Grace is a manager in a medical office. It seems that every year when she evaluates employees for wage increases, Kevin and Taneesha always receive raises, while most other employees do not. The other employees accuse Grace of having favorites, and believe Kevin and Trisha are unfairly rewarded. Grace feels Kevin and Taneesha deserve their raises, and that she makes that determination based on facts, not on whom she favors. How can Grace best convince her other employees that she is being fair in her determinations?

Question

A) pick a different person at random each year to receive a raise
B) post the criteria she will use to determine raise recipients at the beginning of each year
C) explain that raises will be determined by a new process that will be kept secret from everyone
D) disqualify Kevin and Taneesha from receiving raises for the next three years
E) post the criteria she used to determine raises after recipients are announced

Answer 1

B) post the criteria she will use to determine raise recipients at the beginning of each year
Explanation: When people perceive procedural fairness, they are more likely to support decisions and decision makers. Even if people believe that their outcome was inequitable and unfair, they are more likely to view justice as having been served if the process was fair. You can increase people's beliefs that the process was fair by making the process open and visible; stating decision criteria in advance rather than after the fact; and making sure that the most appropriate people—those who have valid information and are viewed as trustworthy—make the decisions.