How to Deal With Discrimination as a Manager

Learning to deal with discrimination as a manager mostly comes down to the first conversation. Someone tells you something, often sideways, often while apologising for raising it. What you do in the next ten minutes shapes everything after.

Listen without judging the merits. You are not deciding whether it happened. Thank them for raising it, and tell them plainly what happens next and roughly when.

Do not promise to keep it between the two of you. You may not be able to, and a promise you have to break costs you more than the awkwardness of being honest upfront. Say instead that you will only share it with the people who need to act on it.

Write it down the same day. What was said, when, who was present, in their words rather than your summary. Then escalate through your own process rather than investigating it yourself.

The Australian Human Rights Commission publishes guidance for organisations on handling this well. This is general information rather than legal advice.

See Sentrient’s equal employment opportunity course and code of conduct training, or the full workplace compliance courses range.