Addressing Discrimination at Workplace

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Importance of Addressing Discrimination at Workplace
The Impact of Discrimination on Business
Cultural Dimensions of Discrimination
Future Implications of Discrimination to Management Theory and Practice
Works Cited

Introduction

Discrimination at workplace is one of the issues that affect many organizations in the current American society. The society has become diversified because of the increasing rate at which people migrate into the country looking for opportunities in life. In most of the cases, it is possible to find a highly diversified workplace environment. According to Crosby (45), people always try to associate with those who share their cultural beliefs and practices.

The minority group will find themselves alienated from the larger groups as people define themselves on the basis of their culture, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or any other relevant demographical factor. The scholar says that this may degenerate into discrimination if it is not addressed in time. Discrimination has a massive negative impact on the productivity of employees. It inhibits the ability of people to work as a team when addressing various issues within an organization.

It also limits creativity and innovativeness because the culture of sharing new ideas will be reduced. This issue should be addressed accordingly in order to ensure that it does not affect the prosperity of an organization. This research focuses on how the issue of diversity in the workplace can be addressed in order to improve the workplace environment

Importance of Addressing Discrimination at Workplace

The American society has been affected by the problem of discrimination ever since the slavery and slave trade was introduced in the country several centuries ago. According to Vickers (34), discrimination intensified after the abolition of slavery soon after the independence. However, the culture of tolerance has been inculcated in Americans as the world looks on to it to provide the truest example of democracy and tolerance to diversity.

The society has seen positive changes made towards having a society that is free from any form of discrimination. However, the truth is that discrimination is yet to be eliminated in the American society. The existing socio-cultural differences among employees has been seen as the main source of discrimination in the current workplace.

Discrimination may not come in a direct manner where an individual is paid less salary compared to others, or assigned inhumane tasks. It may be in various soft forms such as denying an employee a promotion that he or she deserves because of her gender, culture, religion, race, or such other demographical factors. It may also be in the form of alienating others because they do not share our beliefs or cultural practices.

It is important to address these discriminatory issues in the workplace in order to avoid their impact on an organization. When discrimination is addressed, employees will be able to work as a team. They will be able to share new ideas that will promote their ability to be innovative in various fields. Working as a team also makes it easy to find a solution to some of the challenges at work because people will be sharing their ideas. Elimination of discrimination also helps in boosting morale of employees.

When employees are made to feel that they are valued by the firm, they will try to work hard in order to ensure that the organization becomes successful. The unity amongst employees that come with the elimination of discrimination also helps in addressing problems within an organization that could be affecting an individual or a group of employees.

The Impact of Discrimination on Business

According to Gregory (56), discrimination is one of the leading factors of poor performance in some of the organizations in this country. When people fail to fight discrimination, it may develop into an anarchy within the workplace. Employees will classify themselves along the lines of race, religion, gender, age, or any other demographical factor.

It will limit the ability of these employees to integrate into a single unit that is focused on achieving mutual interests within an organization. Each group will try to focus on self-gains at the expense of the overall organizational success. Instead of working as a team to address challenges of the organization, employees will take most of their time trying to assert their positions in the firm. In some cases, such discrimination may lead to physical or verbal assault.

According to Robinson (52), there have been cases in the past where some people have been attacked at workplaces because of their race or religious beliefs. When it reaches such extreme levels, then the workplace ceases to be safe anymore. If this is not addressed adequately, then such an organization may not be able to achieve success because its employees will not be able to maximize their potential.

Their attention will either be diverted to how they can protect themselves from their aggressors, or how they can organize retaliatory attacks. Even minor discriminatory acts may affect some employees psychologically, and this may inhibit their ability to achieve maximum success.

Cultural Dimensions of Discrimination

According to Crosby (42), cultural difference is one of the main factors that contribute to discrimination in the workplace. The fact that different people have different cultural beliefs that make them have different social practices, contributes a lot to the emergence of discriminatory behavior. According to Robinson (33), cultural beliefs and practices play an important role in defining ones behavior. For example, it is common to see Muslims attending prayer services during lunch hour, especially at one.

The non-Muslims may not understand the relevance of this, and unless they are given a convincing explanation about this behavior, they will consider it strange. Similarly, a Hindu may find it strange to see people eating beef. They consider cows sacred, and may not be able to tolerate cases where cows are slaughtered for their meat.

An old man within the workplace may not be pleased by the dress code or language of the younger generation, while the younger generation may not appreciate the slow pace with which the older generation adopt to changes. The most important thing is for everyone to appreciate that we are unique, and others are unique too. For this reason, it is important to understand others the way they are in order to create harmony in the society or workplace.

Future Implications of Discrimination to Management Theory and Practice

According to Gregory (64), the world is rapidly changing into a global village, and we have to deal with the issue of discrimination. Management units of various firms must understand how they can deal with the issue in the best way possible because the issue of diversity will not be avoidable in the future. Using some of the theories of diversity, managers must find a way of putting them into practice in order to have a unit of integrated employees despite their difference in social backgrounds.

Works Cited

Crosby, Faye J. Sex Discrimination in the Workplace. Oxford.: Blackwell, 2007. Print.

Gregory, Raymond F. Women and Workplace Discrimination: Overcoming Barriers to Gender Equality. New Brunswick.: Rutgers Univ. Press, 2003. Print.

Robinson, David A. A Legal and Ethical Handbook for Ending Discrimination in the Workplace. New York: Paulist Press, 2003. Print.

Vickers, Lucy. Religious Freedom, Religious Discrimination and the Workplace. Oxford: Hart, 2008. Print.

Click Here To Order Now!