Discussion 2

Recall a time (preferably in the workplace) when you have felt uncomfortable or targeted because of your demographic status, such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, religion, or any other characteristic. Briefly describe the situation, what precipitated the event, how you felt at the time, how you reacted, and how you believe the other party could have made the situation better. What can organizations do to eliminate discrimination, help employees improve their perceptions, and make everyone more aware of and sensitive to the needs and differences of others? Read the posts of your peers. Ask engaging questions and make additional suggestions. Being a young male and managing predominantly older females there have been times that I have felt uncomfortable. I am currently employed as a supervisor within Lincoln Public Schools Nutrition Services Department. Most of the employees that I supervise are middle age females. During my initial visits of different schools, I felt like I was looked down upon. According to Robins and Judge (2015), “There are a number of positive qualities older workers bring to their jobs, such as work experience, judgment, a strong work ethic, and commitment to quality (p. 46). The previous supervisor had all of these traits and the perception of my employees was that I had none. My initial reaction was that these employees did not know me and I felt discouraged. I would have felt appreciated if the employees would have taken the time to get to know me before rushing to form an opinion. From this reaction I knew right away that I needed to change their perception if I wanted to be successful with my new job.
There are a number of ideas that organizations can implement if they want to reduce discrimination in the workplace. Robins and Judge (2015) discusses the practice of diversity programs and the benefits it has on organizations. The authors conclude that this type of training reflects in a positive manner