Woman Quitting A Job After Only 6 Months 'Doesn’t Feel Bad' Because Of The Way They Pronounced A Co-Worker’s Name
A prime example of microaggressions in the workplace.
OPOLJA / Shutterstock A woman has declared that she is no longer “a corporate baddie” after quitting her job after just six months.
She said she has no guilt because her colleagues couldn't even respect her co-worker enough to pronounce their name properly.
The woman, who quit her job 6 months after joining the company, said she ‘doesn’t feel bad’ since her colleagues could not even pronounce her co-worker’s name correctly.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed over 30,000 times, Lauryn (@llcooladjacent) revealed that she quit her job just six months after being hired.
She has zero guilt over her decision partly because of the treatment one of her co-workers was subjected to. “I don’t even feel bad because they let a man named ‘Jorge’ be called ‘George’ every day of his life,” Lauryn said.
Her work experience resonated with other employees who felt overlooked — or noticed their colleagues being overlooked — in the workplace.
“The company I work for calls a guy called Patricio, Andy,” one TikTok user commented.
“My last company used a racial slur to my Black co-worker just one random Wednesday morning. It was pretty clear they didn’t respect him,” another user shared.
“I left because they thought every single Black person that walked in was stealing, and they gave nicknames to any non-white employee because they couldn’t pronounce their names,” another user wrote.
While mispronouncing an employee’s name may seem like a minor inconvenience to some, it is actually a prime example of microaggressions in the workplace.
Microaggressions are subtle actions or comments that convey negative, discriminatory, or stereotypical beliefs about marginalized groups.
Similar to Lauryn’s story, an example of an employer or colleague demonstrating microaggressions at work is giving a colleague whose name is difficult to pronounce an Americanized name to make it easier for everyone in the office — but it can make the particular employee feel undervalued that their colleagues will not dedicate the time to get their name right instead.
Unfortunately, microaggressions are common in the workplace, and employees should not be subjected to them.
7 out of 10 workers claim that they would be upset by microaggressions in the workplace, with half of them claiming that they would leave a job because of it.
Microaggressions and other forms of unfair and discriminatory treatment can lead to the downfall of an entire workplace. Employees will be less likely to give their all to their work (if they even show up), productivity can decline dramatically, and the resignation letters will begin piling up like never before.
By recognizing and addressing microaggressions, organizations can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment that respects and values all employees, improving work output and productivity.
It is also important to note that if you decide to leave, corporate America will survive without you.
Employees want to be treated with dignity and respect, especially given the amount of time and dedication they put into their work. The least that their colleagues and managers can do for them is to learn how to pronounce their names correctly.
Along with Lauryn, we hope that Jorge has recognized his worth and has moved on to a job where he is given the respect he deserves.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.