Have you ever reached out to a colleague you felt was experiencing workplace discrimination?
There are many obvious signs of discrimination in the workplace and many more subtle signs. The more obvious signs are unequal pay, limited promotions, and demeaning communication. The more subtle signals of discrimination can include undue references to age, gender, race, and other microaggressions. Other less obvious signs of workplace discrimination could also include bias interview questions or unfair disciplinary action.
When responding to a question like this, it's best to give a specific story-based example rather than responding with a generalization. You can form your response using the STAR framework, an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. This framework will allow you to keep your reply well-organized so that the interviewer can follow along with your story.
If you have not experienced this situation in the past, you can speak hypothetically, being sure to address how you would handle the issue and how you plan to support your co-workers should you witness such a situation.
"(Situation) While working for Company ABC, I noticed that one of the new sales team members was not fitting in as well as expected. (Task) As the Sales Manager, I needed to ensure this team member felt welcome, respected, and comfortable in his new work environment. (Action) I asked this person to lunch so that we could make a stronger connection. We spoke about his first week, and he mentioned previous trouble fitting into new work environments due to a physical disability. I listened carefully and asked him what we could do as a company, and what I could do as his manager to eliminate this situation from recurring. He asked for some new accessibility options and also asked if he could share a bit about his disability with the team so that they would understand him on a more personal level. I agreed, and we held a very informative meeting the following day. (Result) The team embraced our new member, and they were much warmer after taking the time to understand him on a deeper level. It felt great to listen and implement inclusivity measures to make this team member feel comfortable and respected."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
Yes, one time there was a coworker who was bullied because of his weight. people thought it was funny and he used to laugh along too. However, when I reached out to him, he didn't like it. I spoke with the people doing the bullying and told them it was appropriate that it is not always obvious when you're offending someone even if they laugh along.
Amanda's Feedback
This is a strong example. I appreciate the intuitive action you took and the empathy shows you have. You also did a good job outlining the follow-up action you took to address it with your colleagues. Consider ending your answer by sharing the result. Did your coworkers take your intervention to heart? Did they stop commenting on your colleagues' weight?
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