Can you recognise a time when you or someone around you has made a judgement about another person because of their appearance❓ Would you say you are a judgemental person❓
Posted on 4th February 2022
Most of us would say that we are not judgemental. the problem is, we all are. We cannot help it. It is in our genes. It does not mean we are outwardly judgmental or that we seek to judge others, but it does mean, we need to be very self-aware.
It could be as simple as being frustrated that someone has not completed their workload in a time that you deem acceptable. You judge them. You do not think you are judging them; you think you are just frustrated that they do not work as fast as you would like but you are making a judgement that they are slow. There could be many factors that contribute to their time keeping but you have made a snap decision that they are not quick enough.
You do not need to become 100% perfect all the time, but you do need to be aware of your feelings, especially when it comes to recruitment and being an effective employer.
During recruitment
It is important to be honest with yourself if you find it hard to be objective. For example, if a candidate who on paper seems ideal, walked into the interview, covered in tattoos, would that change your opinion of them?
Unless there is a valid reason that they could not do the job due to their tattoos, there really is no reason for you not to offer them the job if they are qualified and have the experience.
Before you even start the interviewing process you need to ensure that you do not have any pre-conceptions about the type of person who could carry out the role.
For example, do not visualise one sex over another or a younger person rather than someone who is more mature. If they have a physical or mental disability, make sure you are certain that your policies and procedures are in place to help and not hinder. No disability should stop a person from carrying out a role (unless you have genuinely valid and legal reasons).
Discrimination
There are many ways a person could discriminate against another person. Here are some examples.
➡️ Gender
➡️ Age
➡️ Religious beliefs
➡️ Sexual orientation
➡️ Pregnancy
➡️ Race
➡️ Disability
For most of us, we would not dream of discriminating against someone, but the fact is, it is likely we will at some point make a snap judgement. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this as long as you can stay objective and not allow that opinion to be relevant.
Policy
As an employer, you lead from the top so having a strong equality and diversity policy in place will help to drive that message home throughout your organisation. The more you practice, the more natural it will become.
It is not just your own judgmental traits you need to be aware of. You are responsible for creating your workplace culture and ensuring that you stamp out any discriminatory behaviour.
Best practice in the workplace
How can you stop discrimination in the workplace?
➡️ Have a clear equality and diversity policy in place and ensure that all employees read, understand and work by it.
➡️ Provide regular equality and diversity training. We live in a world that changes regularly and it is not good enough to have one training session and then not bring up the subject again.
➡️ Keep your management team up to date. Give them training and show them how to look out for signs that a member of their team is discriminating or being discriminated against.
➡️ Make a team member a champion, someone employees can go to if they need to talk. They can be responsible for ensuring the policies are updated and sourcing relevant training.
Summary
Working on your own self-awareness can have many benefits for both you and your team. It can help you to become a better leader and strengthen your working relationships.
By being pro-active in this area, you may be surprised by what you find. It is possible that you do not know that you are unconsciously discriminating against others, and it is imperative that you are aware of it if this is the case. Once you know, you can change and move forward positively.
Please do not hesitate to contact daxa@hrresultsltd.co.uk if you would like any advice. Taking HR from 'TO DO' to 'DONE'.
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