Valued Blog Post of the Week!
I’m giving myself a writing challenge for the next three months. I will pick a personal value as part of a writing exercise as an experiment to see how the topic affects my daily stress level.
My stress level is still well in check even though I have missed my valued Blog Post of the week. I guess you could say I was having trouble picking my next value.
Friday write-in
Picking a personal value
“Pick one value and write about it for ten minutes. Describe why this value is important to you. Write how you express this value in your everyday life, including what you did today.”[1]
- Image courtesy of Trust And Integrity Quotes. QuotesGram via Google Images by Rappler.com
We all have specific values that have become a part of our personality over the years. Those values are not something that I have given much thought to until recently. This post is late. The holidays are long gone, and I don’t have much of an excuse except that of being indecisive until now. I was going to go with Positive Influence, but then I said no, that’s not it. Then I thought Personal Growth and decided that I’m not ready to cover that topic.
So, I’m choosing Fairness instead.
Fairness is a noun and means impartial and just treatment or behavior without Favoritism or Discrimination. Synonyms for fairness are:
candor – civility – decency – decorum – equity – honesty – humanity – impartiality – integrity – legitimacy – moderation – propriety – rationality – righteousness – suitability – tolerance – truth – veracity – charitableness – charity – consideration – courtesy – disinterestedness – due – duty – exactitude – fair-mindedness – goodness – honor – justness – reasonableness – right – rightfulness – rightness – seemliness – uprightness – equitableness – fair shake – give and take – good faith – open-mindedness – square deal
Oh, I just finished a course on Race and Ethnics this previous semester. Fascinating topic. Many don’t realize how racial or discriminating they are until they begin to dig deep. But what does this have to do with my value topic of fairness?
Lots!
Fairness is a tremendous value even in the workplace.
Why so?
Favoritism is the opposite of fairness – the antonym.
Favoritism = Discrimination
Favoritism comes in several forms and can be considered discrimination in the workplace and can have devastating effects on the company culture.
Consider this:
If one employee favored over another for any single reason, then someone is being discriminated against which results in loss of trust, motivation, morale, lost productivity, and leads to resentment and causes disincentives for overall productivity. It is plain and simple, bad management practice. “When employees see that only a few receive benefits for being in the manager’s good graces instead of from doing a great job, then there is little reason for hard work.”[2] Favoritism can also not only negatively impact the company culture it can hurt the bottom line.[3]
Favoritism can manifest in unfair bonus or promotions and which is evident when a manager looks the other way when an employee is not following the dress code or leaves an hour or two early or comes in late without making up their time. “At extremes, favoritism can lead to lawsuits, which in addition to having severe financial consequences, may have a lasting effect on a company’s hiring efforts and reputation in both the specific industry and the public eye.”[4]
Is favoritism illegal?
That depends on the type of favoritism such as discrimination.
What is discrimination?
“Discrimination happens when employers make job decisions based on employees’ protected characteristics — traits that federal, state, or local governments have decided should not be the basis of employment actions. Under federal law, for example, it’s illegal for employers not to hire someone because of his race, to refuse to promote women, to relegate employees with disabilities to low-paying positions, or to lay off employees based on age.”[5]
But if the decision based on similar beliefs, hobbies, or likes then this is not considered discrimination.
Sexual Harassment Favoritism is illegal.
(Topic to cover later.)
Favoritism as Retaliation
“If a manager’s decisions are intended to punish employees who have complained of illegal behavior (such as discrimination, harassment, or unsafe working conditions), that could be unlawful retaliation.”[6]
//players.brightcove.net/2111767321001/default_default/index.html?videoId=4106105298001
I know that fairness is difficult. We all want everyone to like us. But if you as a leader have earned employee trust, then what is there not to like?
Reference
- Favoritism in the Workplace: Is it illegal? Accessed January 19, 2018. https://www.employmentlawfirms.com/resources/employment/discrimination/laws-preventing-favoritism-in-the-workplace.
FLEISCHMAN, EDWARD. 2015. The dangers of playing favorites at work. August 4. Accessed January 19, 2018. http://fortune.com/2015/08/04/favoritism-careers-leadership/.
McGonigal, Kelly. 2016. The Upside of Stress. New York: Avery.
[1] (McGonigal 2016, 72)
[2] (Favoritism in the Workplace: Is it illegal? 2018)
[3] (FLEISCHMAN 2015)
[4] (FLEISCHMAN 2015)
[5] (Favoritism in the Workplace: Is it illegal? 2018)
[6] (Favoritism in the Workplace: Is it illegal? 2018)
Linda Nelson 