Racial fatigue: What is it and how can staff be supported?

Written by Haroon Bashir, head of equality, diversity and inclusion for University College Birmingham.

The article was first featured in University’s bi-annual Equitable, Diverse & Inclusive Practice newsletter.

Most of us are familiar with the term racism, but how many of us are aware of racial fatigue?

Racial fatigue refers to the emotional and psychological toll experienced by individuals who face racism and discrimination throughout their lives.

It is not just about isolated incidents but rather, the ongoing exposure to systemic racism, microaggressions and bias.

This chronic exposure can lead to feelings of exhaustion, frustration and even trauma.

Racism is not confined to the workplace; it is an issue that affects individuals from childhood through adulthood.

Experiences of racism during formative years can shape one's perception of self-worth, belonging and potential.

Staff who experienced racism when they were younger may find themselves facing the same issues repeatedly as they enter education or the workforce.

It is essential to acknowledge the lifelong burden that racism imposes on ethnically diverse individuals and create a safe, inclusive environment that supports their lived experiences.

Dr. Rita Kohli’s book, Teachers of Colour – Resisting Racism and Reclaiming Education (2021), explores how culturally diverse teachers continue to face negative racial experiences daily—experiences that mirror the racial trauma they endured as children, and not just from students but from colleagues as well.

This exacerbates their racial stress and increases what is known as racial battle fatigue.

The impact of racial battle fatigue has led to staff investing significant amounts of time and energy into thinking about and dealing with racism.

This manifests in hypervigilance (sometimes called the “superhero syndrome”), lowered aspirations, self-censorship, isolation, social withdrawal, exhaustion, anxiety, frustration, anger or anger suppression, helplessness, hopelessness and depression.

One of the hardest aspects of racism is not knowing what others are thinking.

A single supportive or encouraging word, or a word of disagreement; can have a significant impact on an individual.

If we look at the summer protests that took place across the country last year, there was initially a silent majority of people who didn’t speak out.

However, it was reassuring to see many of them join counter-protests later on.

How does racial fatigue manifest in the workplace?

Racial fatigue can present itself in the workplace in various ways, including:

• microaggressions
• code-switching (adjusting or sacrificing oneself to fit in/conform)
• being overlooked for jobs (despite being more than qualified)
• exclusion from key conversations
• being treated ruthlessly or unfairly when making mistakes (compared to other colleagues)
• being invisible when things go right, yet hyper-visible when things go wrong.

Managing racial fatigue in the workplace

Education and awareness

Provide equity, diversity and inclusion training to all staff members, to promote understanding and empathy towards different experiences and perspectives.

Senior leaders should take this training seriously and role-model inclusive behaviour in their communication with staff and students.

Open dialogue

Encourage open and honest conversations about race, racism and discrimination, creating a safe space for employees to share their experiences and concerns without fear of repercussions.

Support networks

Establish employee resource groups or affinity networks to provide a sense of community and support for ethnically diverse staff, and safe spaces for students.

Review policies and practices

Regularly assess and update policies to ensure they are inclusive and free from bias, promoting equal opportunities for all employees and students.

Education systems are often good at compliance, but this does not always translate into a culture of psychological safety for staff.

Mentorship and sponsorship

Encourage mentorship and sponsorship programmes that support the career growth and development of ethnically diverse employees.

Reverse mentoring could be considered to enhance leaders’ personal understanding of these issues.

Celebrate diversity

Recognise and celebrate cultural events and holidays to foster a sense of belonging and appreciation for different backgrounds within the institution.

This should be done sincerely, not just by publicising certain groups during specific times, such as Black History Month and ignoring them the rest of the year.

Points to consider for managers and leaders:

1 What kinds of contributions are you expecting from teachers of colour, and how do those expectations differ from your expectations for white teachers?

2 How do you communicate your trust and value of teachers of colour? Do you listen to their insights and understandings?

3 How do you invest in the growth, leadership and vision of teachers of colour? Do you (materially) recognise their unique assets and strengths through compensation, in formal evaluation and in leadership opportunities?

By understanding the manifestations of racial fatigue and implementing inclusive practices, managers can actively combat this issue and create an environment where all students and employees feel valued, supported and empowered.

Together, you can work towards a more inclusive and anti-racist environment that benefits everyone.