White men who have experienced workplace abuse, such as bullying, are more likely to recognize that their company doesn’t always operate fairly, and that makes them more likely to recognize and report racial and gender biases toward their coworkers, I found in a recent study.

As a sociologist who studies workplace inequality, I wondered whether the way white men in the United States are treated in the workplace is related to whether they recognize sexist and racist incidents that harm their coworkers.

To find out, I analyzed data from more than 11,000 federal employees, including 5,011 white men employed by 28 government agencies, collected as part of a survey that measures the government’s progress in eliminating personnel policy violations.

I found that while white men are less likely to be abused than women and people of color, about one in three of them experienced some form of bullying, intimidation, or harassment in the two years prior to the study. By comparison, 44% of white women, 49% of black women, and 35% of black men experienced some form of harassment.

It found that white men who experienced harassment were 70% more likely than other white men to recognize gender bias in their coworkers in their workplace. They were 58% more likely to recognize bias against their coworkers who were members of a racial or ethnic minority. They were also nearly twice as likely to report racial and gender bias to their supervisors and coworkers when they noticed it.

Why were white men who experienced harassment more sensitive to prejudice in the workplace?

I found that they were more likely to be skeptical about whether their company was fair. For example, only a third of white men who had experienced bullying agreed with the statement, “Recognition and rewards at my company are based on performance.” In contrast, two-thirds of white men who had not experienced bullying agreed with this statement. Skepticism among those who had experienced mistreatment increased their tendency to recognize and report bias against their coworkers.

Importantly, these patterns existed regardless of whether white men believed they were being targeted for harassment because of a social characteristic—such as their age, religion, or sexual identity—or because of more idiosyncratic personality conflicts.

Why it is important

Many white men believe that their workplace is based on performance: that people who do their job better get promoted, while those who don’t get demoted or fired. Yet racial and gender discrimination are shockingly common in U.S. workplaces: More than four in 10 women have experienced gender discrimination, and 41 percent of black workers have experienced racial discrimination at some point in their careers.

Eradicating gender and racial discrimination in the workplace requires the support of white men. But white men only fight back or speak out when they recognize the existence of discrimination in their workplace and are willing to do something about it.

There have been many efforts in recent years to identify the best strategies for reducing prejudice in the workplace. My findings suggest that when white men are encouraged to reflect on their own negative experiences in the workplace, they are more willing to admit to mistreatment by coworkers.

What is not yet known

I believe it is important for researchers to examine why white men who experience harassment become better allies when their female or male colleagues of color are mistreated in the workplace. It is also worthwhile for researchers to examine whether patterns like the one I have identified exist for other groups and in other contexts—including in other countries.

This article was adapted from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization that brings you facts and trusted analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Erin A. Cech, University of Michigan

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Erin A. Cech receives funding from the National Science Foundation.