Insights
Nov 5, 2025
How to Comfort a Colleague After Racial Harassment: A Guide for Irish Workplaces
Imagine this: a colleague walks out of a meeting visibly shaken. Later, you find out someone made a racially insensitive comment, or worse, dismissed them entirely when they spoke. You want to do something. Say something. But you’re stuck between not wanting to make it worse and not wanting to stay silent.
What do you say? What shouldn’t you say? And how can you genuinely help without making it about you?
Unfortunately, this happens far too often, particularly to Black professionals navigating majority-White Irish workplaces. Behind every such situation are real people; people who still have to finish their day at work, answer emails and join meetings as if nothing happened.
So, let’s break down what to do (and what to avoid) when a colleague, especially a Black colleague, has just experienced racial harassment.
Scenario: “It happened in front of everyone, and no one said anything.”
During a team meeting, your colleague Ayo raises concerns about a project’s lack of community engagement. The manager rolls his eyes and mutters:
“Here we go again with the race card.”
No one speaks up. Ayo goes quiet for the rest of the meeting. You want to reach out, but you don’t want to overstep. So, what now?
What You Should Do
1. Say something, even if it’s small.
Start simple and sincere: “I saw what happened in that meeting. It wasn’t okay. I just want you to know I’m here if you want to talk.”
Research on racial microaggressions shows that when bystanders name or acknowledge a harmful act, it helps reduce the sense of invisibility and invalidation that often follows harassment. You don’t need perfect words, just presence and honesty.
2. Let them lead.
Try asking gently: “Would you rather talk about it now, later, or not at all?”
This hands control back to your colleague, and empowerment and choice are key to recovery after racial harm. Letting them decide how, when or if to talk gives back the sense of control that racism often takes away.
3. Back them, privately or publicly.
If it feels right, you could flag the issue with a manager or HR: “I wanted to mention what happened in that meeting. It didn’t sit right with me.”
Even if your colleague doesn’t want to escalate, your support still matters.
4. Use your power to shift culture.
Think beyond the moment. Are there patterns of bias or exclusion in your workplace? Could you advocate for anti-racism training, review HR procedures or push for open conversations about equity?
What to Avoid
🚫 Don’t minimise it.
Avoid saying things like, “I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that,” or “Try not to take it personally.” These comments dismiss their experience, even if you meant to comfort.
🚫 Don’t centre yourself.
“I feel so bad” or “That made me uncomfortable” might be true, but they shift the focus away from the person who was harmed.
🚫 Don’t rush to fix it.
You don’t have to solve it, especially if you’re not in a leadership role. Presence and consistency go further than quick fixes.
Why It Hits Harder for Black Colleagues
Racial harassment isn’t just about one comment. For many Black professionals, it’s part of a pattern: Being questioned, stereotyped or sidelined, again and again.
Psychologist William A. Smith (2004) describes this cumulative toll as racial battle fatigue: the emotional, psychological and physical exhaustion resulting from constant exposure to racial microaggressions and discrimination. Over time, this fatigue can erode confidence, well-being and job satisfaction.
In Ireland’s increasingly diverse workplaces, experiences like Ayo’s are becoming more visible. But progress depends on more than awareness; it requires organisations to treat racial harm as systemic, not “situational.”
So, What Do You Say?
Here are a few small but powerful phrases to keep in your back pocket:
“I saw what happened. It wasn’t okay.”
“If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”
“Would it help if I came with you to HR?”
“You’re not alone, I’m standing with you.”
They might seem simple, but they communicate care, presence and solidarity.
So this Black History Month (and beyond), let’s do more than celebrate contributions. Let’s create workplaces where Black colleagues feel safe, supported and genuinely heard; not just in October, but every single day.
Ready to embed cultural diversity and intercultural competence into your organisation’s DNA? Join the waitlist now for GORM’s upcoming Unified Business Programme, a structured journey towards lasting inclusion and stronger teams ✨
Aniruddha Methi (she/they) is an Erasmus Mundus scholar and trainee Social-Cultural Psychologist. She is committed to advancing systemic equity, inclusion, belonging and social justice for oppressed communities, actively incorporating an intersectional lens. Aniruddha brings over 2 years of dynamic experience across India, Canada, Ireland, and Portugal in results-driven project management, onsite and remote coordination of multicultural teams, and administration for national NGOs and psychology laboratories. Fluent in English and Hindi, she is robustly equipped to engage with diverse stakeholders and cultivate impactful DEI and intercultural competence initiatives in organisations.
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