Rampant discrimination is causing business problems across the world. The desire to acquire competent and skilled personnel is getting challenged by discriminative practices based on race, color, gender, and religion among other bases of considerations (Ramjattan, 2019). Successful institutions with external and global links feel threatened as they cannot exercise business practices comfortably across some boundaries due to the problem. Firms that practice discrimination performs better than those with poor measures to curb the challenge (Hossain et al., 2020). Consumers stereotype the commodities and link them to the unethical; practices witnessed in such an environment making the sale of such products leading to business failure. Workplace discrimination is a threat to business performance since it kills the motivation of employees and creates an overall bad picture of an institution making them fail in business.
Importance of Problem
Workplace discrimination is an important business problem due to the impact it creates and the push and drives initiated to tame it. The need to have a diversified working environment has made employers consider it a key issue worth noting in the institutional statements that describe codes of conduct and ethical practices. Discrimination has made most firms appreciate the essence of diversity based on color, race, culture, and religion and they aim to promote observation of such at management levels to protect business reputation for meaningful gains in line with business demands (Livingston, 2020). Also, the problem has been embraced and its solution prioritized for peaceful business operations and relationships across the world (Livingston, 2020). Most entities have identified the capacities of every individual devoid of orientation and they seek to end the practice to tap the best candidates for the success of their firms.
Possible Solutions
Workplace discrimination can be tamed through strategic management approaches instituted within the business industry and affirmed by every stakeholder. The first solution to the problem is through instituting disciplinary actions against organizations with such behaviors (Livingston, 2020). The entities will pass the order down the chain to its management and employees who will be sternly warned against the practice while informing them about the dangers it causes to a business and the entire industry. Also, the other solution would be educating the fraternity of employees on the need to embrace diversity and the role that desire plays in the success of a business such as quality services and harmony (Ramjattan, 2019). Regular training of staff informs them about their role as key stakeholders that must influence the better performance of a business.
Advantages and Limitations of Possible Solutions for the Problem
The solutions have both advantages and disadvantages in the business environment. The need to embrace every walk is considered a mechanism of getting qualified employees irrespective of origin race, or color which will advantage the business on the side of service delivery. However, the disciplinarian order that calls for embracement is viewed in some quotas as a means of importing labor that infringes the chances of the local community that may be considered less qualified and this limits the impact of the solution (Ramjattan, 2019). Additionally, staff training is an important approach as it keeps employees afloat about the requirements of their entity and it calls on the problem. Nonetheless, the limit of this approach is the attitude each person has whether trained or not (Hossain et al., 2020). The action that follows is not guided by the training but individual attitude and perception and this limits the effects of training in curbing workplace discrimination. Thus, training may only consume finances to impart limited changes.
Recommended Solution
The best solution to workplace discrimination as a business problem is to provide guidelines through institutional mission and statement that provide the ethical framework for business operations. Abiding by the laid instructions should be to the advantage of the employee and not the organization. The legal framework would work to tame rogue employees and employers who fail to follow the rules and when responsibility is transferred to an individual, they will realize the effect their actions have on themselves and their families rather than the business. Such characters will change their mentalities and approaches within the business to change the organization’s reputation which will later translate into business success.
Organizational Sustainability
The legal framework transfers the cost, responsibility, and pain of discrimination to an individual culprit who has to face the law according to the institutional statement on workplace policies. The change implies that the entity does not bear the costs resulting from an employee but it can benefit more by firing and replacing with responsible persons. Such measures regulate the behaviors of employees by making them follow the directives of the entity. Consequently, operations will be harmonized as each employee will be comfortable and motivated to work which increases the creativity and performance of an organization (Livingston, 2020). The overall output of a business will be bolstered to enhance sustainability in the long run.
Generally, workplace discrimination poses challenges to institutions and it is a known business problem. The impact it has on productivity and staff attitude can lead to the collapse of a business hence that need to find solutions that would help in taming it. Despite the limitations in some of its solutions, the determination to establish order in an institution for maximum gain has made many entities opt for legal options to control their employees. The measure is beneficial as it makes everyone responsible for their conduct making most people retract and caution their actions and behavior thereby ensuring business sustainability.
References
Hossain, M., Atif, M., Ahmed, A., & Mia, L. (2020). Do LGBT workplace diversity policies create value for firms? Journal of Business Ethics, 167(4), 775-791.
Livingston, R. (2020). How to promote racial equity in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 98(5), 64-72.
Ramjattan, V. A. (2019). Racializing the problem of and solution to foreign accent in business. Applied Linguistics Review.
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