Workplace discrimination can cause immigrants stress, anger and loss of confidence. Learn the signs, the effects and ways of coping, in plain language.
An idea you offer in a meeting goes unheard, then a few minutes later a colleague says the same thing and is applauded. Your name is constantly mispronounced and it is turned into a joke. You are kept away from client-facing work because of your accent, or in promotion discussions you are always told "let's wait a bit longer". Workplace discrimination does not always arrive as an open insult; more often it shows itself through small, ambiguous, repeated experiences. For Turks working abroad, these experiences can add a further burden to a migration process that is already tiring. In this article we look at the psychological effects of workplace discrimination, ways of protecting yourself and when it might be good to seek support.
What Is Workplace Discrimination? How Do Immigrants Experience It?
Workplace discrimination is when a person is treated differently and negatively from others because of their origin, language, religion, name, appearance, gender or a similar characteristic. The discrimination immigrants experience can appear in several different forms:
- Open discrimination: Not being hired because of origin, meeting demeaning remarks, being mocked for cultural or religious characteristics.
- Structural discrimination: Having your degree or experience treated as worthless, being constantly steered towards jobs below your qualifications, being held back from promotion and training opportunities.
- Everyday microaggressions: Remarks disguised as compliments such as "You speak so well, you're not like an immigrant at all", being asked persistently "Where are you originally from?", constant comments on what you eat at lunch.
- Exclusion: Not being included in informal chats, after-work gatherings or information sharing.
That these experiences look small one by one does not mean their effects are small. Repeated small experiences accumulate over time and can create a constant state of alertness in a person. For the general mental health dimension of this subject, you can also look at the article on racism and mental health.
Psychological Signs of Workplace Discrimination
People who experience discrimination often struggle to name what they are going through. The question "Am I exaggerating?" often comes to mind. The signs below may indicate that your work environment is putting you under strain:
- Marked distress, stomach ache or palpitations on Sunday evenings or before going to work
- Weighing everything you say at work, trying to hide your accent or your name
- Replaying an incident in your mind again and again for hours after you get home
- Outbursts of anger, or conversely withdrawal and going quiet
- A decrease in confidence in your abilities, the thought "Maybe I really am inadequate"
- Sleep problems, fatigue and difficulty concentrating
- A general mistrust of colleagues
- Frequently thinking about leaving your job, or even the country where you live
These symptoms do not by themselves amount to a diagnosis. But when they continue for a long time, they can lay the ground for anxiety, depressive symptoms and burnout. Our article on burnout syndrome can help you understand how this process may develop.
Why Is Workplace Discrimination So Wearing?
Ambiguity tires the mind
In the face of an open insult, you know what you feel. But with ambiguous behaviour, the question "Was that discrimination, or just a bad day?" goes unanswered. The mind spends constant energy trying to resolve this ambiguity. In psychology, this is described as the person being tired both by the incident itself and by interpreting it.
Immigration status and dependence
For people whose residence permit depends on their job or who support a family, the possibility of losing their job is a far bigger threat. For this reason, even someone who thinks they have been treated unfairly may struggle to speak up. Being unable to speak up can increase feelings of helplessness and anger at yourself. For the general effects of this uncertainty, you can look at the article on residence permit uncertainty.
Cultural values and the expectation of "patience"
In Turkish culture, patience, enduring quietly and respect for elders or superiors are important values. These values can be protective in many situations. But when it comes to discrimination, the approach of "Be patient, it will pass in time" can lead a person to ignore their own needs and boundaries. First-generation immigrants have often grown up with the understanding that "We are guests, let's not make a fuss"; second and third generations, seeing themselves as equal citizens of the country, may experience discrimination with deeper disappointment.
Identity and belonging
Work is an important part of identity in adult life. Being constantly seen as the "other" at work makes it harder for a person to feel they belong to that society. This can deepen the feeling of not fully belonging either to the country where they live or to Turkey.
The Effect of Workplace Discrimination on Family and Relationships
Stress at work is carried home. A person who has experienced discrimination may come home in the evening irritable, tired or quiet. Their patience with their partner or children may wear thin. Sometimes they do not talk about what they have been through so as not to upset the family, and carry the burden alone.
Say a father working for a logistics firm in Belgium sees that he has not been promoted for years while less experienced people move ahead. He never mentions this at home, but becomes increasingly pushy about his children's school success. He often says, "You won't be like us." In fact he is turning his own sense of injustice into high expectations of his children.
Even if children do not directly know what their parents experience at work, they can sense the tension at home. In addition, the parent's outlook on the world affects how the child reacts to discrimination they may experience at their own school. For this reason, a parent making sense of their own experience also offers the child a healthy model.
A similar picture can be seen in the couple relationship. When one partner talks about what they have experienced at work, the other may tend to propose solutions straight away, ask "Why didn't you say something?" or say "Don't let it get to you." Although these reactions are well-meant, they can increase the feeling of not being understood in the person talking. Often the first need, before a solution, is to be listened to and to have the feeling acknowledged. Even a simple sentence like "That must have been really upsetting, thank you for telling me" can reduce the feeling of loneliness.
Concrete Steps for Coping with Workplace Discrimination
1. Write down what you experience
Keep brief notes with details such as the date, time, the incident, who was there and what was said. This record will be useful if you want to make a formal complaint, and also lets you assess the "Am I exaggerating?" question more clearly. Seeing whether there is a pattern can reduce the burden created by ambiguity.
2. Find out about your rights
In many countries there are legal protections against workplace discrimination, internal company complaint mechanisms, HR departments and trade unions. Remember that these mechanisms vary from country to country and company to company. On legal matters, the right route is to get information from experts or advice organisations in the country where you live.
3. Build a supportive circle
Finding one or two colleagues you trust at work can reduce feelings of loneliness. In some companies there are networks bringing together employees from different backgrounds. Outside work too, talking to people who have had similar experiences helps you normalise what you have been through.
4. Pause briefly before reacting
Reactions given in a moment of sudden anger can sometimes be used against the person. Taking a few deep breaths after an incident, going for a short walk if possible, and then deciding how you want to respond strengthens your sense of control. This does not mean staying silent; it means choosing how and when to speak.
5. Review the way you talk to yourself
Discrimination can be internalised over time: the thought "Maybe I'm really not good enough" can take root. When such a thought comes, remember your achievements, the positive feedback you have received and the difficulties you have overcome in the past. A thought being repeated often does not make it true.
6. Set a boundary between work and private life
Replaying what you experienced in your mind after leaving work increases fatigue. Create a "transition ritual" on the way home: listening to music, getting off a stop early and walking, changing clothes when you get home. These small behaviours can give the mind the signal that "work is over".
7. Think about long-term options at a calm moment
Sometimes the healthiest solution is to change your environment. But it is important not to make this decision at the moment you are angriest or most desperate. Assess your options, with their pros and cons, in writing at a calm time.
8. Protect your body and your energy
Being constantly on alert tires the body too. Muscle tension, headaches, stomach complaints and fatigue are common. Regular sleep, short walks during the day and movement can help reduce the traces of stress in the body. Instead of checking work emails in front of a screen in the evenings, set aside time for an activity that really rests you. Looking after your body is one of the most basic ways of increasing your resilience in a difficult environment.
9. Remember your values and strengths
Having migrated itself takes great skill: learning a new language, adapting to a new system, enduring uncertainty. Knowing two languages and two cultures is a valuable contribution in many working environments. Write a list of your own strengths and look at it after a hard day. Discrimination may try to make these strengths invisible; your task is to keep them visible for yourself.
Being discriminated against does not determine your worth. Naming what you are going through is the first step towards coping with it.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
You may consider talking to a mental health professional in the following situations:
- If even the thought of going to work causes intense anxiety or physical symptoms
- If your sleep, appetite and energy patterns have been disrupted for weeks
- If the events you have experienced will not leave your mind and keep repeating
- If your anger is directed at your family or those close to you
- If you feel worthless, hopeless or helpless
- If you notice that you are trying to find relief with alcohol or other substances
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, call the emergency number of the country you are in: 112 in EU countries, 911 in the USA and Canada, 999 or 112 in the UK, and 000 in Australia. Online therapy is not an emergency intervention service; in situations of serious risk, local emergency services and local psychiatric services are necessary.
How Does Online Therapy in Turkish Work?
When describing the experience of workplace discrimination, you may need to explain how it is intertwined with your family's migration story, the feeling of being a "guest" or the value of patience. Talking about these in your mother tongue, with someone who knows the cultural context, can be more comfortable for some people. This does not have to replace the mental health services in the country where you live; it is an option that can also be used alongside them.
A cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) based approach usually covers the following:
- Making sense of the experience: The emotional and physical effects of what you have been through on you are examined together. The aim is to see your experience without minimising or exaggerating it.
- Working on internalised thoughts: The evidence for thoughts reinforced by discrimination such as "I'm inadequate" is evaluated.
- Stress and anger management: Breathing, relaxation and attention-redirection techniques are learned.
- Communication and boundary-setting skills: Ways of expressing yourself safely and effectively are rehearsed.
- Decision-making: Options such as staying in the job, changing environment or taking a formal route are evaluated within the framework of your values and circumstances.
Sessions are held by video. Taking the time difference into account, a suitable time outside your working hours can be arranged. A quiet room, headphones and a secure internet connection are enough. Payment is made online; pricing is in TL and payment with an international card is possible. For insurance reimbursement you will need to check the insurance terms in the country where you live. For more information, you can look at the Turks abroad page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I experiencing workplace discrimination, or am I just being sensitive?
Asking this question is very common. Writing events down and looking at whether there is a pattern lets you see the situation more clearly. What you feel deserves to be taken seriously, whatever the outcome.
Should I talk to my family about being discriminated against?
Sharing with family members you trust can lighten your load. When talking to children, it is important to use calm language appropriate to their age and to show them ways of coping rather than hopelessness.
Can workplace discrimination lead to depression?
Repeated and long-lasting experiences of discrimination can be a risk factor for anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, not everyone is affected in the same way; a supportive environment and suitable ways of coping can be protective.
Can I get legal support and psychological support at the same time?
Yes. While getting information from experts in the country where you live for legal processes, it is also possible to talk about the emotional burden of this process with a mental health professional. The two complement each other.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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