Types of Perception

Perception is how people view, interpret and react to situations and things in the environment. It shapes and becomes part of a person. It influences a person’s judgment and ways of doing things which includes interaction with others. Perception also affects how we communicate in the workplace environment. This can be drawn from the fact that a person’s judgment of things is as a result of their perception which is who they are.

Stereotype

It is a distorted idea about groups of people.

They are peculiarities imposed upon groups of people because of their race, nationality, and sexual adaptation. People’s perceptions have affected me in several ways and this being a factor. I have been judged by my nationality and my tribe.

It is believed that people from my tribe (Esan) are wicked and can harm other people using voodoo. I have simply being talked down on, rejected during several interviews and also neglected because of that. In my last place of work, my boss had the problem of judging me wrongly simply because of the state I relocated from.

She assumed that I was going to be stubborn and not easy to manage. This perception of her made me work harder but I knew I was not happy with my job. It did not take long before I got tired of pleasing her and decided to allow her. It did not take long, I resigned and got another one.

Prejudice

Prejudice is a feeling or thought a person or group of people feel they face being stereotyped.

This feeling can be hidden in the workplace. Employees who are affected may not openly react for different reasons. Some may feel the need to overlook and ignore those who stereotype them because they believe that conflict is natural and inherent. Some employees have the authoritarian feeling of not interacting with employees who are inferior to them. Others feel safer being part of the group that they believe share the same characteristics with them. Competitions arise in the workplace, for promotion, salary increment, and other workplace privileges. These privileges create opportunity for the feeling of prejudice to occur.

Discrimination

Discrimination is an action towards those who have been stereotyped and are feeling prejudiced. Like Prejudice, it also can be hidden. Individuals who discriminate can most times hid behind other reasons to show their actions. In a workplace, managers or someone in a higher position can deny subordinates the opportunity to be promoted. This has so many negative implications and one is that people who genuinely deserve to be appreciated and promoted at their job can lose focus, excitement and decide to either leave the organization or become unserious at work. I particularly have not faced discrimination but who I know has and she decided to leave her job to a better one that appreciates her effort and the organization is successful. These factors have more negative implication than positive. The feeling on both a personal and organizational level are the same.

Reference

• Nittle, Nadra Kareem. (2019, April 10). What Is a Stereotype?
• Rush, M. (2016, July 14). Definition of Prejudice in the Workplace.