Did you think no one at your workplace experiences minority stress – tips for supervisors how to minimize it

Terveystalo is joining the supporters of Helsinki Pride for the second year running, and our actions in honor of Pride Month include updating our logo on social media with the colors of the rainbow flag. This raised a storm of encounters across our social media channels, highlighting the importance of the month celebrating equality.  Unfortunately, our statement was not received with encouragement and appreciation but with threats and hate. What is even more unfortunate is that people representing the diversity of gender and sexuality have to face these attitudes constantly; not just on social media but face to face as well.

We spend the majority of our waking hours working and being in our work community. Encounters at the workplace should be sincere and stress-free. To build a functional and efficient work community, the supervisor have to try to eliminate situations potentially causing stress so that each member of the team can feel like they are part of the community. It is important to do whatever it takes to ensure no one feels lonely, excluded or like an outsider. Supervisors are expected to understand the phenomenon of minority stress. Being a part of a minority group creates social and internal stress that can and should be reduced at workplaces. 

Anu Harjumaaskola, Occupational Health Psychologist for Terveystalo, instructs teams to build rules of interaction that support equality. 

What do appreciative, respectful, professional and inappropriate attitudes look like in a team?

Reserve enough undisrupted time for the whole team. In a shared discussion, define: 

1. inappropriate behavior
2. professional behavior
3. appreciative and respectful behavior

You can use typical situations from everyday working life, a normal working day or a shift to help you define the behavior. Agree on what you do not accept, how you plan to acts and what your goals are. This provides a framework for the cooperation and interaction, clarifies them and helps everyone address misconduct. 

“You can neutralize the workshop situation by asking an occupational psychologist, for example, to facilitate the discussion.  When someone else takes charge of directing the process, the supervisor can better focus on the work,” says Harjumaaskola.

Inappropriate behavior

Inappropriate behavior must not happen at workplaces. In addition to having guidelines for inappropriate behavior in the occupational safety and health standards, we recommend discussing them and their practical application at the workplace with the team.  

Supervisors are always responsible for addressing inappropriate behavior. After the standards have been discussed with the team, they can be used as a reference when addressing misconduct, even with supervisors.  If a supervisor behaves inappropriately, you can turn to a senior supervisor, occupational healthcare or your occupational safety and health organization. Humor or sarcasm that may seem harmless can easily go from intended levity to a stress factor. In this regard, workplaces still have a long way to go.

“It is unfortunately common to see news of inappropriate behavior at workplaces in the media, sometimes related to an employee’s sexual orientation or gender. Even isolated incidents and observations must be addressed to achieve change. However, taking action can feel hard, which is why everyone needs to make sure they have the support they need from occupational healthcare, for example,” says Harjumaaskola.

Professional behavior  

Professional behavior should be set as the minimum goal at workplaces. Professional behavior promotes the basic mission of the organization and is reflected in all areas of the work; in the performance and development of the work, in cooperation and in encounters with both customers and partners. Having each employee assume the responsibility given to them by the employer is professional.

Appreciative and respectful behavior

Continuous development towards appreciative behavior should be set as the goal. Discuss ways in which appreciation and respect are reflected at your workplace. What is the team’s attitude towards diversity and what does safety mean in the work community? Set goals that address these issues. It is also important to agree on the development of the feedback culture and recognize the value of feedback. Feedback promotes positive action, helps identify shortcomings and development needs and prevents unnecessary escalation. 

“Supervisors are expected to create a safe working environment, and the workplace culture should make it safe to give feedback, for example. Feedback can be appreciated as a gift. The person offering constructive feedback must be able to trust that nothing bad will happen or that the risks will not be realized. Only a safe environment enables people to be open and to give and receive honest feedback,” says Harjumaaskola.

A single workshop is not enough to create equality

In line with the principles of continuous development, the theme of equality must be promoted in all the different situation of working life and in the different work processes in order to ensure progress.

“Words create reality. Things must be talked about, especially when they are hard to grasp, loaded, invisible or internal. Goals keep us awake. Increased awareness makes change even more possible,” says Harjumaaskola.