An example of organizational justice is when a company corrects a manager's mistake after they wrongly terminate an employee after only two tardies, even though company policy states that termination only occurs after three tardies.
Organizational justice refers to employees' perceptions of fairness in the workplace. These perceptions significantly impact employee morale, productivity, and commitment to the organization. It encompasses several dimensions:
- Distributive Justice: This concerns the fairness of outcomes, such as pay, promotions, and resource allocation. Is everyone getting what they deserve relative to their contributions?
- Procedural Justice: This focuses on the fairness of the processes used to make decisions. Are the rules applied consistently and impartially? Do employees have a voice in the decision-making process?
- Interactional Justice: This is about the fairness of the interpersonal treatment employees receive. Are they treated with respect and dignity? Is information communicated honestly and openly?
In the initial scenario, the procedural justice was violated. The manager did not follow the established policy. Organizational justice dictates that the company should rectify this by reinstating the wrongly terminated employee, thus upholding fairness and demonstrating adherence to established procedures. If the company failed to correct this, it would send a message that company policy is not valued and can be arbitrarily ignored. This leads to distrust and decreased morale.
Here's a table illustrating the connection between the scenario and the dimensions of organizational justice:
| Dimension | Description | Impact in the Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Distributive | Perceived fairness of outcome allocation (e.g., pay, promotions) | Less relevant in this specific example, though being unjustly terminated impacts an individual's career and associated benefits, which are distributional outcomes. |
| Procedural | Perceived fairness of the processes used to determine outcomes | Critically violated. The manager didn't adhere to the established company policy (termination after three tardies), thus making the termination process unfair. |
| Interactional | Perceived fairness of interpersonal treatment and information communication | Potentially violated depending on how the termination was handled. If the manager was disrespectful or provided false information, this would further compound the injustice. |
The scenario highlights how a breakdown in one aspect of organizational justice (procedural) can have significant consequences. Addressing the unfair treatment restores trust and reinforces the company's commitment to fairness.
