Work place discrimination - Essay Example

Work Place Discrimination Discrimination is defined by actions that lead to indifferent treatment of individuals, based on specific life aspects that these individuals associate or identify themselves with. The aspects referred to in this case are characterized by variables such as race, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, social orientation and class among others. Prejudicial treatment of one or more persons based on the highlighted factors constitutes discrimination. Workplaces are no exception when it comes to discrimination.

The above mentioned together with other forms of discrimination are evident in places of work. Language DiscriminationWorkplaces have generally accepted language of communication among the workforce. The working unit of an entity employs a uniform mode and means of communication across the staff. The reason behind the uniformity of language of communication is to cater for the entire workforce that in most cases is made up of diverse groups of people, who are probably from different origins and social setting (Gavin265).

When the working unit is made up of diverse individuals and the formal language of communication is not observed, then language discrimination results.Language discrimination emerges in the event that the communication medium in the workplace does not provide for the individual differences in that place. Individuals associated with a given language are treated indifferently by others of a different language. This may even encompass communication by individuals in a language that particular colleagues cannot understand.

Language discrimination in the workplace is therefore primarily based on the communication interaction of the entire staff unit in places of work.Racial DiscriminationThis form of discrimination is based on race, color, nationality, ethnic or national origin (Gavin 253). Individuals or groups of people discriminated against are treated less favorably based on the above factors. Basically, the discriminated against individuals are deemed to of lesser importance than others. This is a persistent form of discrimination in places of work.

A clear-cut example on this is the discrimination against whites or blacks. Depending on whether one is back or white, different workplaces treat individuals from either of the two differently prior to the black-white social context. Employee DiscriminationWorkplaces employ different people from diverse social setups. Individual workers are expected to coherently relate with one another across the working units in the realization of the set objectives in the place of work. However, this is not always the case.

Prejudicial treatment of employees constitutes employee discrimination (Gavin 191). This can be either within employees themselves or between the employees and the employer. Whatever the case, employee discrimination is based on a number of factors which lead to this prejudicial treatment. Employees can be discriminated against based on their knowledge and skills, working efficiency, reward at the workplace, or even their social success given their working position as well as duties and responsibilities.

Discrimination between and among employees themselves in most cases emerge from the highlighted factors, but those that relate to employee environment at the workplace. In other words, factors that contribute to the discrimination herein are internal. On the other hand, employee discrimination between employees and the employer are both internal and external. In other words, discrimination in this case could either be based on factors within or without the place of work. An example of this is a situation where the employees challenge their bosses or are successful in activities outside their workplace and the employer learns about it.

Employee discrimination can also take any of the discrimination variables earlier mentioned. Works CitedGavin, Appleby. Harassment and Discrimination: And Other Workplace Landmines. New York: Entrepreneur Press, 2007.