eLearning Log In for Preventing Workplace Discrimination for Supervisors
I want to talk to you about workplace discrimination, a serious problem that affects not only individuals but also the companies they work for. As studies have shown, many employees, regardless of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, or personal attributes, experience discrimination on the job. Discrimination reduces productivity, increases expenses, and can be emotionally devastating for its victims.
Discrimination is also illegal, and it can result in significant legal fees, settlements, and plaintiff awards. That’s why your employer depends on managers and supervisors like you to help prevent discrimination within your organization. Discrimination occurs when a person is treated unfairly because of who they are, such as their age, gender, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or other personal attributes.
Workplace discrimination was made illegal in the United States by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination against employees and job applicants based on their sex, race, color, religion, or national origin. Other anti-discrimination laws that have been enacted since then include the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Recent regulations have extended protections to include discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and genetic information.
Anti-discrimination laws also forbid any type of retaliation against a person who files a complaint about discrimination on the job or is involved in an investigation or lawsuit related to discrimination. Federal laws that prohibit discrimination apply to private employers as well as state, local, and federal governments, employment agencies, and labor unions, and these regulations are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
It’s crucial for managers and supervisors to be familiar with these laws and understand how they apply to their company and themselves. A company that ignores the issue of workplace discrimination creates an environment where this type of behavior is more likely to occur and even thrive. Every company should create a written anti-discrimination policy that clearly states what types of behavior are not acceptable in its workplace. The policy should also establish the procedures that should be followed when reporting potential discrimination, investigating this unfair treatment, preventing retaliation, and resolving a situation that involves discrimination. It should require training for employees on how to recognize and prevent discrimination in their workplace as well.
While some types of discrimination are obvious, others are not. Using racial slurs or making critical comments about a coworker’s race, age, religion, or sexual orientation are blatant types of discriminatory behavior. More subtle forms of workplace discrimination can include a want ad saying that certain “types” of candidates will be preferred at the company, an employer assigning maternity leave or unemployment benefits unequally to different employees, or a company not allowing workers to dress or groom themselves in accordance with their religious beliefs.
A supervisor who makes decisions based on personal prejudice rather than a fair assessment of a person’s qualifications or their performance is engaging in discrimination as well. It’s important to remember that “harassment” is also considered to be a type of discrimination. An employee could discriminate against their coworkers in various ways under the pretext of “good-natured” jokes, teasing, or horseplay. There are more subtle forms of harassment too, such as posters, reading material, emails, and even conversations that can be “harassing” to others under certain circumstances. All of this behavior is prohibited by law.
Avoiding discriminatory behavior can sometimes seem like walking through a minefield, especially for those in supervisory positions. Your behavior will be under even greater scrutiny than most employees, and you also represent your company, and any “slip of the tongue” or inappropriate action will reflect directly on your employer. So take care to think before you speak and never behave towards others in a way that they might feel is discriminatory. It’s also important to remember that preventing discrimination isn’t just about avoiding negative behaviors. You can actively work to create an inclusive and welcoming workplace culture.
One way to do this is by promoting diversity and inclusion. This means creating an environment where people of all races, genders, ages, religions, sexual orientations, and abilities feel welcome and valued. You can do this by celebrating different cultures and backgrounds, encouraging open communication, and fostering a sense of community within your team.
Another way to prevent discrimination is by providing training and education to your team. This can help employees recognize and understand what constitutes discrimination, as well as how to report any incidents they witness or experience. By providing this education, you can help create a culture of accountability where everyone is responsible for preventing discrimination.
It’s also important to recognize that discrimination doesn’t always happen in obvious ways. As a manager or supervisor, you should be aware of the many different forms discrimination can take, including microaggressions, implicit bias, and systemic discrimination. By educating yourself and your team on these issues, you can better identify and address them when they occur.
Finally, it’s important to create a workplace culture where employees feel comfortable reporting incidents of discrimination. This means establishing clear reporting procedures and ensuring that employees know they won’t face retaliation for reporting incidents. By creating a safe and supportive environment, you can help prevent discrimination from occurring in the first place and ensure that any incidents that do occur are addressed quickly and appropriately.
Preventing workplace discrimination is an ongoing process that requires active effort from everyone in the organization, but particularly from managers and supervisors. By understanding the laws and regulations related to discrimination, promoting diversity and inclusion, providing education and training, and creating a supportive reporting culture, you can help prevent discrimination and create a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.
Are you looking for a way to prevent workplace discrimination and ensure a harmonious work environment? Discrimination not only harms individuals, but it also harms businesses. That’s why Our “Preventing Workplace Discrimination… for Managers and Supervisors” products are essential for any company. With our comprehensive courses, you’ll learn about different types of discriminatory behavior and the laws and policies that have been established to combat it.
Our courses cover everything from discrimination in the workplace and the law, to preventing discrimination in your department and handling a report of workplace discrimination. We offer a variety of products, including micro-learning, full-length online courses, DVDs, and interactive CD courses. Our courses are available in English and Spanish, and kits, booklets, and posters are available in English.
What sets our courses apart is their interactive nature. We use full-motion HD video filmed in real-life workplace settings and interactive quiz questions to keep employees engaged in the learning process. If a trainee misses a question, the course content that explains the topic is presented again, making the courses more efficient and effective.
We have a vast library of over 170 courses on important topics such as regulatory compliance, human resource topics, and general safety topics, including forklift/powered industrial truck safety, lock-out/tag-out, hazard communication, personal protective equipment, respiratory safety, confined space entry, and hearing safety. All training activity is tracked and recorded, making it easy for managers to monitor their employees’ progress.
Don’t let discrimination harm your business. Invest in “Preventing Workplace Discrimination… for Managers and Supervisors” courses today and create a more inclusive work environment for everyone.
