[Lifestyle] Employee claims she was ‘ethnically humiliated’ at workplace: ‘Ek chamaat maarenge, Bihar pahuch jaogi’

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The harsh realities of workplace discrimination have once again come into the spotlight with a viral LinkedIn post from a woman who hails from Bihar. In a harrowing account, Hyderabad-based employee Nitika Kumari claims to have been subjected to “ethnic humiliation” by colleagues, with the shocking threat of being “slapped so hard” if she didn’t comply. She recalled, “There have been quite a few incidents that happened during the last one year which I neglected thinking ‘Isn’t this what corporate life feels like?’ I neglected everything to the point where it became unbearable for me and made me go through some serious mental health issues and panic attacks.”She added, “The most recent incident that I would like to share with you all is when I was ethnically humiliated by one of my colleagues. The incident happened on 22 April 2024 when I was subjected to ethnically insensitive remarks by my colleague. The exact words which were used by him are ‘EK CHAMAAT MAARENGE, BIHAR PAHUCH JAOGI’ which means — I will slap you so hard, you will go back to Bihar (sic).”Despite raising concerns with the HR department, her pleas for intervention allegedly fell on deaf ears. This disturbing incident underscores the profound mental and emotional toll that discrimination can have on employees, eroding their sense of safety, dignity, and overall well-being within the professional environment.Psychological effects experienced by individuals who face ethnic discrimination in the workplace Gurleen Baruah, organisational psychologist and executive coach at That Culture Thing, explains, “It’s important to understand the underlying reasons for ethnic discrimination. This often stems from an ‘us vs. them’ mentality, which creates divisions and tribalism, fuelled by insecurity and deep-seated biases. People on the receiving end of such discrimination bear the brunt of these attitudes.” How individuals react to ethnic discrimination varies based on their personality, genetic makeup, and general approach to stress and challenges, she says. “Comments and actions rooted in discrimination can severely damage a person’s self-esteem, causing them to feel unwarranted shame. This can intensify the ‘us vs. them’ mindset, making the affected individuals view others as adversaries and widening the social gap.”

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/workplace/hyderabad-employee-workplace-discrimination-bihar-india-humiliation-9375486/