The organisation is an entity that comprises a melting pot of people with different personalities and backgrounds. It uses systems, policies, and strategies to accomplish its desired goals through management.

The chosen systems employed in the organisation may be adopted; however, their effectiveness or efficiency is dependent on the people who execute them. This vulnerability opens the door for the organisation to be influenced by individual personalities, which then makes it susceptible to the introduction and utilisation of the Animal Farm approach and practice.

The story of Animal Farm gave birth to the phrase “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” The office is a multifarious place where people consistently demonstrate this type of behaviour, and it is prevalent in both middle and top management. The manager, who smiles while passing you in the hall or who you will briefly meet in a seminar, will use any opportunity to practise this hypocritical double standard. Then there are others who will use their status or acquaintance to have you censored under the guise of “policy”. They do this underhandedly while you are being sent some form of electronic correspondence riddled with fibs, using carefully evasive language.

The Animal Farm mentality can be found everywhere, though not all managers possess or will exhibit the trait. It is evident in politics, schools/tertiary institutions, even the Church, and many of us have fallen prey at some time or other. Inequality exists in every sector of the society. It is one of the “isms” of life that we are unable to avoid. So sooner or later we will encounter the “old McDonald farm” and be able to tell of our own experience.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, esteem needs involve respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, freedom, and strength. Somewhere within this list of needs is the desire to be equal or treated equally. This need for equality is often expressed at every given opportunity because it allows the individual to feel as if he or she matters and is a part of the big picture. However, the powers that be who display this type of barnyard mentality stand ready to use every available chance to flex their authoritative muscle and oppose anything or anyone perceived as a threat, real or imagined.

The workplace has served as a battleground for many social justice issues. These issues are fuelled by bias, prejudice, bullying, and harassment, among others. It is a fact that all power is susceptible to corruption, and the phrase “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” conveys a profound message. One that is demonstrated countless number of times without fail.

Of course, promotion into a position of power sometimes encourages thoughts of one creating a utopian environment, only for it to become another individual’s dystopia. It is at this point that the “me, myself, and I” takes precedence, giving rise to the intrinsic need to be king or queen or be perceived as such while delivering a reign of tyranny.

ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE

The individuals at the top of the organisational chart will ultimately determine the culture of the organisation or department. Organisational culture is presumed to be all of the institution’s beliefs, values, and attitudes and how they influence the behaviour of employees. Culture impacts how people experience an organisation — whether that customer is internal or external.

Organisations tend not to explicitly outline their cultures; they simply emerge from what people believe, how they think, what they say, and what they do. Culture shapes what behaviour is acceptable or unacceptable and can assist in defining values and core principles that guide organisational behaviour. However, because systems are entirely dependent on people to work they are subject to failure. While it may be the desire of the head of the establishment to achieve cohesiveness among employees, it only takes one misguided or selfish individual to defeat this purpose and derail the process.

Equality means that everyone is treated fairly and without partiality. The way an organisation is structured may change, but human nature does not necessarily follow suit. According to Forbes, “Social justice issues are now more pervasive than ever before in the workplace and ignoring social justice issues at the workplace can affect productivity and morale in the organisation’s environment.”

Employees performing at optimum is the ultimate desire of every organisation, but this will never be achieved until the animal farm mentality and other social justice issues are addressed. Senior management should take the reins, break the stigma, and aim to tackle these issues head-on.

sandra.currie@utech.edu.jm