What To Do When Things Aren't Fair

Oct 14, 2024

When things feel unfair at work, take notice. You could be at risk of burning out.

Fairness is the extent to which decisions are made in a just and equitable fashion.

Where there is fairness, respect is not only expressed but also demonstrated through actions at all levels of an organization.

There is a sense of balance between what is given and what is received and a culture of “paying forward” through efforts to support the needs and development of employees.

Fairness is built on two core values - equality (treating everyone in the same way, regardless of need) and equity (treating everyone in a way that creates a level playing field by taking need into consideration).

When grievances or disputes arise, the most fair procedures for dealing with them are ones that allow the affected parties to have a voice.

Fairness is something that is felt but also experienced.

What does this picture of fairness bring to mind for you?

Perhaps you can think of policies or procedures that are fair in concept but not applied fairly, either by yourself or by others? Maybe there is something that is meant to promote equality but has an inequitable result?

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Something to Try

Try this: think of something unfair at work.

It’s tempting to end there, with the thought, “This is unfair!” but the feelings that go along with it can sometimes make us feel stuck.

My readers have heard me say before (and will hear me say again) that it is much easier to address something when you understand more about it.

Leaving an experience at the “this is unfair” level doesn’t give you enough information to really understand what’s behind it, productively articulate it to anyone else, or even hope of addressing it.

You have to understand the nature of the unfairness. Why does it seem unfair?

Here’s some questions to help you dig a little deeper. Is the thing that seems unfair:

• A lack of mutual respect?
• A lack of reciprocity, where an exchange feels mutually beneficial?
• A lack of support from others to grow and develop?
• A lack of equality (everyone being treated the same regardless of need)?
• A lack of equity (treating everyone in a way that creates a level playing field by taking need into consideration)?
• The existence of favoritism where rewards are available to some but not others?
• A lack of the ability for those impacted by grievances or disputes to have a voice in the resolution?

Now that you have a better sense of the nature of the unfairness, what is possible? What can you do by yourself, do with others, or influence others to do?

_{Reference: “The Burnout Challenge” by Christinia Maslach and Michael P. Leiter}