Common Workplace Hazards: What are Employment Discrimination and Harassment?

One antisocial behavior found in many organizations is discrimination, leading to harassment of different degrees. (Find out more on Employment Discrimination and Harassment)

Knowing the impact of and solution to discrimination and harassment in your company is necessary as an employer. 

In this article, you will learn the meaning and forms of discrimination and harassment regarding employment. 

Let’s get to it. 

What is Employment Discrimination?

Employment discrimination is the unfair treatment of a person or group over others because of their race, nationality, criminal record, health record, religion, gender, or age. 

Sometimes, discrimination can occur consciously or otherwise due to personal reasons or a group belief about a specific person. 

Employment discrimination can occur in the following ways;

When Recruiting and Accepting Staff in an Organization. 

Many job seekers may never be employed by some companies because they never make it to the selection process. Many employers screen out employees based on prejudice and certain stereotypes. 

In Terms of Work Benefits and Incentives. 

In this case, employees can be in the same cadre and have differing salaries and incentives. This is a result of discrimination among the management. 

In Terms of Pardon and Dismissal. 

An employer may have a thing against people of a certain race, hence may become too rigid and callous to retrench staff. 

That said, employment discrimination is based on marital or pregnancy status, disability, intersex status, or immigrant status. 

What is Employment Harassment?

Harassment here means the offensive treatment given to an employee or a group of persons in an organization based on their sex, race, or health status. 

Employment harassment can occur in the following ways;

Saying Insulting Jokes About

another racial group, nationality, or gender. 

Such derogatory words will cause emotional damage to the victim, hence, bringing about less productivity at work. 

Making Derogatory Statements About a Person’s Disability. 

Having employees demean their colleagues because of an obvious disability is molestation. This act is punishable by law.

Displaying Racist and Offensive

posters, comments, and sexually explicit messages. 

Employment discrimination and harassment have left many employees devastated and in emotional crisis. 

Due to this antisocial behavior, the world has become toxic for people from a specific race and nationality, gender, and those having disabilities. 

All forms of employment discrimination and harassment, regardless of their degree or those involved, are punishable by law. Managers and employers must work towards a favorable working environment for all employees. 

When these antisocial behaviors are not prohibited in an organization, the environment becomes toxic, and business activities will be affected in the long run. In case you’re harassed or discriminated against at work, here are things to do;

Be cautious of your activities within your organization, and be objective in your decisions. Report any form of sexual or emotional assault to the right authority. Keep all official documents binding your employment discrete and safe. If in doubt, do not sign into any agreement with hidden effect. 

Lastly, you can consider getting another job if such antisocial behaviors persist. Many countries have considered adopting and implementing laws against employment discrimination and harassment in an organization, which is a good development.