Prejudice in the Workplace Prejudice and Discrimination

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 difficult to prove. 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, temps or interns) or the mistreatment of someone who has a language barrier -- such as what I witnessed personally. Discrimination is not just limited to categories or types; it can also take different forms including verbal, written, physical, or harassment (Henneman 12). All of these are highly detrimental to workplace unity, not to mention hurtful to those impacted.

Organizations need responsible leadership and diversity training to make a difference in the working environment. By creating an all-inclusive workplace where people of all ages, races, sexual orientations, rank and title feel they can contribute their best work, an organization is better able to achieve its goals (Katz 27). Interactions must be based in integrity, respect, and passion for the business with a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. I believe that everyone should assume personal responsibility for their behavior and actions towards others.

Management should make sure that there is a formal and confidential process for employees to report instances of any form of discrimination or prejudice. It can also be argued that diverse backgrounds, experiences and opinions improve a workplace (Pyrillis 4). Recruitment and management efforts should embrace diversity to build well-rounded teams of critical thinkers and talented workers (Henneman 14). Companies can discourage prejudice by including sensitivity and diversity workshops and teaming activities that stress how important it is to work collectively, regardless of personal differences.

To prevent prejudice displays and practices the full support of company leadership is required. Employees must see that diversity is an everyday part of doing business. This helps create a discrimination-free environment. Policies and systems for all-inclusiveness should include disciplinary actions, training programs, and performance reviews that hold people accountable for behaviors and actions (Katz 27). Every process must be audited for gaps and improved if needed. Sometimes organizations can also have unintended biases in hiring practices.

The hiring process should reflect outreach to people of various backgrounds and diversity groups who would make solid candidates. One way an organization can ensure it is not being prejudiced in its hiring and recruitment practice is to advertise not only through traditional channels, but also diversity targeted fairs, publications and websites (Henneman 14). An online example is www.employdiversity.com, a career site.