Equality in the Workplace
The most basic description of equality in the workplace is a lack of discrimination as in employment, pay, and hiring. This is not all that equality means – equality can also mean equal rights, treatment of co-workers, and respect for all employees.
Creating equality in the workplace:
Dr. Jordan Sudberg believes that creating equality can help to decrease discrimination in an organization, since people are more willing to participate and to be cooperative if they feel that the company is fair. Equality can also create a positive morale and improve cooperation among those in the workplace, as well as increase profits for the company.
This can be done by;
1. Start at the hiring process
To truly embrace equality in the workplace, you should start with the hiring process.
Take the time to closely look at your job descriptions. Do they specifically indicate race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else? This can lead to discrimination and should be carefully reviewed.
Additionally, take the time to review candidates’ credentials as objectively as possible. While it’s important to be personable during the hiring process, remember that you still need to look at the skill set of each candidate.
2. Create a fair pay system
When it comes to pay in the workplace, equity is a big factor for most employees. As a manager or owner you have the ability to create a fair system for all employees in your company by utilizing “internal equity” or “external equity. Internal equity means that all employees perform the same duties and receive the same pay regardless of their gender, race, religion, etc. Internal equity is best for large companies or corporations with a certain prestige level.
External equity is used in small companies or organizations where each employee has a specific job to do. In this case it’s necessary to pay different workers different wages based on their skills or how difficult their job is. It’s important to remember that external equity does not mean paying men and women differently for performing the same duties (i.e., sales vs. customer service).
3. Create a safe workplace
Anyone who has ever worked in a “male-dominated” workplace, whether male or female, is all too familiar with sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as behavior that makes an employee feel uncomfortable, depressed, or emotional about their job. What’s even more important to note is that sexual harassment can come from the most unlikely sources – fellow co-workers. This can lead to eating disorders and other psychological problems in even women who are not sexually harassed at all. Sexual harassment is not limited to the workplace; it’s something that happens outside of work as well.
4. Don’t forget your community/society
Finally, one of the best ways to create equal rights in the workplace is to look beyond your company’s walls. Engage in community activities that don’t involve your company if possible, so you are interacting with people from various backgrounds and cultures.
According to Dr. Jordan Sudberg, a pain management specialist, ensuring equality in the workplace is not an easy task that one person can accomplish alone. Equality can be created through collaborating with co-workers, management, and other external sources, then putting it in place through the hiring and pay processes.
Dr. Sudberg also says that “Equality in the workplace is only as good as the effort you put into it. There need to be no specific rules or regulations of any sort, just an equal treatment of all employees in every aspect. Remembering this will strengthen your company, making it a better place to work.”