FAIR AT SCHOOL AND WORK

We journey through life with more confidence when we are treated fairly.

Unfair treatment has a ripple effect. It begins at home and continues at school, at work and in relationships. Heck, it gets passed down the generations like a bad gene. It seeps into society infecting institutions, damaging the bottom line and spiking mental and physical health issues.

Let’s review what happened at home (second post). Safety and security are prerequisites for a maturing brain and body. When absent (if treated poorly) the system adapts. Even a two year old will take the blame to protect the source of survival—the caregiver. “It’s all my fault. I’m the problem. There is something wrong with me.” The insidious forces of shame evolve and soon enough we scurry off to school with self-doubt, defenses and lunch.

School provides a second chance to build the self through positive experiences with the staff and systems there. Those little brains are still plastic enough that if they can feel a connection at school, or feel that they matter and fit in, that shame state can shift into a state of more confidence and competence. Imagine the ripple effects.

Of course, school can fail us and perpetuate our shame state instead.

Research out of the University of Georgia examined perceived school fairness and the likelihood of violence. The abstract from their findings states that, “… students who perceive unfair treatment from teachers are more likely to bring a weapon to school and fight at school than are students who believe that their teachers are fair.” However, the more connected these students felt to the school and the staff, the less likely for violence to occur. Remember, the ability to connect has more of a chance when connection was imprinted early on when children felt WORTHY of connection.

Schools don’t know from what environments their students come. But the research and anecdotal evidence is clear: when things are set up to be fair, we feel and behave better. We are far more likely to become contributing members of society who learn at school, engage at work, and find meaning in life.

Speaking of work, how’s the productivity at your place of employment? According to a February 2024 Gallop Poll, the percentage of employees who are actively engaged has dropped to only 30%. Meanwhile, 17% are actively disengaged—they’re the ones going around undoing what the engaged ones are accomplishing (sounds like they’re angry about something). If this sounds like your experience at work, take a look at the procedures and protocols.

When the people, procedures and protocols are deemed fair, people are more productive at work. Fairness creates a sense of belonging, and builds trust and acceptance. As such, we release the chemicals that support connection and collaboration and that keep us higher in our brains. Wouldn’t you have more unmitigated access to your cerebral cortex if you weren’t worried about Sarah stealing your idea or David drinking all the coffee and never making more?

When things aren’t fair, we get angry and possibly act by shutting down (less productive) or acting out (sabotaging others’ productivity). When we’ve had a life of unfairness, we likely didn’t learn how to manage our emotions so we become distracted. Distraction is presenteeism—when we are at work but aren’t really at work—and it adds up to three months worth of unproductive work a year. The number one cause of distraction from work is mental health.

Fairness, so often overlooked, has repercussions throughout the generations, at home, at work and in society.