There are some people who dread going to work, and for a different reason that wanting an extra hour or two in bed. In fact, those who are frequently mistreated by their employer might begin to feel physically unwell and stressed at the prospect of heading into the office on a Monday morning. This type of treatment can even lead to the employee resigning due to their employer’s discriminatory actions making it impossible to work.
This type of job loss is often known as constructive dismissal. Thankfully, there are steps to take after losing a job unjustly, although it is important to understand what might cause someone to quit. In this post, three of the main signs of workplace discrimination have been outlined.
Exclusion
When an individual is marginalized or mistreated, this can be workplace exclusion. This type of discrimination can be intentional or unintentional, but it is commonly based on a protected characteristic, such as age, disability, gender, and so on. It is one of the subtlest forms of workplace hostility, and this can make it difficult to identify for others within the workplace.
As exclusion is often an accumulation of small incidents over time, it can go on for a while. Unfortunately, this means the impact of the victim can be extensive. They might experience reduced engagement and productivity due to hindered collaboration, impaired organization, and reduced morale.
Offensive Comments or Jokes
While some people will claim they’re only joking when they make insulting comments or jokes, this can be a form of discrimination. This can be a difficult behavior for employers to manage in the workplace, especially as comments can be rather subjective. A lot of the time, the context in which they are spoken can change their meanings. For example, if the person who is the “butt of the joke” is participating, it could be said they are not being bullied or harassed.
But this will depend on what is being made fun of. As previously mentioned, comments related to protected characteristics can constitute discrimination and harassment, which could result in legal action. In the workplace, jokes and/or comments that are homophobic, racist, or sexist can quickly land the company in hot water.
Unfair Treatment
Despite exclusion and offensive comments being unfair, unfair treatment includes all of this and much more. An employer might force an individual to work longer shifts, move department, refuse promotions, etc. This sort of treatment will be based on protected characteristics, which can impact an employee’s dignity and potentially lead to legal issues.
An example of unfair treatment can be found in this pregnancy discrimination case, in which a women’s boss began speaking about firing her. This situation happens frequently, with women being threatened with demotions, penalties, and job loss when pregnant.
Although there are there are other signs of workplace discrimination, such as denied opportunities, favoritism, reduction in responsibilities, and unequal pay, the three mentioned in this post are incredibly common. If you are the victim of these behaviors, it is vital you act to find a resolution to your situation.
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