The notion of perception denotes the subjective attitude of the person to something, which means that it can feature certain ambiguities. It is impossible to use perceptions as factual data to make objective, evidence-based decisions. At the same time, perceptions influence the relationships between employees, their interaction within the organization, and the way people work together in the team. All these details are essential in the workplace, making them critical in evaluating the ongoing processes that managers should address in their daily work.
A generalization attributes specific characteristics to a group of people or a particular process. There is no negative connotation in this notion because it describes that members of the group or things from one category share specific characteristics. It helps people make general conclusions easier and simplify interactions with the surrounding world. At the same time, generalization can lead to a lack of critical thinking and oversimplification.
Stereotyping is the consequence of generalization that is usually based on faulty observations, making them inaccurate. Moreover, stereotyping does not allow people to develop an adequate perception of another individual or events. For example, when the employee shares stereotypes about people of another race, it results in aggravation of tension between workers inability of this person to communicate respectfully and to achieve the set goals together.
Organizations must address the areas of stereotyping, generalization, and personal perception. The primary step is to pay attention to individual perceptions, allowing managers to control the atmosphere among the employees and prevent conflicts between team members. It is also necessary to be cautious concerning generalizations the employees use in their work to avoid stereotyping. Moreover, it is vital to educate all workers about the unacceptability of stereotyping that leads to segregation or discrimination and punish those who express these opinions.