I know you have finally found your dream job. You thought this is the opportunity for your career to take off and to finally live your dream life but lately, you are realizing that you may be stuck in a hostile work environment.
It is not only affecting your mental health, but it is also affecting your job performance. I mean you got your job on merit but now you are experiencing workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or discriminatory treatment in general.
Perhaps it’s workplace harassment or you feel you are not receiving equal employment opportunity commission.
You are not sure whether to contact the human resources department or take legal action based on the magnitude of the unfair treatment.
I get it, you are between a rock and a hard place so let’s talk about it.
What is an example of unfair treatment?
Unfair treatment at work has many definitions. Most companies or the HR department of any corporation do not clearly define what is categorized as unfair treatment so it’s difficult for employees and bosses to know when they are being treated unfairly.
Here are some examples of unfair treatment in the workplace.
- Expectations to start work earlier than agreed on a contract without compensation.
- Being given an extra workload compared to colleagues that do the same work.
- Expectations to knock off later than agreed on the employment contract without compensation.
- Being paid less than colleagues who do the same work as you.
- Sexual Harassment
- Dismissal of an employee without fair disciplinary procedure
- Any form of discrimination
- Verbal abuse
- Always dismissing views/opinions or inputs of employees
- Being passed up on growth opportunities at work (promotions, training, etc.)
As a side note, every employee including you has the legal right to voice out their concerns about any unfair treatment at work. Remember that if you feel uncomfortable it’s likely that you are being mistreated.
Also, take time to read the state laws on unfair treatment so that you are familiar with the expected workplace conduct. Read your employment contract and your company policy so that you are familiar with workplace etiquette.
Silence is not golden, speak up.
Before we talk about how to handle unfair treatment at work, let’s talk about how to talk to your boss if you are being treated unfairly.
If you need more tips on how to deal with stress at work read our top tips here.
How do I confront my boss about unfairness?
There are simple things to keep in mind when you want to talk to your boss about being treated unfairly.
- Be respectful and professional during the conversation.
- Timing is everything, pick the right time.
- Choose the right location (during a staff meeting is not the right time)
- Gather the right evidence and present it to your boss.
- Refer to the company code of conduct when you have this conversation.
- Do not argue, make threats, shout, or insult your boss during this conversation.
- Keep your tone and body language in check.
- Do not get emotional, handle the situation maturely.
Now that we have an idea of some practical things that relate to unfair treatment at work, let’s talk about how to handle unfair treatment at work.
How to handle unfair treatment at work
1. Talk to someone (mentor, manager, trusted colleague, senior staff, or family member)
When workers are being mistreated, they tend to shut down and not talk about it. They almost suffer in silence which is not ideal. Suffering in silence has a lot of potential consequences because the mistreatment and gross misconduct are likely to continue.
Talk to your boss or line manager about the mistreatment. Do it respectfully and professionally. Even if your manager is the one mistreating you, talk to them about it before you file a discrimination complaint.
If you have a close colleague at work talk to them about it. You may find out that you are not the only one being mistreated. So, when you speak out others will speak out too.
As a victim of unfair treatment, you might think it’s only you but speaking out creates a platform to expose the unfair treatment in the workplace.
Another person you can speak to is your mentor. Your mentor will be able to advise you on how to handle it and how to approach the situation. Your mentor should be able to give you reasonable steps to take to deal with unfair treatment.
The last thing we want is for you to pull a career-limiting move because you are being mistreated. Experiencing and talking about employment discrimination is difficult because it is a sensitive situation, a problem half shared is a problem half solved.
Your mentor has your best interest at heart so you can trust them. Either way, your mentor may know a lot about you and your personal information that may help them give you the best advice.
If you do not have a mentor talk to a trusted friend or family member. These should be people that you love, and trust and they love and trust you back.
This is the first step on how to handle unfair treatment at work.
2. Follow the company grievance procedure.
When you are being mistreated at work you need to familiarize yourself with the company policy so that you can follow the right channels to report unfair treatment. Read the staff handbook and know the rules in and out.
It is time-consuming to read these documents, but knowledge is power, so use it to your advantage.
Some companies may be open to you walking into the HR department and laying you complaints, but some companies may require that you raise issues with your immediate boss first before contacting human resources.
Some companies may require filling in a form or sending an email with a formal complaint to report issues. Whatever the procedure is, be sure to follow it.
Otherwise, your issues and concerns will not be addressed because they are not presented properly.
You cannot use social media posts to raise concerns about being mistreated. Do it properly and do it the right way.
Timing and being professional are key when handling issues of being mistreated at work.
3. If all else fails seek legal advice
If you have tried to resolve unfair treatment issues at work with no success you can explore the legal avenue. Seek counsel from a legal professional that specializes in workplace issues and disputes.
Talk to an experienced employment lawyer before you lay a discrimination complaint in court.
Especially if you are facing even more discrimination by speaking out.
Seeking legal advice and action for unfair treatment could also make the situation worse so be prepared for it. Get ready to fight a long battle.
Many hr managers may dismiss your mistreatment issues but if you talk to experienced employment attorneys, they will advise you on how to take the issues further legally.
There are many different rights that you have as someone experiencing unequal treatment in the workplace. Most people do not know their rights and how to deal with an unfair workplace situation, so a lawyer will be able to help you.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you are experiencing unfair treatment, you are not alone. The more you speak up the more other people speak up too.
Experiencing unlawful discrimination and illegal discrimination is very common so do not feel alone and isolated.
4. Walk away before it gets ugly.
Just because you really love your work does not mean you have to stay in a toxic work environment. This is not the first step in the process because you need your job for survival.
So, it is not always advisable to be job hopping if you have a family member or members that are fully dependent on you.
Walk away with your integrity intact.
If the company culture and workplace environment are toxic and you are being mistreated, then look for other opportunities. You do not have to quit your job immediately, but you can look for other work, so you do not lose your income.
It is always a good idea to quit one job while immediately going to another.
The danger of staying while being mistreated is that you start quiet quitting because you do not give work your best.
Your performance drops.
When you wake up in the morning you drag your feet, and you cannot wait to go home after work because you want to leave the toxic environment.
Ultimately it affects your mental health and your relationships outside of work with friends and family.
5. Make sure you are not falsely accusing colleagues or employers.
Experiencing unfair treatment at work is also an emotional experience. No one will judge you for being emotionally charged when handling different scenarios of unfair treatment.
So, you must be levelheaded and make sure that you do not accuse people of sexual harassment that never happened. You need to have direct evidence that cannot be disputed by any legal counsel.
Collecting circumstances evidence can amount to you being accused of falsely accusing people. Also, make sure you read all anti-harassment policies, so you know what exactly harassment and unfair treatment is.
Know all the employee rights so that you do not think you are being mistreated when in actual fact you are being asked to do what you signed up for in your contract.
When dealing with an unfair boss the first thing to do will be to make sure to document everything so you can report it. It is good practice to keep a record of emails, text messages, internal memos, or any other thing that proves mistreatment.
The last thing you want is the wrongful termination of colleagues because you accused them of things they did not do.
It is important that you do this step when you are on this journey of how to handle unfair treatment at work.
6. Do not hold Professional Grudges.
Whether you work for a big company or a small company, it’s important that you do not hold grudges against those who mistreat you at work.
After you have completed your academic studies, you may think that you will never be mistreated because you are educated but that is not true.
It may happen to you, but you have to forgive and let go.
Even if you have decided to leave the job and find another one do not go around posting negative statements on social media accounts about the company and colleagues in your previous job.
Let it go.
The working world is very small per industry so do not make enemies of people you might work with in the future.
7. Join a support group.
It is important to have people around you who have experienced the same thing as you. These are people who know and understand what you are going through.
The act of sharing your experiences with others and talking about them in an open room makes the burden and the weight easier. Talk about any form of discrimination that you may have experienced.
You will realize that you are not alone and that there is help out there ready for you.
You might even be able to help other people as well.
Although this is the last step on how to handle unfair treatment at work, please try it.
What is unacceptable behavior from a boss?
This is any behavior that has been prohibited by the company policy or by federal law in your state or country. It is any behavior that borders outside professionalism.
- Your boss interrogates you.
- Your boss shouting at you.
- When your boss is verbally abusing you
- Your boss overworking you.
- Sexual harassment
- Your boss insulting you verbally or in writing.
- When your boss discriminates against you
- Your boss giving you a final written warning without following protocol.
- Being given disciplinary action for issues you do not know.
- Belittling you
- Spreading false information about you (putting your character and work ethic into question)
This is not an exhaustive list; you can add many more to this list. Remember if you feel uneasy and uncomfortable about it, address it.
In conclusion
No one deserves to be treated unfairly at work. The workplace should be a peaceful space and safe space where you can do your job without fear of discrimination. Put the most important things in your life first and do not compromise.
Once your work affects your personal life and health it’s time to put the steps in this article into practice.
If you have more steps on how to handle unfair treatment at work, please share them with us in the comments section we love hearing from you. Let us help each other grow.
