How to Foster Workplace Inclusivity for Asian Americans

By Bernice Chao, co-founder of Asians in Advertising 

Increasingly, workplace culture and environment have become critical factors for employers competing for talent, and for employees seeking more than just a paycheck, but rather an inclusive culture where they feel valued. For people of color and Asian Americans in particular, this rings especially true. 

I'm the co-founder of a non-profit global organization, Asians in Advertising, where we help Asians close the career gap. At our events, we talk about the challenges Asians have in the workplace, including inclusion. According to Bain&Co research, only 16% of Asian men and 20% of Asian women said they felt fully included at work, the lowest of any group, followed by LGBTQ+ at 29%, Black Americans at 33%, Latino Americans at 42%, and white Americans at 61%. 

There are many proven benefits to employees feeling like they belong, namely increased office morale, productivity, and less turnover. No longer are raises and promotions enough to satisfy employees; day-to-day interactions truly matter. Here are 5 things to look out for to see if you’re fostering an inclusive workplace. 

1. Provide Equal Opportunity - Take inventory of opportunities and projects in the company and ensure that it’s divided unbiasedly. Unfortunately, “in crowds” still exist in the workplace, and this often leads to some groups being given preferential treatment to the detriment of others. I’ve been at several workplaces where the executive men at the office left women out of outings or had different group texts. Then, when it came to high-visibility projects, they invited their inner circle to participate, showing favoritism. 

2. Show Praise and Gratitude - Many times, employees are looking to be recognized for their hard work, and there can be many ways to show your gratitude for your employees. A simple “thank you”, “congratulations”, a ticket to an industry event, or a meal can go a long way in making employees feel appreciated. I’ve been in working situations where there was a significant emphasis on achieving success, but when a win was achieved, it was ignored. Celebrate your employees and make sure to include everyone who contributed. 

3. Recognize bias - Because of unconscious bias, managers can be over-critical of people they have biased perceptions of, and this can lead to managing with more scrutiny and nitpicking. Being an Asian American, I was scrutinized over my ability to present correctly in an internal meeting. After my solid presentation, there was still a bias that perhaps it was just a fluke. Recognize how you may be speaking to different employees and whether you may be treating some with unfair bias. 

4. Inclusive Conversations - In group conversations, around the lunch table, between meetings, around the “water cooler”, see if everyone is participating and if they aren’t help shift the conversation to something more general in which more people can be included. Many Asian Americans, myself included, didn’t grow up exposed to much of the pop culture that our white American counterparts did. Growing up in an Asian household, I wasn’t exposed to classic rock and later in life, encountered references to bands and songs I’d never heard of. I’d often find myself nodding as if I knew what the conversation was about because it was less uncomfortable than saying I did not get the reference. It never feels good to be in a room where you can’t participate. Some examples of conversation starts are “What is everyone watching” and “what did everyone do over the weekend?” 

5. Validate Uncomfortable Experiences - It is vital to give your employees a safe space to share if they have been part of a negative experience, especially regarding race, such as gaslighting. Make sure they are validated, understood, and reassured that actions will be taken. Consider having agency-wide training for employees to recognize more nuanced discrimination and racism in the workplace, such as gaslighting language and bias. 

What Can We As Asian Americans Do 

We all deserve a chance to be happy and valued in our working environments. Hopefully, you’re experiencing this at your current workplace, and if not, you feel empowered and supported to speak to someone about it. If you have voiced your concerns to HR and don't find support, it's time to leave a toxic work environment. It is essential to manage your mental health and ensure you aren’t mistreated in the workplace. 

In implementing these actions, employees and employers can open up dialogue, keep leadership accountable, and help foster healthier working cultures so that more diverse voices can thrive.