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Companies must take stronger action to challenge toxic workplace cultures that silence women and normalise microaggressions.
A study by Vlerick Business School found that while gender equity policies exist in many organisations, women still face subtle but persistent forms of discrimination that often go unreported due to fear, fatigue or resignation.
Researchers say businesses need to move beyond surface-level diversity policies and confront the “silencing mechanisms” that make speaking up about bias risky or impossible.
“For too long, the message has been that women need to speak up when they face microaggressions,” said the research team. “Our study shows that the problem isn’t women staying silent, it’s workplace cultures that make speaking up unsafe.”
The research, led by Delia Mensitieri, a doctoral student at Vlerick Business School and Ghent University, alongside Professor Smaranda Boroș and Professor Claudia Toma of the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, examined more than 700 experiences of microaggressions shared by 125 women via an online platform.
It found that many workplaces have moved from overt discrimination to more covert behaviours; subtle comments, jokes, or exclusions that are harder to name but equally damaging to employee wellbeing.
Microaggressions, defined as “everyday slights, indignities or insults that communicate hostile or negative messages to marginalised groups”, often lead to emotional exhaustion, self-doubt and long-term disengagement from work.
Rather than speaking up, many women described using coping strategies to manage repeated microaggressions. These included downplaying incidents as harmless, questioning intent, or accepting them as part of workplace culture.
When women did challenge such behaviour, they often did so only when they felt confident their organisation would support them.
The researchers warn this creates a damaging cycle of silence. Employees internalise experiences, disengage emotionally, or eventually leave the organisation, reinforcing the false perception that microaggressions are rare or insignificant. Mensitieri said:
“Silencing doesn’t always come from explicit threats. It comes from cultures that reward conformity, where those who challenge bias are labelled as difficult or oversensitive.”
The findings underline how psychological safety, the confidence to speak up without fear of negative consequences, remains uneven across organisations.
According to Vlerick’s team, the emotional burden of managing or minimising microaggressions can have long-term impacts on wellbeing. Persistent exposure, even to subtle slights, has been linked to stress, anxiety, burnout and lower job satisfaction.
For women in underrepresented roles or leadership positions, these effects can be amplified, compounding feelings of isolation.
The study adds to growing evidence that wellbeing and inclusion cannot be separated: psychological safety is now recognised as one of the strongest predictors of engagement and retention across all employee groups.
The future
The report recommends a two-fold approach for employers seeking to tackle microaggressions effectively.
First, organisations must dismantle systemic silencing mechanisms by encouraging open dialogue, embedding accountability and training managers and bystanders to respond constructively when issues arise.
Second, they should offer stage-specific support that helps employees recognise, name and respond to subtle bias, including through tailored language, coaching and peer support structures.
Professor Boroș said the emphasis must shift from expecting individuals to fix the problem to equipping entire organisations to change, saying:
“Microaggressions don’t happen in isolation; they happen in systems. Companies need to treat them not as interpersonal issues, but as signs of cultural and structural failure.”
While most large employers now have policies on diversity and gender equity, the researchers argue that policy alone is not enough. When inclusion efforts are viewed as compliance exercises rather than cultural transformation, they risk becoming performative.
Instead, employers must invest in ongoing dialogue, allyship and accountability, creating environments where employees are heard and where raising concerns does not jeopardise careers.
The report also points to the role of bystander empowerment, suggesting that everyone – not just those directly affected, should be equipped to challenge microaggressions in real time. Boroș said:
“Cultural change happens when silence is no longer the default, Every employee must see inclusion as part of their role, not a side project for HR.”
A call to action for employers
As organisations continue to prioritise wellbeing and retention, the study serves as a reminder that inclusion and mental health are deeply intertwined.
Workplaces that tolerate subtle bias, the authors warn, not only damage individual wellbeing but risk losing trust, engagement and diverse talent.
“Companies must actively dismantle silencing mechanisms and create spaces where women – and all employees – are empowered, supported, and truly heard. Until that happens, microaggressions will remain one of the most overlooked threats to workplace wellbeing.”
