7 ways to deal with discrimination in the work place

Pay attention to what you don’t always see.You can’t always see it, prove it, or stop it, but if you ignore event he hint of discriminatory behavior, you and your company could suffer in the long run. Low morale, employee conflicts and even lawsuits are just a few of the serious problems that could arise.

Don’t play favorites. If you offer certain benefits to employees, make sure these perks are available to everyone. For instance, if you want to provide a flexible work arrangement for your older workers, avoid appearing discriminatory by being sure to otter this option to everyone.

Is your personal belief system working for or against you?Your personal philosophy regarding race, religion, sexual orientation, and other potentially contentious issues should not affect your duty to monitor workplace discrimination, nor should it could your views regarding what’s legal and just.

Be careful of what you say about Employees It’s east fir a biff-the cuff remark either by you or an employee to start an avalanche of bad feelings and even a charge of discrimination. Think before you say something that might be misconstrued and teach your employees to conduct themselves similarly. People should not be afraid to be themselves, but they do need to be careful, sensitive, and knowledgeable about what’s okay to say and what’s better left unsaid.

Respond quickly, Appropriately and Courteously to Customer Questions and Complaints If an employee expresses concern about possible workplace discrimination, do what you can in the shortest period of time to resolve the issue. Allowing it to linger will only add to the employee’s anxiety and allow whatever may be occurring to continue. Establish a clear policy for yourself and others for dealing with the problem. Do some intelligence gathering by having an honest conversation with the person who has lodged the complaint. Who said what? What exactly happened? Who else was involved/ Along with the help and guidance of your human resources manager, talk to the person who has been accused. Make sure to take (and safeguard) copious notes of your discussions.

Edicate yourself. Stay informed about workplace discrimination. Talk with your peers in similar and different industries, read your daily newspaper for information about what’s happening locally, and conduct research on discrimination and harassment law. Find out what it means for you as an employer. Consider paying an attorney who specializes in this area a one-or two hour consulting fee and ask as many questions as you can. Think of your investment as part of the cost of doing business. In the long run, a short meeting could save you a lot of money.

·         Formalize the consequence.

Create and post an antidiscrimination policy (or consider paying an expert to create one).  Keep in mind that no antidiscrimination policy will be taken seriously unless you take concrete action against any possible wrongdoing.  After you have assessed the situation and consulted a lawyer determine how you are going to proceed.  If you discover that some kind of discrimination has occurred decide if you will start with a warning, insist on counseling, or formally terminate the accused.

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