25 Oct Social Class and Rankism at Work

Feature: Does Your Organization Have Class?

By: Farzana Nayani & Donna Stringer

“I feel motivated and empowered to raise issues of money and class in a manner I had not before.”

– Andrea Walsh, Anthropologist

According to the Class Matters website, class is described as “relative status according to income, wealth, power and/or position.” Although distinctions between working class, low-income, middle class,and upper or owning class can be made, they are also deeply interconnected to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, location, immigrant status, and other factors. This makes it challenging to separate as a factor on its own, thus often causing it to be overlooked as an issue within a group’s dynamic. Class-based segregation may also generate feelings of guilt for those who come from more privileged positions or shame for those who come from less privileged positions. These factors make classism an “ism” that is not talked about or managed effectively. Even within the diversity training context, the subject of class can often be neglected – but yet is so important in understanding the environment that can promote or prevent conflicts or misunderstandings amongst individuals.

Why is Class Important?

Sometimes described as a “hidden” element that needs to be “uncovered” or made “visible”, a person’s experience of class can impact his or her behavior, value systems, and perceptions of self and others. Here are some ways class can have an impact:

• Affecting one’s relationships and communication with others, i.e. how we treat those around us
• Determining one’s own self-concept, confidence, and perception of ability to take on certain responsibilities, roles, or career goals
• Creating a sense of belonging or exclusion, due to one’s comfort with others or familiarity with professional or social environments
• Creating a sense of exclusion from one’s family or class of origin if one has changed social class through education, employment or life partnerships
• Influencing one’s perception of money, power, status, organizational structure and policies, and management hierarchy.

These impacts can be directly seen in a situation, or can indirectly contribute to conflicts or misunderstandings and decreased performance, if not identified, understood, and consciously dealt with.

Classism: How it Feels

One great example of the impact of class differences can be found within the academic environment.

In his article “Diversity Training and Classism”, Felice Yeskel tells the story of college students who are raised poor or working class, and need support and other services, but don’t find them unless they are minorities or students of color. He describes, “If you’re white and you come from a poor or working-class background, you show up on these campuses, and you are having your mind blown hundreds of times a day, and your reality is never noticed or validated by anyone.” Students may face issues about not knowing how to act or fit in, or the challenges of leaving their families behind. Yeskel puts it well when he says, “There is acknowledgement that most colleges have a dominant white, Euro-centric culture, but not necessarily an awareness of the dominant middle or higher class culture.” Further, when students are the “first” in their families to go to college, they may not even be aware of the availability of some services, much less how to access them.

From this example, we can see that the challenges of adjusting to one’s surrounding environment can definitely impact success in whatever pursuits that excluded person undertakes.

Rankism

Classism issues can be found not only within academic institutions, but also in corporate settings, in any workplace – and can often go unacknowledged.

Patreese D. Ingram, a scholar from Penn State, explains that within almost every organization there exists a hierarchy amongst employees that can create a class system in itself. This hierarchy can be based on a person’s title, role, position, or function, and can cause “ some employees to feel like ‘somebodies’ and others to feel like ‘nobodies’”.

Ingram rationalizes that although rank is necessary within organizations, “rank-based mistreatment can result in lower levels of job satisfaction and performance” and can also lead to “lower levels of loyalty and commitment to the organization.”

A Classism Checklist for Your Organization

Indra Lahiri and Kimberlee Jensen have put together a “Checklist for Organizations” describing how organizations may or not be inclusive of class differences.

Here is a summary of the things to be aware of in your organization:

• Recruitment – do recruitment strategies only focus on Ivy League or private educational institutions? Are graduates from particular universities preferred over those who attend community colleges? Are those who take part in certain extra-curricular activities (i.e. philanthropic organizations) favored over those who had part-time jobs during school?)
• Weekend and Off-Hours Events – are employees expected to take part in weekend or off-hour events? Is enough notice given to allow the employee to make arrangements for child care or elderly care, or other household responsibilities?
• Job Expenses – are employees expected to pay for expenses up front and then be reimbursed later? Are certain items helpful or required for the job (e.g. automobile, laptop, specific uniform, cell phone) that are not provided by the company but enhance job performance?
• Jokes and Slurs – are some jokes or phrases used regularly that may be offensive and classist? (e.g. trailer trash, etc.)
• Informal Networks – do company gatherings require certain types of etiquette or unwritten behavior that may affect a person’s inclusion or comfort level at these events? Is there a specific dress code required that may exclude those who don’t have formal wear?
• External Communities – do workplace giving campaigns fund lower income or other focused charities, rather than private, higher income causes?
• Location – is your workplace accessible by public transportation, or arrangements made for those who don’t have cars if public transportation is not available?
• Levelism – are there different rules, perks, advantages for those at differing levels of the organization? Do individuals in higher leadership positions socialize or even greet those in lower positions, like mail clerks?

The above checklist is helpful for reflecting on how a company’s policies, unwritten rules, or expectations of job performance can create an environment that reinforces class privilege.

You might even ask yourself—apart from an assessment of your organization:

• Do you know the names of people who “serve” you in your organization?, e.g., the janitor, the guard, the receptionist? Do you greet them by name regularly?

• Do you speak to people who are higher than you in the organizational structure? Even those who have status and advantages can feel isolated if people treat them like they are “untouchable.”

For help in exploring classism at your organization and to create a welcoming, inclusive environment for your employees and colleagues, please contact Executive Diversity Services.

BOOK NOOK: Nickel and Dimed

Two “classics” come to mind with regard to classism in America. In Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (2001: NY: Holt) Barbara Ehrenreich & Frances Fox Piven documents Dr. Ehrenreich’s foray into poverty when she intentionally spent several months working minimum-wage jobs in several cities, seeking information from co-workers and her own experience regarding how to survive on those wages. She focuses largely on costs of food and housing and acknowledges that she is without a family to support. Nonetheless, her conclusion is that on minimum wage, no matter what someone does–including working two or three jobs simultaneously–one could virtually never work one’s way out of poverty. And she does not even attempt the cost of health care of education. In addition to her own experiences, she also provides a plethora of data regarding income and poverty in the US.

Ehrenreich’s second book, This Land is Their Land (2008: NY:Holt) diagnoses the impact of economic disparity, privilege and classism in the US, this time contrasting the wealthy and the poor.

For anyone wishing to understand classism in America, Ehrenreich’s work is foundational. Another major source, and one well known in the education field, is Ruby Payne’s book A Framework for Understanding Poverty (1998: Highlands, TX: RFT Publishing) This is an important resource for identifying the link between social class and learning. Dr. Payne provides powerful examples of how poverty affects learning and offers practical information to teachers about how to recognize the signs that poverty is at play and how to modify teaching methods to be more effective with students who are experiencing educational challenges due to poverty.

– Donna Stringer

REEL REVIEW: People Like Us

People Like Us: Social Class in America.  This is an outstanding series of vignettes covering social class at all levels from poverty to wealth.  Vignettes range from 10-20 minutes.  A teacher’s guide is included.  This video is useful for discussions about poverty and is highly recommended.  It can be obtained from The Center for New American Media, 589 8th Ave. #2100, NY, NY 10018; 212-630-9971

– Donna Stringer

RESOURCES: Class Dismissed and “Classism Isn’t Classy”

Produced and written by Loretta Alper and Pepi Leistyna, Class Dismissed explores the representation of working class people in US television, including reality shows, sitcoms, daytime talk shows, and police dramas, from the history of television till now. This documentary features interview with analysts of media of cultural historians, and includes commentary on how television shapes our perception of the intersection of race, sexuality, and gender with social class. Famously remembered shows are looked at critically for how they stereotypically portray working class characters and how these depictions reinforce social disparity.

Video previews are available from the Media Education Foundation website.

This is a great resource to begin conversation around social class, perceptions of society, and inequality.

– Farzana Nayani

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has published a facilitator’s booklet on utilizing exercises to bring forth conversations about class. Created by Rita Rizzo, this guide is entitled“Classism Isn’t Classy: Exploring Socioeconomic Diversity” and includes case studies that allow participants to take part in perspective-taking exercises and discussions about class and social differences.

– Farzana Nayani

QUOTABLES: Quotes on Social Class

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.” – Arabian Proverb

“I think black Americans expect too much from individual black Americans in terms of changing the status quo.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , NBA All-star

“Remember, social progress only happens when those in society’s privileged classes choose to give up their status.” – Tammy Bruce , US Radio Host

“Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.” – Jawaharal Nehru, Indian Politician