All organisations need to ensure consistency, transparency and fairness in all that they do. This is a fundamental principle which underpins years of research and practical application. Many organisations come unstuck when things are inconsistent, hidden or secret, not transparent, and unfair. So how can leaders embed a culture of fairness in their organisations?
Fairness is the principle of treating people equitably, consistently and with respect. In business, fairness ensures that decisions, opportunities, and resources are allocated without bias or favouritism. Everyone knows what they need to do to succeed and progress, and people feel valued, heard and supported because of this.
In the workplace, fairness means:
- Equal Opportunities: ensuring all employees, and potential employees, have access to the same chances for growth, development and progression
- Transparency: making decisions openly, and based on clear, objective criteria creating trust, and confidential decisions are made in a fair and consistent way
- Consistency: applying rules, policies and procedures uniformly across all levels of the organisation in a way which helps ensure work is completed effectively and efficiently
- Impartiality: bias is reduced as far as reasonably practicable, with personal preferences (or favouritism) not influencing decision-making
- Respect: acknowledging that respect looks different for different people and cultures, accepting their diverse perspectives, and treating everyone with dignity and as they need to be treated, regardless of background or position
It is important to remember that fairness is not about treating everyone the same, but about ensuring every individual is given the support, resources and opportunities they need to survive and aligned with the organisational culture.
One of the main challenges with fairness is that it involves people’s perceptions. How people experience and interpret fairness in organisations is based on their own personal viewpoints, expectations and past experiences. Employees may objectively be treated fairly, but that does not necessarily mean they will feel they are being treated fairly. This is why transparency and consistency are fundamental in creating a culture of fairness across organisations.
To create and sustain a culture of fairness in your organisation it must form part of your organisation’s strategic approach to leadership and direction. Ensuring continuous improvement is vital as there is always room to learn and improve when it comes to ensuring perceived, and objective, fairness in organisations.
Below are 5 key steps to help embed fairness into your team or workplace culture effectively.
1. Define Fairness for Your Organisation
Fairness can mean different things to different people, in different countries and in different workplaces. It is essential to define what fairness looks like in your organisation, which includes involving employees in the discussions to be able to:
- Clearly articulate organisational values, which prioritise fairness, transparency, consistency and inclusion
- Ensure fairness is embedded across policies, procedures, and decision-making processes, as well as daily interactions
- Regular communication, and role-model what expectations look like at all levels, so everyone understands what fairness looks like in practice
2. Role-Model Fairness & Lead By Example
Saying fairness is important, and asking others to behave fairly, but not doing it yourself as a leader, is the quickest way to destroy fairness in your workplace culture. Leadership and management play a pivotal role in setting the tone for workplace culture so it is crucial that:
- All leaders and managers, including the board of directors, demonstrate fairness in their decision-making and interactions
- Leaders and managers are held accountable through performance metrics that are fair, transparent, consistent and promote inclusion
- Managers and leaders, as well as employees, are trained in inclusive practices, unconscious bias awareness and how to make fair and effective decisions in the workplace aligned with values and behaviours
3. Implement Fair & Transparent Policies
Policies, procedures, rules and regulations help govern how people behave, operate and get work done in organisations. It is vital that these are built in a fair, transparent and consistent way. Things to consider include:
- Recruitment and promotion should be based on merit, and competencies, rather than personal biases or favouritism
- Remuneration, pay and benefits need to be equitable and regularly aligned to ensure no disparities
- Grievances and disciplinary procedures need to be clear, and applied consistently and there needs to be safe channels by which employees can raise concerns
4. Foster Open Communication & Empower Employee Voice
Employees need to feel confident their voices are heard, and their concerns are addressed fairly and without recourse. This can include things like:
- Encourage regular employee feedback mechanisms such as surveys, town-halls, and some anonymous reporting systems including whistle-blowing processes
- Foster an open-door policy where employees can raise concerns or issues without any fear of retaliation
- Welcome constructive challenge, where employees are encouraged to contribute ideas for improvement
5. Monitor, Measure & Continuously Improve Fairness Perceptions
Fairness is an ongoing commitment, and not a one-off initiative. It is important to regularly assess and refine practices across your organisation, this can be done by:
- Tracking key metrics such as employee engagement, promotion rates, payroll equity data, etc.
- Reviewing case studies and real-life examples of fairness in action
- Seeking external benchmarking and best practices to stay aligned with latest industry standards
- Acting on feedback and evolving policies and ways of working to reflect changes in employee expectations
By creating, maintaining and embedding a culture of fairness leaders foster trust and engagement across their organisation. This is proven to improve productivity, and taking a proactive approach ensures accountability with fairness embedded into everyday practices. Creating a culture which is fair, where everyone feels respected and empowered to succeed is fundamental to creating successful organisations.
For a review of how fair your workplace culture is currently, please reach out for a free 30-minute consultation.
