ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

Introduction

There is a relationship between empathy toward individuals from different cultural backgrounds and attitudes toward women in authority positions, thus establishing a relationship between two different sources of explicit bias. Negative attitudes toward different types of disadvantaged groups have also been found to be related (Cunningham et al., 2004). Therefore, if an employee is found demonstrating bias against women or ethnic or cultural minorities, then special attention could be paid to ascertaining whether prejudice against other groups is also being displayed. For example, if a group of individuals is heard speaking badly about a new female boss within their company, then there is potential that these employees might be reacting negatively to culturally or ethnically different coworkers or leaders in the organization, as well. An environment such as this demonstrates a need for diversity training within the organization, and training to improve empathic skills, which could assist in increasing prosocial behaviors and liking toward out-group members (Stephan & Finlay, 2008).

Employers are often uncomfortable dealing with hygiene problems such as body odor, incontinence, or inappropriate clothing. Some employers try to deal with these problems indirectly by sending anonymous notes or leaving soaps and deodorants on the employee's desk. Unfortunately, ignoring hygiene problems or dealing with them indirectly may allow them to continue until they start interfering with the work of other employees or driving customers away. For employers who want to deal with hygiene problems directly, the following suggestions may be useful.

Where to Begin

Employers may want to first decide who will deal with hygiene problems when they arise (e.g., human resources or the employee's direct supervisor). The person chosen to deal with the problem should verify that the problem exists, by either making sure information about the problem came from a reliable source or through direct interaction with the employee who has the problem. Before talking with the employee, the employer should decide whether the source of the information will be provided to the employee, be prepared to discuss details about the problem, and be familiar with company policy and procedure related to such issues.

Discussing the Problem

Once the employer is prepared to meet with the employee, the next step is to choose a place and time to meet. The meeting should be in a private area with enough time set aside for the employee to regain his/her composure, if needed, before returning to work.

When discussing the problem with ...