Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace audiobook cover - A Guide for Equity and Inclusion

Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace

A Guide for Equity and Inclusion

Janice Gassam Asare

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Society & CultureManagement & LeadershipCorporate CultureCareer & Success

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Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace
Concept & History of Whiteness+
Impacts of Centering Whiteness+
Steps to Start Decentering+
Centering the Margins+
Redefining Empathy+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What was the core issue with Julia's response to Shonda's experience of hair discrimination in the diversity task force meeting?
  • A. She explicitly defended the company's HR policies regarding professional appearance and grooming.
  • B. She centered her own experience with whiteness, minimizing the profoundly different racial discrimination Shonda faced.
  • C. She accused Shonda of exaggerating the financial and emotional toll of the discrimination.
  • D. She completely ignored Shonda's testimony and changed the topic to her own workload grievances.
Question 2 of 7
According to the text, how did the social and legal boundaries of 'whiteness' evolve in the United States as the nation expanded?
  • A. It remained strictly limited to the British aristocracy to preserve their specific wealth and power.
  • B. It was legally redefined to exclude all new immigrants regardless of their European origin.
  • C. It was officially abolished as a legal construct immediately following the end of slavery in 1865.
  • D. It tactically expanded to include immigrants like the Irish, Italians, and Poles to unite wider European groups against marginalized communities.
Question 3 of 7
What is the 'curb cut effect' used to illustrate in the context of workplace diversity?
  • A. That creating solutions designed for the most vulnerable ultimately uplifts and benefits everyone in the organization.
  • B. That diversity initiatives often hit a 'curb' or barrier when dominant groups refuse to participate.
  • C. That organizations must cut superficial diversity metrics and focus strictly on bottom-line performance.
  • D. That marginalized employees often have to take alternative, more difficult paths to achieve leadership roles.
Question 4 of 7
Which of the following is recommended as a strategic step to decenter whiteness in the hiring process?
  • A. Relying heavily on employee referral programs to ensure candidates fit the current company culture.
  • B. Requiring advanced university degrees for all roles to ensure a high baseline of education.
  • C. Anonymizing names and affiliations on applications until the final stages of the process to avoid unconscious bias.
  • D. Conducting loose, unstructured interviews to make candidates feel more comfortable and authentic.
Question 5 of 7
How does the text suggest organizations should hold leadership accountable for cultural equity and inclusion?
  • A. By tying leadership performance reviews to real transformation metrics on cultural equity and inclusion.
  • B. By publicly shaming leaders who make mistakes during diversity, equity, and inclusion meetings.
  • C. By requiring leaders to independently manage all emotional labor for marginalized groups without compensation.
  • D. By replacing all current leaders with external diversity and inclusion consultants.
Question 6 of 7
What does the text identify as a characteristic of 'diversity theater'?
  • A. Implementing regular systemic audits on inclusion based on employee survey data.
  • B. Showcasing token representatives of marginalized groups while dominant groups retain actual decision-making control.
  • C. Normalizing courageous and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about race in the workplace.
  • D. Ceding decision-making power to the employees who are most directly impacted by company policies.
Question 7 of 7
What powerful insight did Julia gain about empathy after attending anti-racist training?
  • A. Empathy is largely ineffective in the workplace and should be replaced by strict professional boundaries.
  • B. True empathy requires marginalized individuals to take the lead in explaining their trauma to their white colleagues.
  • C. Well-intentioned attempts at empathy, like 'walking in another's shoes,' can subtly reinforce blind spots by assuming whiteness as the default lens.
  • D. Empathy is only possible when colleagues share the exact same racial and cultural backgrounds.

Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace — Full Chapter Overview

Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace Summary & Overview

Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace (2023) exposes how white-dominant norms, mindsets, and behaviors subtly perpetuate harms and constrain inclusion in policies, interactions, and cultures across organizations.

Who Should Listen to Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace?

  • Human resources professionals looking to tackle subtle biases hindering diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts
  • Organizational leaders seeking fresh perspectives on barriers facing marginalized groups
  • Employees seeking solutions to dominant cultural patterns in the workplace

About the Author: Janice Gassam Asare

Dr. Janice Gassam Asare is an organizational psychologist and anti-racism strategist whose work explores centering oppressed voices to transform harmful systems and cultures. She founded the Racial Justice Network consulting group and authored viral Forbes commentaries, tackling topics like structural discrimination across industries, that have made her a sought-after speaker on diversity, belonging, and inclusive excellence.

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