Members of marginalized communities and the LGBT experience the distress of hypervisibility in the workplace and beyond—the feeling of being overly visible because of an individual’s race, ethnicity or sexuality sometimes to the point of overshadowing their unique skills and personality.

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This type of extreme focus on skin colour or sexual preferences in the workplace instead of the substance of the professional in the context of the relevant business can sometimes detract from due recognition, reward, and cultivation of employees’ distinct talents as a technician, for example. It can also be detrimental to the mental health of individuals who experience this type of attention.

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Participants from different companies discussed what hypervisibility looks like, what it feels like, its harmful effects, and what can be done about it.

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Key Takeaways 

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Hypervisibility is traumatic

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Adaptaa, an Executive Coaching and Leadership Development company specializing in Emotional Intelligence, encouraged attendees to participate in a poll which asked participants to rate on a scale of 1-10 how hypervisible they have felt in the past six months. More than 40% submitted a rating of 8, 9, or 10.

Many participants shared how this extreme level of hypervisibility has made them feel like they are not being recognized as individuals with a substantial contribution to make at work, beyond the color of their skin or their sexual preference.

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During workplace discussions about ethnicy or sexual preference, many said they felt stress, as if their thoughts were expected to represent their entire community. These expectations from co-workers were especially difficult at a time they were simultaneously working.

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In the wake of these ongoing racial tensions around the world, many participants in the discussion described feeling scrutinized, exposed, daunted, vulnerable, exhausted, and lonely at work.

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If hypervisibility has you feeling overwhelmed at work, it’s okay to speak up

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If your co-workers or managers are spotlighting you for your ethnicy or sexual preference, it is okay have an honest conversation with them about how they are making you feel.

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Addressing an issue with a co-worker or manager is never easy. Before communicating with them, however, it is important to acknowledge that the co-worker may be unaware they are engaging in hurtful or problematic behavior.

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Often, when we feel anger toward another person, it is because they did not meet our expectations for how we feel they should behave. At the same time, it is possible we have failed to actually communicate these expectations to the other person.

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To foster real change, it is important to reach out to those who are engaging in behavior you do not feel is appropriate and directly address their words and/or actions. The best way to approach this conversation is to express the behavior that is upsetting you, describe how it makes you feel, and explain the change you hope to see. From there, invite the person to enter into an agreement with you to act differently moving forward.

Addressing someone’s negative behaviors often requires sharing how those behaviors make you feel. Feelings are often considered a four-letter word in a work environment, but the emotional part of our brains have too much power to be ignored.

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We should not dismiss our emotions as illogical distractions. Even in the workplace, it can be helpful to listen to our feelings, acknowledge them, and yes, even talk about them.

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Think of your emotions as data. In essence, they are your brain sending signals to your body to pay attention to something that is going on. It is a survival technique, a way for your brain to communicate to you whether or not something is right.

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As such, if hypervisibility is affecting you in your workplace, you do not have to ignore or brush off those feelings.

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Importance of allyship

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To reduce hypervisibility, it is the duty of all of us to become better, more active allies. We are responsible for working to understand what type of actions are problematic, as well as the trauma our actions can cause.

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We all must take it upon themselves to learn about hypervisibility, how they perpetuate it, and how to correct any behavior that allows hypervisibility to thrive. Their employers must also encourage change and provide resources.

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Hypervisibility is a global issue, one that every workplace has a responsibility to address. According to the Middle Report, an effective allyship campaign starts by recruiting individuals who are committed to actively supporting the cause and are comfortable speaking about ethnicy and sexuality. It should aim to encourage a culture of psychological safety and greater belonging, which ultimately supports colleagues suffering from hypervisibility.

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Vlanc Fx continues to explore the meaning of active allyship.