Prejudice in the Workplace Prejudice and Discrimination in the Workplace

Prejudice can be hurtful and destructive. This is true for those impacted directly, but also for the morale within an overall work environment. I witnessed this being carried out at a former employer during a summer job. A Hispanic teen was often given late night shifts that no one else wanted to work. There had been a couple of weekend evening robberies and it seemed that management was being prejudice in their decision to place the minority worker on the more problematic shift. In addition, I observed instances where this same worker was teased and mocked (openly as well as behind his back) about his accent. English was not his native language and there were people in management and other co-workers who were totally inappropriate in their teasing of him as he tried to make meaning of some of the discussions with staff and customers. Although he never complained directly, I believe that this might have made him uncomfortable and often felt sorry for him and the way he was treated.

I felt embarrassed and a little ashamed despite the fact that these incidents had nothing to do with me directly. Sometimes the discrimination was blatantly rude with no apology. The fact that none of us (me included) spoke up is still a bitter pill for me to swallow. I undoubtedly will react differently in the future. It is important that others speak up to help create a better work environment. But at that time, I was younger with little work experience. It is disappointing to know that such things still occur in the age we will in. I wondered how many times my coworker and his loved ones have endured such experiences. I wondered about the messages of superiority and bias that were being reinforced by management. Lastly, I wondered how he must have viewed the job, those he worked with, and most importantly, himself.

Often prejudice takes subtle forms and can be...

However, many laws have been instituted over the years in support of ostracized groups and those often treated unfairly. This includes acts such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (Katz 26). Not every form of discrimination is illegal, but it can negatively impact the person discriminated against and make for terrible working conditions for all.
Examples of organizational discrimination can include human resources departments that disproportionately hire younger candidates. This is age discrimination against employees in their middle ages or those nearing retirement. Many organizations conduct these types of discrimination because younger employees are often willing to accept lower salaries and pensions and retirement are not considerations (Henneman 13). Organizations must also be careful not to engage in physical condition discrimination. Some employees may be overweight, or have physical deformities or disabilities, but may be qualified to carry out the basic functions of a job. If so, they most certainly should be given the opportunity. All of these prejudices are forms of bias that should not be engaged in.

Promotion is another area where prejudices can exist. The most significant factor for consideration for roles should be skill set, the ability to complete the job and other qualifications; not outward appearances (Pyrillis 3). Gender discrimination is not as common today, but equal-opportunity best practices still need to be enforced so that skill and job qualifications are considered first when deciding salary, promotions and duties (Henneman 18). Race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion are other areas where discrimination can take place and should not be tolerated or accepted.

Similarly, prejudice may involve the ill-treatment of others due to work role or status (e.g., part-time workers,…