Unjust Treatment in the Workplace
In an ideal world, no one would be treated unfairly at work. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world and problems do arise. These things are important to track as they can lead to discrimination cases – subsequently leads to decreases in workforce motivation/ performance.
What is unfair treatment?
Unfair treatment is when an employee is treated differently to others for reasons that are not related to their job. This can take form in four ways:
- Bullying
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Victimisation
Employment law:
Unfair treatment at work is not acceptable, irrespective of the form it takes and therefore should be stopped and resolved as soon as possible. In some cases the unfair treatment can be a breach of the law.
Bullying is seen as behaviour/ actions from a group/ person that is unwanted and makes the employee feel uncomfortable. If this becomes workplace harassment, it can become a legal issue.
The Equality Act of 2010 offers protection if you are receiving unfair treatment and have a protected characteristic.
These characteristics include:
- Age
- Race
- Sex
- Gender reassignment
- Disability
- Religion or belief
- Sexual orientation
- Marriage
- Civil partnership
- Pregnancy
- Maternity
What are the consequences of unfair treatment at work?
Whether or not unfair treatment has direct or indirect financial ramification, it is still vital to ensure employees have a fair workplace. When employees are treated unfairly, their morale and productivity plummets.
It is important to understand the consequences of the unfair treatment and how it affects the employee and employer.
Examples of unfair treatment at work:
There are many forms in which unfair treatment can take place. Below are some example scenarios:
- Unfair treatment by a peer: slander or the spreading of gossip about fellow employees.
- Unfair treatment by a supervisor: if a manager dislikes their employee and makes their work life difficult. This can include unfair criticism or setting tedious tasks
- Unfair treatment by a subordinate: when a staff member is going over their head and has their work demoralised even when they are competent at their job.
If you feel that you are being treated unfairly and have any support needs or questions you may have about unfair treatment at work, call us today on 0161 249 5087 or email us at info@versuslaw.co.uk