Unilever Plc: Fishbone Analysis of Differential Treatment at Work

This report investigates differential treatment in the workplace, specifically focusing on Unilever Plc. It employs a fishbone analysis to identify the root causes of discriminatory practices, including issues related to manpower, methods, machines, measurement, milieu, and materials (6Ms), as well as policies, procedures, people, and place (4Ps), and surroundings, suppliers, skills, and systems (4Ss). The analysis highlights that inadequate training, outdated policies, inefficient procedures, and a lack of resources contribute to employees feeling treated differently. The report proposes solutions such as improved training programs, updated equality policies, efficient human resource practices, and better resource allocation to foster a more equitable and productive work environment. The conclusion emphasizes the need for Unilever Plc to implement these changes to enhance employee morale, retain talent, and improve its overall brand value, fostering a workplace free from discrimination.

DIFFERENTIAL
TREATMENT INSIDE THE
WORKPLACE

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Fishbone analysis for differential treatment inside workplace....................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Differential treatment inside the workplace means that employer treats some of the
employees inside organisation differently from other groups. Reason for treating different can
varied. It can be because of specific characteristics, which they might be unable to change. If this
type of behaviour carries on in an organisation, then employer can be charged for case of
discriminatory treatment. Differential treatment can lower down morale of workers who are
working in firm. Present report will lay emphasis on Unilever Plc. Unilever is a British
multinational consumer goods company headquartered in London. Present report will lay
emphasis on Fish bone analysis which is been done for company related problem. It will also
provide solutions for problems faced by organisation. This report is being written to solve
problem related to differential treatment. It will be helpful for me as I will be able to gain
knowledge about fish borne analysis
MAIN BODY
Fishbone analysis for differential treatment inside workplace
Fishbone analysis is basically cause and effect diagram which is been used by managers to
track down reason for imperfections, variations and defects that are been faced inside company.
By making use of this analysis managers are also being able to find out possible solutions for
problems. It can assist company in growing and achieving their set target and objectives. In the
present case situation, it has been analysed that Unilever plc is currently facing problem related
to differential treatment. Employees has provided details that senior level is been involved in
treating a group differently (Davidson, 2016). One of the main reason which they have identified
is culture and also they discriminate with elderly aged employees. For this fishbone analysis is
been carried by managers in order to find out possible solution to problems. The fishbone
analysis works on different phases, it includes the following:
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6M’s: The fish bone analysis 6M’s includes methods, materials, machines, manpower,
measurement and management. These characteristics needs to be taken into consideration when
been engaged in finding out cause and effect of the particular problem. Unilever plc can be
engaged in creating problem solving methods by brainstorming the solutions. They can be
engaged in capturing issues under 6M’s. It includes the following:
M characteristics Cause description
Manpower It has been analysed that Unilever plc is going
through issue of differential treatment inside
organisation. One of the reason can be man
power. The reason can be there is no adequate
training of man power which are been engaged
in delivering and manufacturing of materials.
They are also not held accountable for their
actions and this has led to differential
treatment. There are chances that work forces
are also not disciplined and they behave in
whatever manner they wants
Methods Better methods of training for all employees
working under Unilever may not be adopted by
organisation. This can led to increase in
employee feeling discriminated and also by
this they can feel that they are treated
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differently.
Machine Some employees feel that proper machinery
and tools are not being given to them by
company and this is making their work
ineffective. They feel like Unilever manager is
doing this because of personal grudges or
issues (Slameto, 2016).
measurement Sometimes there are changes that measurement
can be in consistent or incapable. It can differ
from the original measurement taken can lead
to deviation in work which was been done.
Milieu In this work of company can be affected
because of natural calamity. It can increase
chances for differential treatment as manager
might not be able to lay focus on some of the
groups (McDowell and Carter-Francique,
2017).
Material Materials which may be provided by Unilever
plc can be not controlled or managed
adequately and may be used by some specific
group because of which they are feeling that
differential treatment is been done to them.
Solution to problem: In this Unilever plc can be involved in making sure that better and
adequate training is been provided to every employee in company so that they do not feel about
having been treated differently. This will assist in enhancing their morale level and also because
of this firm will be able to retain workers and can also be able to grow. They should also make
sure that machines and materials are also been managed better, so that employees do not feel that
they are being treated differently, as they feel like some groups are provided with better
machines.
4P’s: The 4 P’s of fish bone analysis includes policies, procedures, people and place. It includes
the following:
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People: It has been evaluated that Unilever plc is facing issues related to differential
treatment. Main reason of this can be that managers are not provided with adequate training
because of which they are been involved in doing biasness and discrimination. This has also
affected work of employees and they are not being able to perform better. It has also led to
lowering down of morale and efficiency of employees. This has also led to hampering of
organisation work (Coccia, 2018). It has also been evaluated that better and adequate training
must be provided to people and the issues faced by employees must be managed adequately. This
will assist Unilever plc in changing thinking of workers. They will not feel that differential
treatment is being done in company. It will assist firm in growing and also they will be able to
attract talented and skilled employees in their firm. Better training to employees will enhance
their knowledge and skills and they will not be engaged in treating a specific group different.
Policies: Employees feels that Unilever plc is making use of outdated policies because of
which differential treatment is been increasing. It has also been evaluated that company has not
changed their policy from past so many years. This has increased conflict and miss-
understanding in firm and also because of these employees have started feeling that differential
treatment is been done to them. In order to overcome these issues organisation needs to make
sure that better strategies are being implemented by them. This can assist them in gaining
employees trust and also because of this they will be able to retain workers. It has also been
evaluated that better equality policies need to be developed by company so that employee’s
morale and motivation can be increased (Loredana, 2017). This will assist in achieving the set
target and also it will assist in making sure that there no errors and deviations in work in future.
It has also been analysed that better policies can assist company in achieving strategic objective
and also performance level of workers can be increased because of this.
Procedures: Employees have a complaint about by that they are going through
differential treatment in company. This has led to increase in errors and absenteeism in Unilever
plc. It has also been evaluated that process for handling human resource in company is
inefficient. This has led to increase in employees negative feeling towards organisation. It has
also lower down their motivation to work. Some workers have also complaint that managers of
company do not communicate with them and only communicate with certain group of workers.
They have started feeling discriminated and are also less motivated to work. This is because of
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the reason as Unilever has ineffective working practices and because if these workers are not
being able to concentrate on their work. It has lower down efficiency of firm.
Place: It has also been evaluated that employees in Unilever plc feels like because of
virtual environment, the focus of managers on few of workers is been increased and on the other
few has decreased. This can be because of lack in availability of resources. Managers might not
have proper and adequate availability of resources and internet is only place where they get
connected with employees. It has also been analysed that because of this situation worker are
feeling neglected and they feel like differential treatment is been done by them. This has assisted
them in growing feeling of negativity in them.
Solution to problem: Unilever plc is facing issue related to differential treatment in
organisation. There are various reasons because of which this problem has been increased. The
potential solutions which can be implemented by company is that they can be engaged in making
new and better policies related to equality, so that certain specific group do not feel
discriminated. This will assist organisation in making sure that equality exists in every
department and also it will support firm in retaining employees. By this they will also be able to
increase productivity and operational efficiency of workers. It has also been evaluated that
adequate training and learning can also assist Unilever plc in changing attitude and behaviour of
workers towards organisation (Sharma and Mann, 2018). By this they will also be able to grow
and increase their brand value as no discrimination will take place in company. It has also been
evaluated that better resources must be made available to every employee in company. This can
assist firm in increasing trust and also because of this they will be able to achieve set target and
objectives. These solutions can help company in overcoming the serious issue and also they will
be able to grow.
4S’: The 4S of fish bone analysis includes surroundings, suppliers, skills and systems. The
explanation for this includes following:
Surroundings: It has been evaluated that in Unilever plc employees are surrounded with
people who treats them differently. This has led to increase in negative feelings of workers and
also because of this organisation culture has been hampered. This has led to hampering of
organisation culture. It has also led to increase in feeling of negativity in mind of workers. This
situation has also increased turnover of company and they are not being able to increase
productivity of business.
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System: Unilever plc also had ineffective system. They have not changed their system of
working from past so many years. This has led to employees started feeling neglected and also
because of this their work is being suffering. It has also been evaluated that Unilever plc system
is un managed and also company is making use of outdated policies. This has led to lowering
down of company’s profit. It has also been evaluated because of ineffective system, cases of
differential treatment are also being increasing. This has also led to lowering down of profit.
Skills: Unilever plc is not being engaged in providing adequate training so workers also
started having feeling of differential treatment. As adequate training and learning is not being
given skills of workers are also not enhanced. Because of this reason they are not been able to
perform better and this has led to lowering down of profitability and revenue of company (Wong
and et.al., 2019).
Suppliers: Unilever plc also needs to make sure that all their stakeholders do not start
feeling like this way. So for this they must be engaged in making use of better strategies to
negotiate with their suppliers.
Solution to problem: In this company must be engaged in making surroundings better.
They must be involved in making sure that better culture is been implemented by them so that
differential treatment is been reduced. This will assist them in retaining workers and also because
of this they will be able to grow. This will assist company in achieving their set targets and
objectives. It will help firm in growing and because of this they will also be able to lower down
absenteeism. It is also suggested to implement better and effective system, so that errors related
to work is been reduced and company will be able to grow (Aksoy and et.al., 2019).
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarised that employees have provided details that
senior level is been involved in treating a group differently. One of the main reason which they
have identified is culture and also they discriminate with elderly aged employees. It has also
been evaluated that workers are not been provided with adequate training and learning so this has
led to differential treatment. It has also been evaluated that because of this company has not been
able to achieve their set target.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aksoy, C.G. and et.al., 2019. Gay glass ceilings: Sexual orientation and workplace authority in
the UK. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 159, pp.167-180.
Coccia, M., 2018. The Fishbone diagram to identify, systematize and analyze the sources of
general purpose Technologies. Journal of Social and Administrative Sciences, 4(4),
pp.291-303.
Davidson, S., 2016. Gender inequality: Nonbinary transgender people in the workplace. Cogent
Social Sciences, 2(1), p.1236511.
Loredana, E.M., 2017. The analysis of causes and effects of a phenomenon by means of the
“fishbone” diagram. Analele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi Din Târgu Jiu: Seria
Economie, 1(5), pp.97-103.
McDowell, J. and Carter-Francique, A., 2017. An intersectional analysis of the workplace
experiences of African American female athletic directors. Sex Roles, 77(5-6), pp.393-
408.
Sharma, S. and Mann, N., 2018. Workplace discrimination: The most critical issue in managing
diversity. In Management techniques for a diverse and cross-cultural workforce (pp. 206-
223). IGI Global.
Slameto, S., 2016. The Application of Fishbone Diagram Analisis to Improve School
Quality. Dinamika Ilmu, 16(1), pp.59-74.
Wong, E. and et.al., 2019. Paediatric fish bone ingestion: a 10-year analysis at a tertiary pediatric
hospital. Australian Journal of Otolaryngology, 2.
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