Christian Living

How to deal with workplace injustices

by jay supetran
05/21/17
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Genesis 31:6-7 - You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.

 Our work is God’s gift to us. It is a blessing from God and when it is from Him, no worries are attached. Some people are thankful, satisfied and contented with their work, while there are also those who abhor their work. There are even those who envy the work of others, classic case of seeing grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

 Call centers are one of the main employers in the Philippines. It pays more compared to ordinary jobs, but work hours are challenging. Call centers operate 24 hours and workers are grouped into shifts, listening to complaints and working out solutions for people who are on the other side of the world. And in a fast-paced industry, staffs who perform well are moved up to handle bigger responsibilities and also to make way for newcomers. 

 I know somebody who worked in a call center with good pay and comfortable schedule. He enjoyed his work and performed well so his supervisor called his attention to a higher work level with more benefits.  He was required to undergo a training to prepare for the new assignment. But he wanted to stay in his comfort zone and so he ignored his supervisor.  Disagreement turned to resentment and instead of working it out, he abruptly resigned from work, feeling he was being singled out and the supervisor was picking up on him.  The company easily replaced him, but he cannot just jump on to a new work. The disruption caused hurts to other people particularly his family. It took him several months to get over the problem, go out and look for another job.

 Most of us felt the same way.  There are times we feel we are unjustly treated and the right way to respond is to fight back.  We do not want our egos to be trampled, we are standing up for principles, and it is our right.

 Jacob despite his being shrewd faced workplace injustice in a different way.  He continued working and did not confront his employer to show his resentment.  Instead he worked it out until it is time to part as God has planned new and greater things for him. In the workplace, attitude is everything, and Jacob exhibited the most appropriate attitude.

 When confronted with the same challenge, I cling to the instructions of Paul in Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV) – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

 Jacob became rich – materially, emotionally and spiritually – a changed man when he moved out of his in-laws and went back to his father.