Preventing Job Dissatisfaction in the Workplace

 

JAHMAI O. GRANDE

ABSTRACT

The employee behavior literature is very much dominated by studies on “good” or “positive” behaviors, but relatively little has been researched on the negative attitudes and behaviors of people within the workplace, in particular, job dissatisfaction and counterproductive work behavior.

The objective of this paper is intended to enumerate the influence on job dissatisfaction among staff as well as its causes and vital components as shown in the relevant literature. This paper also provides several potential schemes in preventing job dissatisfaction and keeping the employee productive and efficient.

Thus, this paper has conversed significant factors in enlightening the incidence of job dissatisfaction and discusses potential schemes to manage these concerns.

KEYWORDS: Job Dissatisfaction, Enthusiasm, Procrastination, Tardiness, Performance, Motivation, Employee Turnover, Management Limitation, Employee Engagement.

INTRODUCTION

Job dissatisfaction is usually, but not necessarily an undesirable phenomenon for organizations (Zhou and George, 2001). Although researchers have linked job dissatisfaction to many negative outcomes in the workplace, such as employee turnover (e.g., Hom et al., 1992), it has been demonstrated that job dissatisfaction is related to some positive outcomes, such as employee creativity (e.g., Zhou and George, 2001). Recently, the economic crisis led to growing stress and severe mental health problems in the workplace, which would exacerbate employees’ job dissatisfaction (Mucci et al., 2016). Not surprisingly, given its importance and prevalence in organizations, identifying the antecedents of job dissatisfaction has attracted great interest from researchers (e.g., Amundsen and Martinsen, 2014; Arenas et al., 2015). Some scholars have focused their attention on the dynamic role of supervisors in decreasing employees’ job dissatisfaction. Some studies focused mainly on the role of positive leadership (e.g., empowering leadership, Amundsen and Martinsen, 2014; transformational leadership, Top et al., 2015).

In the context of job dissatisfaction, abusive supervision may have the potential to escalate into more dangerous, destructive leadership (Avey et al., 2015), which in turn may make job dissatisfaction more serious. Indeed, as a typical manifestation of destructive leadership at work, abusive supervision seems to have natural links with employees’ job dissatisfaction (e.g., Breaux et al., 2008; Hobman et al., 2009; Bowling and Michel, 2011; Haggard et al., 2011; Kernan et al., 2011; Lin et al., 2013; Martinko et al., 2013). Although abusive supervision has been conceptually linked to job dissatisfaction (Tepper, 2000; Tepper et al., 2004), the empirical evidence is rare.

Job dissatisfaction is a common manifestation of employees’ attitudes in the workplace (Zhou and George, 2001). Job dissatisfaction is when employees’ expectations for their job are not met. This leaves them with negative perception and lack of motivation and commitment to their work and the organization. This, in turn, affects the performance of the organization and ultimately, its bottom line. Discontent can arise from many factors, including a negative work environment, poor management, lack of recognition, and low wages. (https://www.aihr.com/blog/job-dissatisfaction/)

Job dissatisfaction is when an employee does not feel content in their job. This can be due to various professional and personal reasons such as lack of advancement, poor management, limited work-life balance, and more. (https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/hr-glossary/job-dissatisfaction, 2022).

When job stress becomes increasingly difficult to control, it often leads to job dissatisfaction. The most commonly used definition of job dissatisfaction is given by Locke (1975) who defined it as “a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences. This definition implies that not only do we evaluate satisfaction as an emotional state but that we think about those aspects of the job that make us satisfied and dissatisfied.

Work takes up a significant percentage of one’s life, and people have expectations of what their job should be like. When these expectations are not met, it brings feelings of disappointment, bitterness, and lack of interest, leading to job dissatisfaction. There are many behaviors that employees can display when they are dissatisfied with their jobs.

TYPICAL INDICATORS OF JOB DISSATISFACTION

Lack of interest and enthusiasm – People will seem disinterested in their jobs and not put much energy into completing their tasks. You may notice that they are easily distracted by their phones, chatting with coworkers, wandering from their workspace, or even daydreaming. Texting friends, browsing through social media, or simply staring at the ceiling can illustrate a lack of interest in one’s work. They may also spend extra time attending to personal business while at work or express a sense of boredom with their duties. One of the early signs of job dissatisfaction, disinterest progressively grows worse over time and can impact work performance.

Procrastination – Employees who avoid their work may be silently wishing it would just go away. Someone who is dissatisfied with their job may wait until the last minute to complete tasks and then make excuses for why they didn’t do it earlier. When someone invests minimal time into preparing for and carrying out their work, the results will likely be mediocre.

Tardiness and absenteeism – People who aren’t satisfied with their jobs aren’t motivated to carry out their responsibilities. You might notice that an employee has irregular arrivals and departures from work or often calls in sick. Instead of being at work and on time, a dissatisfied employee may wish to stay home and escape what they don’t enjoy. All of this translates into increased absenteeism rates.

Declining performance – When employees aren’t devoted to their jobs, they are bound to put in less effort, resulting in less output. Without investing their full knowledge and abilities into their work, it can take them an hour to do what they used to do in 30 minutes. Instead of putting their best foot forward, they may take on a nonchalant attitude and do only the bare minimum.

Stress and negativity – Every job will have tense moments, but dissatisfied employees are likely to be stressed out on a regular basis. Those with low contentment will feel negative about their jobs and the workplace and become irritable. They may complain more often about projects, managers, clients, or coworkers.

Signs of Job Dissatisfaction

We talked about what happens when an employee is dissatisfied. Here are some additional signs to look out for.

Slack

An employee who is not satisfied at work will start slacking on their performance. They may show up to work late, miss deadlines, make simple errors and fail to communicate. They may break rules or spend little time actually working. This is the point when the employee does not care about the future of his or her job. Let’s take care of our employees before they get to that point!

Lack of Engagement

If an individual who is normally engaged and talkative in meetings is suddenly withdrawn and distracted, you could have a dissatisfied employee. Perhaps they stop attending company events and activities. They may stop speaking up about things that are important to them or volunteering for opportunities they would normally jump on. This is where it’s important to know your employees. Look out for changes in behavior and be empathetic to what an employee might have going on.

Job Searching

When an employee is dissatisfied, they will most likely not want to stay in their current work environment. They will begin to look for other employment. If an employee is suddenly missing work for many appointments, they could be interviewing for a new job. They may be curious about other companies and other opportunities. They may put some feelers out to see what their potential for growth is at your company.

COMMON CAUSES OF JOB DISSATISFACTION AND WAYS TO ADDRESS THEM

The reasons for job dissatisfaction are numerous. Nonetheless, if you confront potential sources with corrective action, you can work toward preventing the problem altogether. Being alert to and seeking remedies for the following job dissatisfaction factors will help your organization build a satisfying work environment.

Lack of appreciation - All human beings have an inherent longing to feel appreciated in both our personal and professional lives. Feeling valued at work goes beyond just recognition for performance. People want to believe they have worth as employees and colleagues because they are esteemed for who they are as a person. Without knowing their presence matters, they can lose their sense of purpose within the organization and become dissatisfied with their job. A Glassdoor survey showed that 53% of employees believe that receiving more appreciation from their boss would make them stay longer with their employer

Here are some ideas for creating a culture of appreciation in your workplace: First, encourage managers to express a friendly and attentive interest toward their staff and be willing to genuinely listen. Routinely checking in with them lets them know they are noticed. Managers should show appreciation for employees with in-the-moment verbal praise to honor each person’s skills, ideas, and opinions and root out favoritism. Second, implement an employee appreciation program or re-evaluate your existing one. Include methods for peers to nominate and highlight each other. Periodic rewards, such as free lunches, workplace events, or group outings, will acknowledge employees and promote camaraderie.

Being or feeling underpaid - While pay rate alone doesn’t guarantee contentment, believing you are underpaid can contribute to job dissatisfaction. If an employee thinks their compensation doesn’t match their work performance, they will feel undervalued. They may also blame their job for any financial difficulties they’re facing. A new opportunity with higher pay can easily entice someone to leave their current job.

Does your organization offer competitive salaries that are at least at the market rate? If not, it’s time to propose a new pay structure and consider salary increases. Devise a payroll and compensation strategy that offers performance bonuses and promotions to support employees’ career trajectories.

If your organization is not in a position to raise wages, you could look for creative ways to reward employees, such as: Bonuses tied to targets and profitability, Employee discounts for your product or service, Flexible work days/hours, longer lunch breaks and Extra vacation day

Inadequate management - The relationship employees have with management is a significant contributor to how they feel about their jobs. When employees don’t like how they’re being supervised or don’t trust their managers, their loyalty starts to unravel. Then they are less likely to be satisfied in their roles and can even become dissident. Managers who have poor leadership skills can harm the success of your business. People want to be led with straightforward instructions. Uncertainty and lack of direction are often sources of frustration in the workplace. Conversely, employees who are inspired by their leaders will be more invested in their work.

Supporting managers’ development should be a high priority for every organization. Be sure to have policies in place and training for your managers that include an emphasis on these areas: Setting clear short and long-term goals with instructions for meeting expectations, Practicing and promoting open, inclusive communication and being transparent with information, Championing professional growth of employees, Providing consistent individual feedback that emphasizes positive attributes and coaches problem areas, Offering autonomy and trusting employees while refraining from micromanagement and Limited career growth prospects

The hope of career advancement lies within most people’s work aspirations. Interest in a current job will increase when it offers some potential to look forward to. On the other hand, when employees see their growth opportunities stall or vanish, it can foster job dissatisfaction. Feeling stagnant can send workers right out the door to better prospects.

HOW DO YOU OVERCOME JOB DISSATISFACTION?

Overcoming job dissatisfaction requires tapping into employee issues and enhancing their experience. There are a number of ways your team can boost employee experience:

Provide recognition: Celebrate milestones and praise employees for their hard work during company meetings. Consider incorporating a reward system where workers receive some sort of compensation (money, more paid time off, team outings, etc.).

Are you paying your employees well? Great. But do you have a payroll and compensation strategy that keeps your employees productive and satisfied? Consider an employee’s career trajectory and tie that into compensation to boost motivation, morale, and productivity.

Provide training and mentoring: Nine in ten workers who have mentors say they are happy with their jobs. Mentoring can provide an opportunity for employees to train well in their roles, be given candid yet caring feedback, and be offered tips on climbing the ladder.

Hourly workers have an annual turnover rate of 49 percent. By providing accurate compensation and efficient communication, you can effectively meet the unique needs hourly employees require.

Listening and responding: We mentioned earlier that the most constructive response an employee can take to job dissatisfaction is to be vocal and bring up their concerns to management. Accordingly, managers can respond positively to that feedback. It will help if the employee feels heard and if management takes steps to address the needs that aren’t being met.

Employees feel empowered when their employer demonstrates a nurturing environment for career growth and success. Managers should set aside time with their staff specifically for getting to know what each person envisions for their career. They should also help map out a plan for attaining their goals. Within your organization, you can reinforce career development by providing the following types of opportunities: Internal mobility, Training and development offerings, supporting side projects, Promoting from within, Mentoring programs and Lack of training and development options.

Many people purposely seek employment with a company that is willing to invest in the learning and development of its employees. Helping staff grow can motivate them to do better in their jobs and be more devoted to the organization. In addition, feeling encouraged and set up for career advancement can help employees feel more satisfied with their current role.

Successful companies understand the value of a training and development plan, so they allocate the required resources. For example, you may see the need for more training at your organization, but a generous budget isn’t feasible. In that case, there are methods for developing employees that don’t require substantial funds, such as:

Online learning: Training sessions and webinars are available for a vast number of topics and allow people the flexibility of working at their own pace during the most suitable time for them.

Peer-to-peer learning: This option allows employees to learn skills from their peers with direct and personal support during in-person, phone, or online sessions.

Cross-training: Employees can be exposed to different roles and learn new techniques as they learn how to perform their colleagues’ tasks.

Job shadowing: This opportunity allows people to explore a particular job that they are interested in by following and observing someone already in the role as they go about their duties.

Performance coaching: This on-the-job collaboration between employees and their managers or among employees promotes learning and improving skills while discussing the interactions that occur within the scope of their job.

Workplace relationships - The correlation between work relationships and employee satisfaction cannot be overstated. Even if the job itself isn’t ideal, a tight-knit team can make people happy to come to work. On the other hand, a toxic workplace can ruin an otherwise fulfilling job. Coworkers don’t have to be best friends, but they should at least be relaxed and comfortable with each other.

Take a close look at your workplace culture to identify potential improvements, especially if employees are making complaints. For example, do managers address tensions between staff members? Does an employee’s rude or bullying behavior toward others need to be confronted?

Teambuilding activities or scheduling time to play games and just hang out can encourage employees to bond, find commonalities, and form trustworthy, positive relationships. Finding ways for employees to connect as people will liven up the environment, promote teamwork, and contribute to your employees’ overall job satisfaction.

Work-life balance - Full-time workers spend most of their day at work, but everyone needs time to focus on their family, friends, hobbies, and other responsibilities. Employees can feel overwhelmed if there isn’t a clear-cut distinction between their work and personal lives. If your organization doesn’t recognize how important it is for employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance, you’ll be dealing with burnout and low job dissatisfaction.

Showing people that the business cares enough to prioritize their well-being goes a long way in preventing employee job dissatisfaction. Try these ideas that can better accommodate your staff’s lives outside of work: Limit overtime expectations, Ask for volunteers before allocating travel, holiday work, and special assignments, Provide consistency with fixed scheduling for hourly workers, Offer people choices with flexible hours and remote work options, Encourage everyone to take advantage of their paid time off benefits, and Job isn’t interesting or meaningful.

People seek employment that is inspiring and fulfilling. They can easily lose interest in a job they believe isn’t challenging enough or doesn’t make a significant contribution.

Tedious tasks are often job dissatisfaction factors. When technology can help streamline or modernize record-keeping and other processes, it reduces the time employees must devote to dull job duties. This leaves more room for the work employees find worthwhile.

Revamping certain positions is another remedy. When you employ job design strategies like job enrichment and job rotation and utilize the job characteristics model, it is possible to create innovative roles that both support business goals and satisfy employees.

A sense of pride is instilled when employees believe they are personally responsible for contributing to the organization in a meaningful way.

HOW DO I ADDRESS JOB DISSATISFACTION IN THE WORKPLACE?

Job dissatisfaction is a hard issue to navigate and one that requires patience, caution, humility and empathy. Remember that even though it may seem like just one disgruntled employee, that employee could be the future success of your company.

TRANSPARENCY

One characteristic of a great company culture is transparency. Companies that are open and honest about their decisions, policy changes, layoffs and metrics have employees who trust the company and trust their leaders. Employees won’t have to question their job security and will ask for clarification about policies they may not fully understand.

Open Door Policy

An open door policy is so important for a healthy company culture. Employees want to have a voice and they want to feel that their voice will be heard. Always be compassionate and empathetic when an employee explains a concern, even if it’s something you don’t agree with. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the individual. Although you may not be able to change the circumstances of a situation, you can help an employee feel that they are valued. Offer to help them in any way that you can. Try for compromises and solutions and give them the benefit of the doubt.

THIRD PARTY

When problems arise with an employee that you cannot solve, consider asking for the help of a third party. The HR department can often act as this third party. If necessary, companies can enlist the help of an arbitrator outside of the company to come in and help resolve an issue. Learn to identify when the situation needs another perspective.

OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

Give your employees answers to their many questions about their future. Discuss their personal goals with them and tell them about the opportunities you see for them in the future. Take chances to compliment them on their achievements and give feedback as often as you can. Allow them to learn from each other and work in other departments when possible. Provide learning initiatives to read books and take classes. Show your employees that you care about them even if they decide to leave the company.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Employers don’t always get it right, and job dissatisfaction is a common workplace problem. However, once you take the initiative to determine what causes job dissatisfaction at your organization, you can prepare and implement strategies to overcome it. Don’t forget to always gather your employees’ feedback to make sure you’re using the right methods to combat job dissatisfaction.

Striving for a fully engaged and satisfied workforce is the best way HR leaders can support business success.

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Discrimination in the workplace

 

JOHN MICHAEL ARCA

Divine Word College of Laoag

ABSTRACT

              Even though you might be familiar with the term "discrimination," do you fully understand what it entails? And are you aware of how it relates to your line of work?

              Making unwarranted disparities between individuals based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they formally or implicitly belong is known as discrimination. People may be treated unfairly on account of their color, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or any other category.

              Moreover. To treat someone differently or less favorably for some reason is to "discriminate" against them. Discrimination might happen at work, at school, or in a public setting like a mall or subway station. You may face discrimination from coworkers, supervisors, instructors, coaches, business owners, even pals from school.

              The major goal of this paper is to explain why our society is weaker due to a lack of variety that is perpetuated by discrimination. To do this, we must diversify higher education to produce better citizens and create a livelier, affluent society that benefits everyone.

Keywords: discrimination, gender, race, age

INTRODUCTION

              In today's world, discrimination is a fact of life. It can occur at any level, anytime, and anywhere. The office is no different. Employers must understand how to stop discrimination in their workplaces, though, as it seems to happen increasingly frequently.

              Workplace discrimination entails showing partiality for certain applicant and employee groups and treating them unfairly. It may result from erroneous perceptions that one is superior to the other due to differences in appearance, beliefs, or state of mind and body.

              Examining applicants' credentials as part of the hiring process will help you locate the best candidate for the position. However, are your selection criteria based on what they can actually offer and how they can perform the job?

              The need to fight prejudice is important for social, economic, and humanitarian grounds because labor is a clear necessity for survival. People's lives are significant because they depend on their jobs as their main source of money; otherwise, they would lose their feeling of self-worth (Collins, 2003).

              Stigma and discrimination are significant obstacles to employment reintegration in various nations and cultures (Brouwers, et al., 2016). Therefore, discriminating against someone entails depriving them of their full participation in the workforce, including by refusing to hire them, assigning them to particular occupational categories, lowering their salary, refusing to promote them, and so forth. All of these things are done because of traits or grounds that someone may have, such as gender, race, color, or age, which are typically unrelated to skills and job performance.

              In addition, discrimination is defined by the International Labor Organization [ILO] (2007) as "a differential and less favorable treatment of certain individuals" due to attributes including sex, color, and religion, "independent of their capacity to satisfy the criteria of the job." When describing discrimination, Willey (2012) questioned if a candidate was chosen based on legal or illegal criteria (such as experience, abilities, and qualifications) (like gender, pregnant women or disabled person). Whether or not an act of selection (treatment) is discriminatory relies on the criteria used to make the choice. When an employer chooses a candidate or makes a judgment based on a factor unrelated to the job, that behavior constitutes employment discrimination and is unfair treatment.

              When people are denied their equal rights—a privilege based on human rights—discrimination has the opposite effect. The majority of state constitutions now include the principle of equality, reflecting the decades-long unanimity of the international community to advance it.

Literature Review on Discrimination     

              Differentiating and treating certain persons more favorably than others is discrimination. It is connected to injustice and bias when making judgments or treating individuals based on their demographic characteristics. Disparate impact and disparate treatment are the two types of discrimination for which a business may be held liable (Riesch & Kleiner, 2005). Disparate impact occurs when a company's policies and procedures are discriminatory (Kapur & Kleiner, 2000). Disparate treatment occurs when an individual is subjected to discrimination because the employer dislikes his or her age, gender, color, etc.For instance, flight attendants are required to fall within a specified range of weight, height, and age. Researchers Ratsamy Phomphakdy and Brian H. Kleiner (199) looked into how to get rid of discrimination in the workplace. This study described workplace prejudice by employing criteria for hiring, firing, giving increases and bonuses, promoting, and delegating employees, such as race, age, gender, and cultural background. Similar findings have been made by other academics about the discriminatory nature of preferential treatment of employees based on their age, ethnicity, religion, and gender (Supateera & Kleiner, 1999).

 

              A study was done on the issue of religious discrimination in the workplace, especially for Muslim women who choose to wear headscarves in the USA. The study revealed that although though Islam is the second-largest religion in the world, unfriendly discrimination against women who wear headscarves has occurred in the job. In addition, Muslim Americans allegedly experienced the greatest levels of discrimination as a result of the connection between their religion and the extreme terrorism that the nation had to endure. Bullying also encompasses forms of prejudice, such as name-calling, avoiding eye contact, declining to serve, engaging in acts of intimidation, and staring. (Reeves, McKinney, & Azam, 2012). These attitudes have a psychological impact on the victims, which can lead to job dissatisfaction and eventually have an impact on the victims' self-esteem. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, there was a significant increase in bigotry towards Muslims. According to the research, the majority of businesses refused to hire any Muslims, and those who were hired experienced bullying and mental torture (Schulze & Kleiner, 1999).

 

              Another study on gender discrimination in Greece revealed that while men are more likely to be promoted, women are employed in greater numbers but are often kept in contingent roles like lower managerial levels. Men with higher promotions than women are equally qualified. The research found that employees' perceptions regarding their own gender were a major factor in gender discrimination. This demonstrates how supervisors discriminate against women when assigning work (Mihail, 2006). Due to their gender, male employees have a larger likelihood of promotion than female employees. (Quak & Kleiner, 2001)

              According to Booysen & Nkomo (2010), the political and historical context of South Africa is largely to blame for the prevalence of racial and gender inequality in the nation. While a majority of black men and white men concur that men should hold managerial positions, black women strongly disagree. This demonstrates that managers' tendency to discriminate when assigning work is a result of two major societal constructs: race and gender.

              A study on age discrimination revealed that it is typical to link older workers or aged employees with technical illiteracy, a lack of aptitude for learning and understanding new skills, the difficulty of breaking old habits, and a lack of the energy and adaptability needed for the workplace. Age discrimination takes many different forms (Osborn & Kleiner, 2005). For instance, a clear illustration would be when a young, inexperienced employee is given low-profile chores like photocopying documents and running other errands while the senior employee receives a higher position. (Ozcan, Ozkara, & Kizildag, 2011) Discrimination against younger employees can also be seen when older workers receive promotions over the younger ones due to their seniority (Xia & Kleiner, 2001). This discrimination can also be seen in a more subtle way when a senior employee who is close to retirement is moved into a smaller office space. Younger workers argue that they are underpaid despite having comparable qualifications. There have been instances where workers have accused businesses of age discrimination after not receiving company benefits owing to their age (Shah & Kleiner, 2005).

              According to data from earlier studies, there are many negative effects of discrimination at work, but it is unclear what causes these effects or how much of it is the fault of the managers in charge. This study examines the managers' demographic traits, which define them and may have an impact on how they behave while assigning duties to staff members.

Different Forms of Discrimination

Race

              Previous studies have found that race is one human difference that has consistently been found to be the root of the majority of cases of discrimination. (Tisserant, Wagner, & Barth, 2012).  In the study of South Africa, it was found that black and white men and women have been treated unequally over the years due to the history of the country. Managers who have employees that share the same race as them tend to get better treatment than the rest. This shows partiality (Dhesi, 1998). A study conducted in USA shows that Hispanic ethnicity is discriminated against on the average of one out of every five times they apply for a job. The same research shows that Hispanics face barrier to promotions as well. In the same way, Asian companies were sued by workers for favoring white men over Asian during downsizing (Dong & Kleiner, 1999), the case showed that promotion for middle and upper level management positions was given to whites who had less experience and qualifications than the Hispanics. Mexican-Americans are another race which has been in America for some time yet they still experience discrimination. They received some assistance in this area from the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, but employment discrimination is still a problem today.  (Nguyen & Kleiner, 2000)

Gender

              In most nations, gender discrimination is widespread. It is one of the reasons that equality is still a problem in places like Saudi Arabia and Yemen (Marshall, 2007). Stereotypes and gender prejudice often go hand in hand. According to previous research studies, this type of prejudice was present in the majority of workplaces from South Africa to Greece and the United States (Huang & Kleiner, 2000). The battle for equality and the ego-centric conflict between men and women have not yet been resolved.(Chan & Kleiner, 2000) Given that women are the ones who become pregnant, pregnancy discrimination falls under the category of gender discrimination (Chester & Kleiner, 2001). It can be claimed that in most nations this constitutes discrimination based on a person's marital status because it is anticipated that a married woman will be able to conceive. This is viewed as gender discrimination in western and European nations where it is common for unmarried women to become pregnant. (Middlemiss & Downie, 2009) Several research on workplace discrimination have found that gender discrimination is one of the most prevalent types of inequality (Kuta & Kleiner, 2001)

Age

              When an employee's talents and qualifications are disregarded because of their age or seniority, this is known as age discrimination. (Peng & Kleiner, 1999) This is typical in Malaysian businesses where an employee's remuneration is determined solely by seniority. (Topper, 2009) Young workers with good qualifications must nevertheless complete their terms of service before they can be promoted or paid more. According to a study of American workers, older workers are more frequently the targets of intentional age discrimination. As a result, older workers feel more excluded and unwelcome at work than younger workers. The group has the power to eradicate age discrimination. (James, McKechnie, Swanberg, & Besen, 2013). Age is simply a number, so it shouldn't be used against an employee, and supervisors should be educated and taught in this (G, Shen, & Kleiner, 2001). Age discrimination is also impacted by governmental policies and laws (Kleiner & Shah, 2005)

How You Can Stop Discrimination in the Workplace

              The initiation of the effective elimination of bias and discrimination at work can be achieved through ongoing education and training opportunities. Create a safe environment with planned learning routes for all employees and make sure everyone is aware of proper behavior in the workplace.

Here are some strategies for preventing discrimination at work

Create a written policy that outlines the steps and regulations

              The anti-discrimination rules of companies might differ greatly depending on their culture and nature, but it's necessary to emphasize that employees have a right to work in a setting where their knowledge, skills, and abilities are the most crucial components of their success.

Inform all of your employees about prejudice

              It's crucial to make sure that every employee is aware of potential workplace discrimination issues, is familiar with your policies and processes, and knows how to report an allegation. Supervisors and managers should receive specialized training because they are your first line of defense against workplace discrimination. Additionally, you ought to make an effort to let staff members know that discrimination may result in legal action.

Think about many possibilities for communication channels

              Providing efficient and open channels of contact is a crucial component of the complaint process. Having more than one way for staff members to report prejudice is ideal since it will prevent supervisors from hiding problems from HR and top management. For an employee to be able to file a complaint, formal channels of communication such an intranet, emails, letters, or face-to-face meetings are essential. Some organizations even let anonymous reports to be submitted in order to launch an investigation.

Implement a program to prevent retaliation

              Retaliation is the most prevalent claim of employment discrimination, and it's also the one that's hardest for a corporation to refute. One of the trends in human resources is this. It is typical for an initial allegation of discrimination (other than retaliation) to fall short of proving a legal violation, while an additional retaliation charge will usually lead to a discrimination finding.

Engage in team-building exercises

              To promote improved communication and understanding among your staff, perform team-building activities in addition to training sessions that take place in a meeting setting. This is a fantastic chance to promote inclusion and diversity because there are lots of activities that can do so, such a potluck where everyone is asked to bring a food from their culture.

Focus groups

              Employee focus groups, which are frequently used to raise employee engagement, involve participants in a facilitated conversation on a certain issue. They provide you an additional chance to express how much you respect employee input and are dedicated to making things better. These conversations can also assist managers in proactively identifying workplace pressures, conflict frequency, and employee morale issues.

Provide managers and supervisors with a soft skills training

              We need to remember that employees might experience discrimination from their coworkers. When discussing discrimination, one may quickly think of situations when a person was denied a job or a promotion for unfair grounds or treated unequally by their direct supervisor or manager. This frequently includes harassment and bullying. Your managerial staff should be adequately qualified to handle these concerns in a timely and efficient manner rather than instantly involving HR. Continuous soft skills training can greatly enhance their interactions with subordinates and prevent issues like this from developing into a complaint of discrimination.

CONCLUSION

              Discrimination in the workplace is wrong and hurts both the person and the business. Both the employee and the employer may experience mental and emotional stress as a result of the situation. Employer and employee might both enjoy a great working environment and experience without workplace discrimination.

              All accusations of discrimination should be addressed swiftly and effectively, as this serves the interests of both the employer and the employee. When prejudice is tolerated, it lowers employee morale, increases stress, harms professional reputations, increases absenteeism, and leaves customers and employees unhappy.

REFERENCES

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Mohamed, A. A. A. (2017, November 25). Laws ensure equality in workplace. The New                  Straits Times. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from                                                                            https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2017/11/307251/laws-ensure-equality-                              workplace

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Ethical Conundrums Concerning Environmental Sustainability

 Benjamin S. Mercado Jr.

Divine Word College of Laoag

Abstract

The area of environmental philosophy known as "environmental ethics" examines the moral relationship between people and the environment. It includes a developing body of applied ethics that is crucial for assisting individuals, organizations, and governments in choosing the principles that will direct their way of life, their course of action, and their position on a variety of environmental issues. This is one of the ethical frameworks that allow us to make choices that benefit the environment. It is crucial to comprehend how environmental ethics can be practised at work and eventually ingrained into daily life. The objective is to achieve a sustainable environment by increasing awareness of the risks posed by rising pollution levels and climate change. Also, to ensure that human actions do not further harm the natural world, environmental ethics are studied. This is essential if we want future generations to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer, including a happy, prosperous life in harmony with the environment. Every single one of us has a responsibility to act now to save the earth for future generations 

Keywords: environment, ethics, sustainability, issues, earth

Introduction

 

The term "environment" refers to everything that surrounds us, both natural and man-made. When we think of "environmental ethics," we usually think of the non-human natural environment. "Environmental ethics" refers to human attitudes and values toward nature that influence individual behaviour and government policy.

Environmental ethics is the study of normative concerns and principles about human interactions with the environment, as well as their context and outcomes, and how these interactions should be handled in light of ecological difficulties. It includes a significant area of applied ethics that is essential for guiding agents like people, businesses, and governments in forming the values that influence their way of life, their course of action, and their policies regarding the full spectrum of environmental issues.

One central tenet of environmental ethics is that humans should protect the environment for future generations, as well as to respect and honour the human-nature relationship. This means that people must take precautions to ensure that they do not harm the environment in any way. People must work to conserve and protect natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations. This is especially important given the world's growing population. If people do not act now, future generations will be left to deal with the consequences of human actions on our planet. Another crucial ethical principle is that humans are Earth's stewards. This means that people are accountable for environmental protection.

Business ethics education included a study of environmental ethics. This is done to make commercial organizations more conscious of how their actions affect both people and the environment. Business exists to serve people as well as make a profit. Any business decision should always take into account its ethical implications for the surrounding environment and community.

If environmental ethics are strictly followed and produce good results, the environment will be able to sustain itself and provide a good life for future generations. The United Nations (UN) defines sustainability as "meeting current needs without jeopardizing future generations' ability to meet their own." Environmental ethics determine the state of environmental sustainability. It depends on whether human attitudes toward nature are positive or negative. There is no question regarding the need for sustainability. In “The Concept of Environmental Sustainability,” Robert Goodland substantiates a history documenting this need, presenting proponents ranging from Mill and Malthus to Meadows and Brundtland et al., and puts forth a definition of “environmental sustainability as the maintenance of natural capital” and as a concept apart from, but connected to, both social sustainability and economic sustainability. These arguments are not repeated here but rather accepted as valid, supported, and used as a basis from which to proceed to further develop this concept.  (Morelli, 2021)

Environmental sustainability is a hotly contested topic, and people must take an ethical approach to it. To create a sustainable environment, this paper aims to raise awareness of the dangers posed by escalating pollution levels and climate change. Additionally, to educate people about various environmental ethics, their effects, and solutions.

The following are some ethical issues that need to be addressed to have a sustainable environment.

Patterns of resource consumption and the need for equitable utilization

How should we balance the environmental impact of manufacturing versus distribution? Environmental ethics is concerned with issues concerning how we use and distribute resources. Can individuals justifiably use resources so differently that one individual uses resources many times more lavishly than another who barely has enough to survive? A just world must have more equitable resource sharing than we currently have. We are concerned about the equitable distribution of resources at the global, national, and local levels. There are rich and poor countries that must be addressed. Every country has both rich and poor communities. This unequal distribution of wealth and access to land and its resources is a major source of concern for the environment. The basis between the people and the common property resources is an equitable sharing of resources. We will need to learn a lot from our traditional cultures in this regard. (Swain, 2020). The gap between haves and have-nots is growing. The use of resources varies between individuals, communities, and countries. The well-to-do, educated urban dweller consumes far more resources and energy than the traditional rural person. This unequal distribution of wealth and access to land and its resources is a major concern for the environment. Sustainable development for urban, rural, and wilderness communities is based on equitable resource sharing.

Gender equity is essential.

Another ethical concern is the need for gender equity. If gender equality is the aim, gender equity is the means to that goal. Gender equality "does not imply that men and women will become the same, but rather that men's and women's rights, responsibilities, and opportunities will not be determined by whether they are born male or female." Gender equity refers to the equitable treatment of men and women based on their respective needs, which may include equal treatment or treatment that differs but is considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations, and opportunities.

According to the Gender and Development Network (GADN), gender inequalities and barriers prevent women from participating in environmental debate and action at all levels. Along with unequal access to resources, this limits women's ability to adapt to climate change and respond to events such as drought, soil degradation, and deforestation. It also results in gender-blind, ineffective environmental policies.

Gender and environmental considerations are critical for enabling communities to achieve resilience and adapt to and recover from environmental challenges. Women are powerful change agents who can play an important role in protecting the resources on which they and all of us rely.

Keeping resources safe for future generations

Preserving resources for future generations is one environmental ethic that we fail to follow. This ethical issue must be considered when we use resources in an unsustainable manner. If we overuse and misuse resources and energy from fossil fuels, future generations will struggle to survive. Environmental protection is critical to reducing the destruction of ecosystems caused by a variety of anthropogenic activities. Humans have a moral obligation to protect the environment from pollution and other activities that contribute to environmental degradation. It is part of human obligations to protect their natural habitat. Failure to do this concerns the sustainability of the earth and also the lives of future generations. According to National Ocean Service, these are ten things to do to preserve resources. (a) Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reduce waste. Follow the three "R's" to save natural resources and landfill space; (b) Volunteer. Participate in community cleanups by volunteering; (c) Educate. Help others understand the importance and value of natural resources; (d) be water-wise. The less water used, the less wastewater and runoff will ultimately end up in the ocean; (e) Choose sustainably. Learn how to make smart choices; (f) Shop carefully. Bring a reusable shopping bag and purchase fewer plastic items; (g) Use light bulbs with a long life. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by using energy-efficient light bulbs; (h) Plant a tree. Air and food are produced by trees. They aid in energy conservation, air purification, and halting climate change; (i) No chemicals should be put into our waterways. Pick non-toxic chemicals for your home and workplace; and (j) Less drive, bike more.

Environmental sustainability is acting in a way that preserves the environment while not endangering the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Environmental sustainability is a feasible objective if we band together as people and companies right away. A few examples of environmental sustainability that can be put into practice right now include conserving renewable resources by promoting sustainable farming, planting home gardens to grow your food and buying local products, buying carbon offsets to support reforestation and other regenerative projects, avoiding the use of fossil fuels by switching to renewable energy sources, and reducing pollution by composting and supporting other environmentally friendly practices. 

Conclusion

The idea of environmental ethics offers more than just the chance for passionate discussion on the merits of sustainable development. It has had a significant impact on the development of viewpoints and ideas that are new to global governance and that aim to express the true beliefs and values that should, in an ideal world, guide decision-making for the benefit of people and the rest of the living world. 

Concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems and the social issues that humanity faces are intertwined with sustainable development. As we have lost the significance of sustainable living in modern society, we have also somehow lost the deeper metaphysical dimension of sustainability. Sustainable living is a way of life that aims to minimize how much a person or society uses their resources as well as the natural resources of the planet. The goal of those who live sustainably is to live in a way that respects the Earth's natural cycles and ecology maintains natural balance and honours humanity's symbolic connection to it.

The health and well-being of future generations will be severely jeopardized if decisive action is not taken today to achieve environmental sustainability. As intensive farming affects the fertility of the land and the capacity of the water supply, the food supply will become unstable. The effects of climate change will be amplified by global warming brought on by greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, resulting in more extreme weather, floods, droughts, and changes in growing seasons that will upend society. Our quality of life, as well as the ability of local communities and the larger society to thrive, will be significantly hampered by pollution of the land, air, and water. Environmental sustainability, in other words, is essential to both our survival and that of the planet.    

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