Discrimination has sadly become a part of the reality of life in this day and age. It can happen at any level, anytime, and anywhere; discrimination in the workplace is no exception. However, the more it is becoming a common occurrence, the more an employer is required to learn about the prevention of discrimination in any organization.
Workplace discrimination means the display of unfair treatment and being discriminatively selective to a particular group of employees or candidates. It is capable of stemming from unfounded views of a person being preferable to another one because of body condition, beliefs, mind, or physical appearance.
How can you prevent workplace discrimination?
The implementation of preventive measures is important to ensure that there is no discrimination or promotion of unfair and unhealthy behavior in the workplace. Ways to consider for preventing discrimination at a workplace are:
- Gaining familiarity with the laws
A person must ensure that he is well-informed about the various anti-discriminatory laws existing in society. He should consider exploring international as well as local laws as they will help him build a better understanding of what discrimination exactly is. He must also be aware of the rules he is expected to uphold for benefitting the employees and the business.
- Developing and implementing policies against discrimination
Considering laws as a reference point, a set of policies must be created that is effectively applicable to the organization. Such policies should effectively state that the organization does not condone and tolerate any discriminatory act. The idea of an employee reporting any discriminatory behavior must be incorporated coupled with the addition of disciplinary measures.
- Conducting anti-discrimination training programs regularly
Regular training helps to ensure that an employee is oriented with policies against discrimination. It helps in gaining knowledge of real-life examples and getting reminded of a person’s role in the prevention of such an act. Organizing training and seminars for managers highlighting abuse, discrimination, or harassment are very important; a supervisor must also be aware of his role in the protection of employees.
- Creating job advertisements free from any bias
The advertisements by any organization directly reflect their values and identity; such ads must promote the anti-discriminatory and neutral language. Remember to be concise along with using terms that are neutral to any gender and connect to all the prospective candidates seeking job opportunities. Avoid using technical jargon or define such technical words to your candidates or employees, always focus on proficiency and skills.
Conclusion
Discrimination in the workplace should be completely rejected; people should instead be accepted for who they actually are without judging them. It is important to cultivate a culture of wellness and equality in an organization. An employer can prevent workplace discrimination by raising the level of awareness, understanding better, and taking effective steps for the employees.