Despite all the difficulties it takes for felons to get a job. There is a very high chance that felon employees will also be victims of discrimination in the workplace.
If you happen to be an employer of labor, this should tell you something about building a healthier work environment.
As long as felons are contributing towards the success of your company, they deserve equal rights as other employees. And as the leader, you have to be the one to show others how to treat felon employees.
It should not end with instructions and words of encouragement. Many people are biased towards felon employees for different reasons, so your words will not do much to change that.
To make the change your business needs towards felon employees, you need to lead by example. When your workers see that you are treating felons with equal rights, they will have no choice but to do the same.
But it won’t be easy if you see felon employees in a different light than everyone else working for you. Which begs the sincere question—are felon employees the same as other workers in the same company?
The difference is based on myths; it is not real.
If you see any difference between your felon employees and everyone else, what you are seeing is not real. They’re just like every other member of your staff, and their criminal record doesn’t make them any less than others.
Whatever the felon employees must have done to deserve jail time is in the past. If they were not repentant, they would not be trying to hold down a job in a legal way.
Many felons go back to crime shortly after they get free because it looks like the easy way out. But the ones that have chosen to work are good people who just need a second chance. The last thing they deserve is a stigma of any kind in the workplace. So don’t allow myths to push your organization into a toxic place for felon employees.
What are these myths responsible for stigmatizing felon employees?
There is truly no difference between felon employees and everyone else in your office. And you have to show this to everyone by your example as the business owner.
But before you can do that, you need to eliminate the following myths that are responsible for the stigma:
- Myth: Having a felon on your payroll increases your risk.
Fact: there are no studies to support the statement.
There has been no reliable study to back this age-old idea. So if you’re still feeling that felon employees are different because of this, it’s time to move past the myth.
On the contrary, felon employees can be useful in preventing risks. Since they’ve turned a new leaf but still understand the ways of crime, they can use that knowledge to protect themselves.
Also, the federal government protects businesses and even offers financial incentives in the case of losses caused by felon employees.
- Myth: Hiring felon employees will increase the cost of labor.
Fact: employees with criminal records bring many incentives to your company.
Most of the people who still believe this myth are those that have never employed felons. Because if you’ve been having felons work for you, there is no way you will believe that they increase expenses.
In many ways, felons add to the financial returns of a company, and this is not only about their productivity.
When you hire people with criminal records, you are entitled to certain incentives from different government bodies. From tax to insurance incentives, having felon employees will earn you thousands of dollars—this alone cancels out the myth.
- Myth: Felons will not be dedicated
Fact: felon employees are the hardest workers you’ll ever meet.
While others will come to you for a job because of their financial needs, an ex-convict needs more than that. Before the salary, a felon will need a place to work in order to show that he has changed.
They are aware of the stigma surrounding felons. So you are going to see in them the dedication of someone that has a lot to prove.
Felons already find it hard to get a job. Which is why when you eventually give them one, they do all they can to keep it. So you must quickly throw away the idea that felon employees are not dedicated. They have a lot to lose if they are not!
- Myth: Felons do not have enough skills for the job.
Fact: They are skilled in their different areas.
This myth just goes to show how much people stigmatize felons. Because if you looked at them the same way you looked at others, you’d notice that their abilities differ.
If someone without a criminal record is a good marketer, you won’t employ them as a chef and call them incompetent. The same also applies to people with a criminal record.
You just need to match the felon’s skills with those you need in your workplace. When you do this, you’ll see that they have enough skills.
- Myth: Felons cause problems for their coworkers.
Fact: there are no studies to support the statement.
When you have felon employees in your organization, there will be no need to worry about relationships with their colleagues. This is because ex-convicts don’t want any issues that will lead them back to prison, so your workplace is safe.
If you ever see a felon employee getting bullied by someone who seems to have a grudge, step in!
Felon employees are always patient with bullies and can easily sink into depression. They are even the ones in danger at work, not the other way around.
This is why it is important for you to show everyone that felon employees are equal to everyone else. There is no difference. And the sooner everyone in your company understands that, the more peaceful your workplace will be.
Despite all the difficulties it takes for felons to get a job. There is a very high chance that felon employees will also be victims of discrimination in the workplace.
If you happen to be an employer of labor, this should tell you something about building a healthier work environment.
As long as felons are contributing towards the success of your company, they deserve equal rights as other employees. And as the leader, you have to be the one to show others how to treat felon employees.
It should not end with instructions and words of encouragement. Many people are biased towards felon employees for different reasons, so your words will not do much to change that.
To make the change your business needs towards felon employees, you need to lead by example. When your workers see that you are treating felons with equal rights, they will have no choice but to do the same.
But it won’t be easy if you see felon employees in a different light than everyone else working for you. Which begs the sincere question—are felon employees the same as other workers in the same company?
The difference is based on myths; it is not real.
If you see any difference between your felon employees and everyone else, what you are seeing is not real. They’re just like every other member of your staff, and their criminal record doesn’t make them any less than others.
Whatever the felon employees must have done to deserve jail time is in the past. If they were not repentant, they would not be trying to hold down a job in a legal way.
Many felons go back to crime shortly after they get free because it looks like the easy way out. But the ones that have chosen to work are good people who just need a second chance. The last thing they deserve is a stigma of any kind in the workplace. So don’t allow myths to push your organization into a toxic place for felon employees.
What are these myths responsible for stigmatizing felon employees?
There is truly no difference between felon employees and everyone else in your office. And you have to show this to everyone by your example as the business owner.
But before you can do that, you need to eliminate the following myths that are responsible for the stigma:
- Myth: Having a felon on your payroll increases your risk.
Fact: there are no studies to support the statement.
There has been no reliable study to back this age-old idea. So if you’re still feeling that felon employees are different because of this, it’s time to move past the myth.
On the contrary, felon employees can be useful in preventing risks. Since they’ve turned a new leaf but still understand the ways of crime, they can use that knowledge to protect themselves.
Also, the federal government protects businesses and even offers financial incentives in the case of losses caused by felon employees.
- Myth: Hiring felon employees will increase the cost of labor.
Fact: employees with criminal records bring many incentives to your company.
Most of the people who still believe this myth are those that have never employed felons. Because if you’ve been having felons work for you, there is no way you will believe that they increase expenses.
In many ways, felons add to the financial returns of a company, and this is not only about their productivity.
When you hire people with criminal records, you are entitled to certain incentives from different government bodies. From tax to insurance incentives, having felon employees will earn you thousands of dollars—this alone cancels out the myth.
- Myth: Felons will not be dedicated
Fact: felon employees are the hardest workers you’ll ever meet.
While others will come to you for a job because of their financial needs, an ex-convict needs more than that. Before the salary, a felon will need a place to work in order to show that he has changed.
They are aware of the stigma surrounding felons. So you are going to see in them the dedication of someone that has a lot to prove.
Felons already find it hard to get a job. Which is why when you eventually give them one, they do all they can to keep it. So you must quickly throw away the idea that felon employees are not dedicated. They have a lot to lose if they are not!
- Myth: Felons do not have enough skills for the job.
Fact: They are skilled in their different areas.
This myth just goes to show how much people stigmatize felons. Because if you looked at them the same way you looked at others, you’d notice that their abilities differ.
If someone without a criminal record is a good marketer, you won’t employ them as a chef and call them incompetent. The same also applies to people with a criminal record.
You just need to match the felon’s skills with those you need in your workplace. When you do this, you’ll see that they have enough skills.
- Myth: Felons cause problems for their coworkers.
Fact: there are no studies to support the statement.
When you have felon employees in your organization, there will be no need to worry about relationships with their colleagues. This is because ex-convicts don’t want any issues that will lead them back to prison, so your workplace is safe.
If you ever see a felon employee getting bullied by someone who seems to have a grudge, step in!
Felon employees are always patient with bullies and can easily sink into depression. They are even the ones in danger at work, not the other way around.
This is why it is important for you to show everyone that felon employees are equal to everyone else. There is no difference. And the sooner everyone in your company understands that, the more peaceful your workplace will be.
