Perception in Workplace

BUS 5113 - Organizational Theory and Behavior

University of the People

Perception and People’s Behavior in Workplace

Perception is an individual’s impression on how they interpret it in their own way so as to

offer a meaning to the environment. From an organizational perspective, behavior is seen as

people’s perception of the workplace. People do not see things as they are but as they want

them to see. An individual’s attitude, intention, experience and beliefs are factors that

contributes to the behavior of the perceiver. This essay aims to discuss the three factors that

attributes as to how a person’s attitude, perception and behaviors affect them in a personal

and organizational context.

The three factors

Stereotyping is the way people judge others on the idea of their perception to a cluster of

people to which that person belongs. Stereotype circumstance arises when people face the

prospect of being viewed or evaluated in light of a negative stereotype about a group they

belong to (Steele & Aronson, 1995). Consequently, in an organisation when an employee

does not get a promotion because the leader has a negative impression of that person as

he/she belongs to a particular religious group is a form of stereotyping. This form of

perception violates the human rights regulation and many organizations today have

developed relevant procedures to address such form of harassment in workplace.

In addition to this, halo effect is another perception in a work environment. Halo effect is a

rational bias in impression formation whereby the broad evaluation of individuals' attribute is

predicted on the evaluation of a single attribute (Nisbett & Wilson, 1997). In this perception,

an individual is perceived based on a single characteristic and this may cast its impact on all

other traits. During an interview, if the interviewers get to know that they have one thing

which is common with the interviewee and appoints the person as they feel that the individual

is suitable for the organization is an example of halo effect. Accordingly, this quality of the
interviewers can be negative as it gets overshadowed by just one common trait of the

interviewee. An organization should have clear guidelines in place which governs its

operational process so that fair judgement is given in all aspects of workplace matters.

The third factor discussed is Intersectionality. It is the way our unique traits such as ethnicity

or status and social identities interact with each other to impact our lived experience (Foster,

Klein, & Gee, 2019). In a workplace race, status and magnified impact of micro-inequities

can be considered as factors that discriminates an individual. Similarly, BAME (Black, Asian

and Minority Ethnic) groups earn substantially less on average compared to white people for

doing the same jobs. Likewise, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is quite

high compared to people without disabilities. These are some forms of intersectionality.

Personal and Organizational Context

From personal experiences, it can be inferred that incorrect perception of employees from

work situations could influence their productivity and tarnish the image of an organization.

As a leader, I ensure that there is no form of discrimination among the staff and everyone

treats each other with respect and dignity. Any employee related issues are dealt within a

short timeframe and the matter is kept confidential. Open door policy is an approach that has

allowed the staff to effectively communicate their concerns both personal or work related

with me. According to Koo and Park (2018), the leadership style and the leader's qualities

include approachable, care, extraversion, understanding, neutral behavior, acceptance, and

humbleness play an essential role in the follower's outcomes.

In an organizational context, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that employees

practice the right perception or this could be detrimental on an organization’s image.

Managerial staff should be selected through a vigorous process as they are the game

changers. A manager with negative attitude will hinder the organization to climb the rungs of
the ladder to reach summit. Moreover, communication is essential to promote progress; and

prosperity shall be achieved in the workplace if employees are well understood and their

concerns addressed to avoid incorrect perception. The chance of organizational success is

high when employees have a favorable perception of their jobs and each member of his/her

team and everyone within the organization. Employees will feel content with their work

environment thus staff turnover will be reduced.

Conclusion

Finally, the importance of perception in workplace should be clearly understood as it can

make or break an organization. Continuous learning and development could shape people’s

perception as this will improve the different skills we use to perceive our surroundings and

become aware of it.

References

Foster, T., Klein, A. B., & Gee, J. (2019). Intersectionality in the Workplace: Broadening the

Lens of Inclusion. Waltham: Bentley University. Retrieved September 10, 2021, from

https://bentleydownloads.s3.amazonaws.com/cwb/Bentley_CWB_Intersectionality_R

esearch_Report_Winter_2019.pdf

Koo, H., & Park, C. (2018). Foundation of leadership in Asia: Leader characteristics and

leadership styles review and research agenda. Asia Pacific Journal of Management,

35(3). Retrieved September 11, 2021, from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321884775

Nisbett, R. E., & Wilson, T. D. (1997). The Halo Effect: Evidence for Unconscious

Alteration of Judgments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(4), 250–

256. doi:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232501672

Steele, C. M., & Aronson, J. M. (1995). Stereotype Threat and The Intellectual Test-

Performance of African-Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,

69(5), 797–811. Retrieved September 10, 2021, from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15726133