An example of organizational justice theory in action is when a company fails to adhere to its established disciplinary policies, resulting in an employee being unfairly penalized.
Understanding Organizational Justice
Organizational justice refers to employees' perceptions of fairness in the workplace. It encompasses different aspects:
- Distributive Justice: Fairness in the allocation of resources or outcomes (e.g., pay, promotions).
- Procedural Justice: Fairness in the processes used to make decisions (e.g., performance evaluations, disciplinary actions).
- Interactional Justice: Fairness in the way employees are treated during interactions (e.g., respect, politeness). This is further divided into informational and interpersonal justice.
Example Scenario: Misapplied Disciplinary Policy
Consider a company with a policy that states three tardies result in termination. Now, imagine a manager, perhaps frustrated with an employee's performance, terminates the employee after only two instances of tardiness. This situation violates several aspects of organizational justice, specifically:
- Procedural Justice: The correct procedure (three tardies) was not followed. The employee was not given the full opportunity to correct their behavior as outlined in the company policy.
- Interactional Justice: Even if the manager felt the employee deserved punishment, bypassing the established procedure demonstrates a lack of respect for the employee and the policy.
Why This Matters
Failing to uphold organizational justice can lead to:
- Decreased employee morale and motivation.
- Reduced trust in management.
- Increased employee turnover.
- Potential legal issues.
In this specific example, to uphold organizational justice, the company should reinstate the employee's job and ensure that the correct disciplinary procedures are followed in the future. The manager should also receive training on how to properly implement company policies and treat employees fairly.
