Victoire Larmenier was fair and impartial with everyone, even when people or issues were difficult or challenging. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice for they shall be satisfied.” – Matt 5:6 We uphold what is fair, decent, respecting his/her rights in a balanced and fair manner. The core value of justice requires us to give respect to one another. We all should gain self-knowledge and to do that we need to look in the mirror and judge ourselves so that we know ourselves. Justice does not only require that we judge others fairly, but also that we judge ourselves fairly. We desperately need more team members who are self-aware enough to act from their hearts, rather than immature members who act from hurt and fear. The concern is that if a person is a poor judge of him or herself, it is hard to imagine that same person being a good judge of others. Justice begins within ourselves. Without an inner moral compass focussed on justice, it can end up in the abuse of power.
Proverbs 21:3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Another way to fail justice is by judging ourselves to be less worthy than what we truly are. And this is sadly common amongst abused or mistreated people – often the people in our care. Part of our mission in safeguarding our residents and staff is to educate and empower people to strive for justice and fairness for themselves and each other. Life isn’t always fair. Good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. Justice in the workplace is critical to employee motivation, health, and well-being. And this is equally important to ensure the safeguarding of our residents. Employees and residents need to be treated with dignity, compassion, care, and respect.
When we don’t get this right, individuals may react in negative and sometimes unexpected ways. How we treat residents, employees and family reactions either serves to ease or reinforce the perception of unfairness. Unfair environments take a significant toll on the emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of people. Therefore the respectful, compassionate caring of each other is essential. Injustice may lead to illness, burnout, and stress that has a direct impact on our performance. There’s also a negative impact on interpersonal relationships, and quality of work. There are to many heart-breaking stories of discrimination and injustice, and we need to have tough conversations. If each one of us takes responsibility for one story and make a difference in one life, and when we listen more than defend or offer ill-judged advice, we will make a difference in society. When we pretend everything is okay, we are part of the problem. Practical ways that we can practice Justice are:
1. Examine our beliefs and habits – Many of us act without thinking of how it will influence or impact the next person.
2. Educate ourselves and each other.
3.Be kind, understanding, and compassionate. In dealing with our issues, we may forget that we’re all in this together. Whenever you feel stressed out around other people, consider their circumstances and what they may be dealing with. When employees respect each other, and feel valued, productivity increases, general morale increases, and employees are more courteous to residents and each other.
Written by Lizl Konig
Facility Manager at Nazareth House Cape Town
