Abstract
Research on employee wellbeing in the workplace has increased. However, the examination of workplace wellbeing for minority women has been particularly limited. In this chapter, we explore the relationship between discrimination and wellbeing paying particular attention to the impact of discrimination on the wellbeing of minority women. We borrow from the literatures regarding gender discrimination to illuminate the intersectionality of race and gender and its impact on the workplace wellbeing of minority women. In addition, we offer several examples to illustrate the impact of multiple forms of discrimination on minority women’s wellbeing and show that work disengagement is one of the most salient buffers minority women use to shield themselves from daily discrimination. Finally, we offer prescriptions for organizations and racial/ethnic minority women to ensure a productive work environment where minority women may thrive.
Note: Due to representation in the literature we use the terms women of color and minority women interchangeably.
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Combs, G.M., Milosevic, I. (2016). Workplace Discrimination and the Wellbeing of Minority Women: Overview, Prospects, and Implications. In: Connerley, M., Wu, J. (eds) Handbook on Well-Being of Working Women. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9897-6_2
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