In truth, the concept of the Sociological Imagination is one in which we can make a connection between what has taken place in one’s life to the larger societal picture. These events in life are often negative ones that are difficult to reverse if they ever can be turned around. It is more than likely that over time these issues will continue to go on but with the generations ahead, it has potential to decrease and become less of an issue as the generations go on. This is because many people are coming out about these issues and making them public. The important societal issues can make everyday living a challenge for those dealing with these personal issues in everyday life. It can negatively affect one’s ability to perform well in either an academic or workplace setting. In everyday life, sometimes it is impossible to know when someone has taken something too far and what is acceptable in respect to another person. We tend to forget that we would like to be talked to in an accepting tone and not one of negativity. Most notably, a current issue that is becoming well known to society in the bigger picture is discrimination in the workforce and women’s rights in the workplace.
Discrimination in the workforce affects the entire workplace negatively because of its lack of productivity. A hostile work environment is normally formed when these issues take place and many times insubordination also follows because of the lack of respect from the coworker or management. The workers who work hard will choose not to because of a lack of a support system with the management if it is directly affecting themselves or others around them. Perhaps it is imagined as different pay scales and annual raises between men and women, or a lack of opportunity for the Hispanic, Asian, Black, or White manager who works hard and has been at the company for time. Examples include being denied training for a job hired for, ignored for earned promotions, transfers to other offices or benefits, and being deceitfully demoted or terminated by the company without proper reasoning. Workplace discrimination does not just happen to permanent, full-time employees. It also happens to seasonal, casuals, interns and part-timers too. Cases of workplace discrimination differ severely from one situation to the next. While there is no exact formula for employment discrimination, examples can help better understand biased circumstances.
Discrimination in the workplace is tied to verbal abuse that can also potentially occur in the working environment. If one is working in customer service, it can even be from someone outside of the workplace like a customer who suddenly turns against you for anger of something that occurs while they are shopping in the store. It is important to note that the motto is always that the customer is always right, however, in some circumstances, they are just hurtful to the employees who are trying to make their shopping experience worthwhile. While I was working in retail this would occur to myself or fellow coworkers of mine. A customer would not get their way and would be upset about it whether it was over a sales price, item out of stock, or coupon that is not scanning into the system due to expiration. Working in customer service can be difficult at times to come to a solution to problems when verbal abuse is being stated at you directly. When you are not able to figure out what is wrong with one’s account, they often lose their patience and take it out on the employee who is trying to help.
In reality they are not getting mad at you, but they are mad at the company’s policies that are executed. In truth, I also feel it is closely related with discrimination in the workplace because some of the things that people will say when they are angry are hurtful to the ones who are trying to handle the situation. It is impossible to show how you are really feeling in customer service because you are image of the company. The front-end sales are essential figures to the company because without them the business would not be as successful without people who are experienced with their jobs. Instead, you must deal with what the customer is saying and attempt to come to some sort of solution to their problem they are having while shopping in the store. Overall, these are examples that take place in the working environment. However, it’s not always this straightforward as it may seem to appear.
Discrimination at work usually occurs between colleagues, employee and employer. or between an employee and a third party such as a client or customer with the company. Specifically, workplace discrimination according to is the unfair treatment of an employee or candidate based on the class or category belonged to rather than on individual value. Discrimination is based on gender bias most of the time and there are several reasons of why women are not always chosen for jobs. Often, women are judged more than men due to the gender bias between men and woman. Woman are the ones who give birth to children and as a result of maternity leave, often times they are not accepted for jobs regardless of their qualifications in the field. Even if a woman has received the same education as a man they are overlooked for promotions and are not even on the same salary level to that of a man. If they are accepted to a job, the woman is sometimes treated and paid less. Societal standards, rules, and roles teach and encourage men to undervalue women in the United States where there are anti-discrimination laws in place to discourage such attitudes. These laws are sometimes overlooked and taken for granted as well.
Women are also more likely to be judged by their looks and how they dress than their male counterparts. On a note of contradiction, women are not only discriminated against for being pretty or provocative they are also discriminated against for being not pretty enough, too old, or, in some positions, occurring mostly in sales and public relations for not being sexy enough for the job. Their looks are major factors in the hiring process. If men get more time off, better compensation packages, or more benefits than women based on unfair gender bias, it’s also gender discrimination and it is illegal. In spite of protective anti-discrimination laws making gender discrimination illegal, management practices at small, mid-size, and even giant corporations often still favor the advancement of men over woman.
Overall, workplace discrimination and woman’s rights in the workplace are two major issues that place in many companies. These issues need to be addressed and prevented for the future, so the next generation does not learn from our mistakes. We must teach our children not to discriminate because of one’s nationality, gender, and social class. Instead, they should learn to respect everyone for who they are and not for what they are not.
