about creating an environment where every employee feels valued and has equal opportunities to succeed.

By understanding the importance of diversity, recognizing and addressing biases, and implementing inclusive practices, organizations can build stronger, more innovative, and equitable workplaces.

With Develop Diverse, you can easily and efficiently replace ethnically stereotypical words.

Book a demo with our team today to find out how.