Why BIPOC Employees Are Burning Out—and What People Leaders Can Do About It

The current realities of the world are emotionally taxing for everyone—pandemic disparities, racial injustices, political division, bodily autonomy—the list goes on. Unfortunately, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) are even more impacted due to an overall lack of support. 

Many employers and co-workers can’t relate to their pain or perspective, and they can feel singled out as news breaks on a race-related issue. A sense of division arises with political or racial worldviews, along with an inability to understand the personal impact that some of these topics have on a person of color. 

Racial trauma, which refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes, can have similar psychological effects as other forms of trauma. Imagine the emotional burden of a person of color being exposed to this trauma on a daily basis now that we have such consistent access to what’s happening around the world.

There is a big difference between seeing a news clip that breaks your heart and imagining yourself or your loved one in that news story. 

Why do BIPOC employees experience higher rates of burnout?

Psychology Today defines burnout as “a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress.” And burnout looks different for BIPOC, especially at work. BIPOC employees are constantly exposed to incidents of racism—via the news, social media, and their personal experiences. 

The emotional toll it takes to process these events daily and recognize their impact on your personal life—while being expected to meet deadlines at work—can be incredibly overwhelming.

Many BIPOC feel isolated and invalidated at work, rather than a sense of belonging and community, which can lead to burnout.

The heightened pressure to perform

When there are few BIPOC on a team or at an organization, these employees can feel pressure to perform at a higher level. There may be an expectation to prove one’s self and exceed expectations, along with the burden of representing the BIPOC community as a whole, and a fear of failure altogether. 

Despite evidence of success, imposter syndrome is common for BIPOC in a predominantly white workspace. To be the first in your family to work in a corporate setting can trigger feelings of inadequacy, and being one of the only BIPOC in the space may cause an internalized fear of not being qualified. 

The burden of exceeding expectations and being the representative for an entire marginalized group can create the need to push oneself beyond reasonable expectations or an appropriate work-life balance, thus leading to burnout. 

Culture-changing advocacy begins at the top

Advocacy in the workplace, when it comes to diversity and inclusion, often becomes the responsibility of the BIPOC—because they have the most experience and understanding. Unfortunately, that adds another level of responsibility for the betterment of the marginalized community when they are already feeling immense pressure to meet expectations.

BIPOC become tasked with not only navigating various disparities, but educating others as well. It would be more beneficial to see advocacy from the executive level to provide more credibility to the work being done.

How to reduce burnout for BIPOC employees

Here are five ways to effectively advocate for your BIPOC employees, helping them  navigate their unique experiences in the workplace and avoid burnout.

Develop a more inclusive hiring process

One way to do this is by emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusion during interviews and onboarding. This can truly make a difference when DEIB becomes a core value to the company, rather than a way of maintaining a “politically correct” workspace.

Take a look at the salaries and roles of your BIPOC employees. Are they represented at all levels of your organization? It’s all too common for them to be in the bottom quartile of the company, and if this is the case at yours, there’s work to be done: 

• Reexamine your job descriptions and find ways to make them more inclusive
• Be open about the different kinds of people who could fill your open roles, get creative, and look for unexpected candidates
• Ensure BIPOC employees are being paid fairly and have equal opportunities to advance and work with people at all levels of the company
• Consider offering mentorship opportunities for your BIPOC employees

Redefine “professionalism”

To add another layer to these efforts, adjusting your standards of professionalism to more realistically meet the needs of your employees can create a safer, more inclusive environment. These standards, which are often invisible to the ‘average’ employee, refer to the competence or skill expected of a professional. 

Although this may sound appropriate and harmless, in most corporate settings, the standards of professionalism lean heavily toward the traditional white experience. A closer look can reveal that they’re not representative of the real-life employees in these spaces.

The traditional standards of professionalism ensure that the target demographic can seamlessly achieve recognition and career growth. For those who do not fall within that demographic, conforming is often expected and required to progress, devaluing the characteristics that make BIPOC employees who they are.

Acknowledge the impact of code switching among BIPOC

Code-switching, the act of changing our behaviors to conform to a different cultural norm, is a common tool for a BIPOC to more effectively “fit in” to their desired environment. Whether it is a change in speech, dress, or mannerisms, the pressure to consistently code switch can be mentally and physically draining, often leading to burnout. 

Ensuring the needs of the individual employees are addressed when enacting standards of professionalism in the workplace is an effective way to provide that more inclusive space. 

Identify and address unconscious bias

When discrimination is not widely discussed in the workplace, there is often a lack of awareness altogether. Education is necessary to help every leader and employee identify their own unconscious biases and work toward creating a psychologically safe, inclusive work environment. 

Addressing microaggressions and taking those incidents seriously is an effective way to demonstrate an employer's validation of the BIPOC experience more consistently.

Here are two ways you can do this:

• Encourage open, honest dialogue between executives and employees. This can lead to issues being acknowledged, validated, and addressed more consistently. One-on-one check-ins, in particular, allow for this kind of dialogue.
• Normalize conversations around advocacy in regular meetings—not just those geared toward diversity and inclusion. Consistent efforts to create a more inclusive environment also allow the overall tolerance level to shift.

Offer an innovative EAP

Innovative EAPs are proven to increase employee utilization and provide fast access to a diverse network of therapists and coaches—and a space to process personal and professional issues safely. This eases the emotional burden of the employee and decreases the likelihood of burnout.

As a therapist of color with Spring Health, many of my clients have been pleasantly surprised to see someone who looks like them and can more authentically validate their experiences. This is a meaningful way for employers to ensure their BIPOC employees receive the mental health support they need.

The importance of a long-term commitment to DEIB

Acknowledging the real-life experience of a marginalized group can help leaders more effectively implement changes that go beyond the current performative allyship and ensure every employee feels seen, heard, and valued. In addition to more consistently diversifying company workspaces and creating a more inclusive environment, these steps can help decrease burnout and provide a higher level of support for BIPOC employees.

Read this blog next to learn how to avoid employee burnout and help support better mental health in the workplace.