We Are (Not) on the Same Team: Understanding Asian Americans’ Unique Navigation of Workplace Discrimination

Asian Americans (AsAms) carry unique group identifications that likely impact how they navigate workplace racial discrimination. Yet, extant workplace discrimination research has not thoroughly considered the implications associated with such unique group identifications, especially given the context of American society’s increasingly polarized views of AsAms as outsiders versus insiders. To gain insights into these aspects, we conducted three studies using qualitative and quantitative methods. Our qualitative interviews (Study 1) with AsAm employees during COVID-19 reveal that AsAms have internalized society’s polarization of their American and Asian group identifications and navigate their workplace discrimination accordingly. Integrating these findings with group identification research, we develop a dual-serial-mediation navigation process model, whereby AsAms with strong American group identification intend to leave their organization via blaming and then not forgiving their offenders (i.e., “suffering path”), whereas those with strong Asian group identification intend to stay in the organization via perspective taking and then forgiving their offenders (i.e., “protected path”). In a different sample of AsAms who faced workplace discrimination, we found support for our model (Study 2). Finally, we largely replicated these results in a third sample of AsAms who faced workplace discrimination and found that such navigation processes were largely unique to AsAms versus other racial-minority groups (Study 3). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.