Fairness is treating people as equal and doing so in ways that, within that culture, are seen by everyone to be “fair.” Fairness is an interesting challenge when working in different cultures in that local understandings of fairness differ. Every society has clear notions of what is fair and unfair. Every society has rules and norms that everyone understands as fair (and unfair). Essentially, people feel it is fair when those who “deserve” things get them, and those who do “not deserve” them do not get them.
As a behavior, fairness comes from an attitude of respect for local priorities and an eagerness to learn from people—from many people at many levels—what the rules of the game are for them, in that context.
Organizations and Fairness
Organizations can emphasize the rules by being very clear about theirs. This goes beyond stating what the rules are. They need to discuss why the rules are what they are in order to avoid seeming arbitrary. They also need to be open to further conversation when communities either do not understand or object.
Organizational policies and procedures can emphasize value for people and groups. Avoiding egregious Distribution Effects is one way. Developing clear and fair policies for staff that respect their common humanity is another.
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Related Topics
Fairness through Recognizing Value
Organizations and Unfairness
Negative Patterns of Behavior based on Unfairness
