Overcoming Workplace Prejudice

Prejudice Reducing Prejudice in the Workplace All forms of prejudice exist in the workplace, with some more apparent than others. Leaders recognize the potential scenarios where prejudice and bigotry can fester and grow, and often define counterattack strategies to these problems by bringing greater involvement and ownership of team success (Kirby, Richard, 2000). Prejudice blinds peers, superiors and subordinates from the inherent valuable contributions of employees regardless of their race.

And prejudice is very expensive as well, costing companies literally billions of dollars a year in lost productivity, lawsuits and missed market opportunities (Piche, 2004). The intent of this paper is to define key strategies for reducing prejudice in the workplace. Strategies for Reducing Prejudice in the Workplace Leaders who excel at reducing prejudice arte inclusive and seek to gain everyone's buy-in to corporate vision, mission and value direction.

One of the most effective strategies for reducing prejudice in the workplace is to practice inclusive management where every member of a team has the ability to contribute and gain recognition for their efforts (Klein, 1980). To personally reduce prejudice in the workplace, the most effective strategy of all is to strive to get every member of a team recognition for their strengths and contributions. This redefines their identity and shows that you and the company that excellence is the only aspect of work that really matters.

In managing a diverse team, the most effective strategy is to completely shift the focus away from race, color, creed or ethnic background, even age, gender or sexual preference, and refocus on excellent performance. Excellent performance in any organization is all that matters. Doing all one can to recast an organizational team into one focused first on performance and excellence of effort can and does any focus on prejudice (Kirby, Richard, 2000).

Second, if I was running a team I would make it clear that comments that connote prejudice and bigotry are the talk of losers -- and I would not tolerate any losers on teams I manage. Being careful to not say this to the offending person in front of anyone else, I would pull them aside and tell them their comments are dragging down the team's performance, and if they can't change their attitude they will be gone.

I would then begin to document the offending person's performance and tell them I am doing this, and they need to change the perspective. If they could not, they would have to be let go. This is not only to be in compliance to Equal Opportunity Employment (EOE) requirements (Klein, 1980) but because if I ran a team it would have to embrace performance and inclusion above all. For those practicing prejudice and bigotry I'd remind them they are in violation of U.S.

laws and statutes (Shih-Hsueh, Kleiner, 1998) and if they continue they will be terminated at any time. Finally I would work to create a culture of information and knowledge sharing regardless of the unique backgrounds of employees. Part of creating this culture of information sharing would include sensitivity training on how to better practice egalitarian work styles.