SINGAPORE: What do you do when you are the only minority at work? A 22-year-old woman surrounded by Chinese-speaking people in her workplace gave online users a look into some of her experiences in the office, being the only one from a minority race.
“How to survive being a minority at work?” the young woman asked in an online forum on Thursday (March 14). “22-year-old female here working in a very small office (less than 10 people) where I am the only person from a minority race,” she shared, giving readers a look into what she goes through as someone from a different cultural background.
“Since most here are PRs, their mother tongue language, Mandarin, becomes the default language used in most situations,” she said.
“These people are nice to me and there has never been any bad blood yet the feeling of being alone/lonely /excluded at times is making me dread work every day. They will be laughing about something while I’m stuck in the unknown, waiting for 1-2 kind souls to translate. I have no other friends of my race either.
I know that this is unavoidable and that I just have to survive it living in this country. And I know that them using their own language is not because they have anything against me, but it’s for their own comfort and understanding.
I would appreciate some advice, especially for those who have worked in such places on how to survive and strengthen my mindset.”
“If I were in the same boat, I would probably just shift jobs”
While some commenters encouraged the writer to look for a new job so she could be in a different environment, others shared some insights and experiences.
“One of my clients last time was a majority Malay team. Malay language was used throughout the office (and I understand Malay language as well so I am able to converse with them in their mother tongue).
But when in a meeting/work setting, everyone just switched to English, even when they are having discussion among themselves while I sit opposite the meeting table waiting for their responses.
That should be the way. Of course if they still use Mandarin among themselves when it comes to work discussion with you included, then sound them out. That’s outright discrimination…
But nonetheless I understand you don’t want to feel left out and fear that they start to exclude you in any way.
The best way is instead of waiting for someone to translate to you, when they are laughing at a certain topic in Mandarin, nudge one of them and straightaway ask them ‘What are you all laughing about?’ Surely someone there will get it, and hopefully, they will understand that you are being left out.”
Still, another shared, “Same boat, but fortunately, I ended up with a boss that enforced an English-only atmosphere. If I were in the same boat, I would probably just shift jobs.”