Discrimination is one of the most dehumanizing things that we can experience in life. Discrimination at work is even worse as it brings your way of making a living into the mix. Workplace discrimination is as varied as it is disgusting. There is no shortage of ways that one can be discriminated against at work. That said, there are a number of things that one can do to deal with discrimination in the workplace.
The first thing you should do if you experience discrimination in the workplace is to establish the offense. This means that you should make it abundantly clear to your supervisor that you feel that discrimination is happening. It is a good idea to put this in writing, and to keep a copy for yourself. This takes away any question about what you did or did not say, and it establishes a time line for the problem.
The next way to deal with discrimination in the workplace is to demand a change. It is your right to not be labeled or otherwise held back due to race, religion, social makeup, or any other reason of that nature. If you feel this is happening, then you need to speak up. Combining the first step and this step is fine.
When you receive a reply to your notification, give them a chance to fix the situation. Sometimes we can misunderstand the intentions of a discriminatory situation, and we must reassess the situation. Sometimes just stating your case can change the behavior. It is important to allow an opportunity to fix the problem. This establishes that you are wanting to resolve the problem as well.
While giving the opportunity to fix the situation is important, it is not an ongoing offer. Allow only one chance to fix a problem of this nature. If the behavior continues, then you need to go to the next level of management. If this does not work, then it is time to involve the outside agencies.
The key to dealing with discrimination at work is to keep your cool, and be strong in your request for the behavior to stop. If this does not do the trick, then it is completely acceptable to seek legal action. Discrimination is not only disgusting, it is also against the law. Keep a written record of all dealings with your employer and write down every offense. It is also important to date all instances of discrimination and to include any details.
Discrimination at work is a terrible thing to have to deal with, but it can be prevented. If you are strong in your requests, and otherwise strong in your pursuit of justice, then you can eradicate discrimination in the workplace.
