Do you discriminate in your workplace without meaning to?
social issues
Most of us would be appalled to think we ever behaved in a way that made others feel disrespected, unseen or excluded. But we are all prone to unconscious bias, which may cause us to discriminate or take part in a discriminatory system without realising it. To the recipients of discrimination, good intentions don’t matter – the damage is the same. How can we recognise and avoid unintentional discrimination in our workplace?
Workplace discrimination occurs when an individual is treated differently to their colleagues based on personal aspects of their identity such as race, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation or ability. Overt or intentional discrimination is often easy to recognise, which makes tackling it a relatively straightforward process. The challenge lies in understanding and recognising discrimination that is subtle, indirect and unintentional…and addressing it to avoid further harm.
Also known as ‘constructive’ or ‘adverse effect’ discrimination, unintentional discrimination occurs when a rule, practice, policy or behaviour inadvertently singles out a person or group of people and results in unequal treatment. On the surface, this policy or behaviour may appear benign or neutral, but if it results in exclusion of anybody based on their personal characteristics, it is discriminatory. It’s not enough to plead ignorance – you may be held liable for discrimination even if you didn’t intentionally or knowingly discriminate.
What does unintentional discrimination look like in the real world? Here are some examples of unintentional discrimination in the workplace:
We are all responsible for ensuring our behaviour does not cause harm to others. In our workplaces, we may take the following steps to help provide a safe, inclusive space for all individuals:
Brunel acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people of the many traditional lands and language groups of Australia. We acknowledge the wisdom of Elders both past and present, and pay respect to the communities of today. We recognise their continuing connection to the land, waters and community.