Overview
** Please write 150 word initial discussion post. And 150 word response to each student. Please list all references separately.
Week 3 Discussion Topic:
How does procedural justice differ from distributive justice?
Defend the position that supervisors have considerable control over procedural justice in their departments but little control over distributive justice.
How might you use the principles of procedural justice to avoid having an employee quit because she believes her boss gave her an unfair evaluation?
Andrea Salazar Malepe
19 hours ago, at 9:50 PM
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Week 3 Discussion Topic:
How does procedural justice differ from distributive justice?
Procedural justice is the rules and regulations that lay out how people get paid what they get paid. It is a road map that also shows what employees can do to earn more money and move up. Procedural justice also includes how to conduct performance reviews. Distributive justice is how much employees are getting paid, whether it be through salary, rewards, or bonuses (Gerhart et al., 2023).
Defend the position that supervisors have considerable control over procedural justice in their departments but little control over distributive justice.
Supervisors have ample control over procedural justice in their departments because they have the ability to decide and implement a good quality environment for the workplace. Supervisors can lead by example in the workplace by giving everyone respect, having great open communication to ensure that everyone understands what needs to be done, by whom it should be done, and by when things should be completed. If everyone is on the same page, there is a lesser chance for miscommunication, issues or misunderstandings.
How might you use the principles of procedural justice to avoid having an employee quit because she believes her boss gave her an unfair evaluation?
To combat a misunderstanding over an unfair evaluation, it is important for the boss to utilize effective communication. Throughout previous evaluations it is necessary to inform the employee of good things they have done as a way to help them feel seen and valued. After establishing that an employee is valued, they also need to be clearly told of things they do, that is not up to standard. The employee should be notified that there are ways to improve and be given a deadline. Once it is time for the next evaluation, an employee should know whether they have improved or if they continue to fall short and will not be surprised at an "unfair" evaluation.
Reference:
Gerhart, B. (2023). Compensation (14th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
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Skylar Carreon
Nov 14, 2025 9:13 PM
NEW
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Hello Class,
Procedural justice and distributive justice represent two distinct dimensions of perceived fairness in the workplace. Distributive justice concerns the fairness of outcomes—such as pay, bonuses, and promotions—relative to one’s contributions and in comparison to others. While procedural justice focuses on the fairness of the processes, rules, and methods used to determine those outcomes (Gerhart & Newman, 2023). Distributive justice answers the question, “Did I receive a fair result?” procedural justice addresses, “Was the way the decision was made fair?” Both forms influence employee satisfaction, but they do so through different mechanisms of perceived equity and trust.
Supervisors tend to have substantially more influence over procedural justice than distributive justice. Distributive outcomes often depend on organizational pay structures, budget limitations, formal compensation systems, or policies set by upper management (Gerhart & Newman, 2023). Supervisors may administer these outcomes but rarely design them. On the other hand, supervisors exercise meaningful control over how decisions are made and communicated. They determine whether employees have a voice in the evaluation process, whether criteria are applied consistently, and if explanations for decisions are transparent and respectful. Research supports that employee trust increases significantly when supervisors demonstrate neutrality, provide opportunities for input, and treat employees with dignity, regardless of the ultimate outcome (Colquitt et al., 2013). So, while supervisors cannot typically change an employee’s pay level or reward allocation, they can influence how fair employees perceive the decision-making process to be.
Applying procedural justice principles can help in preventing an employee from quitting after receiving what she perceives as an unfair evaluation.
- First, providing voice, allowing the employee to share her perspective before and after the evaluation, helps her feel heard and respected.
- Second, demonstrating consistency in how performance criteria are applied across employees can reassure her that she was not singled out or treated arbitrarily.
- Third, offering explanations for how the evaluation was reached promotes transparency and reduces misunderstandings about the criteria used.
- Finally, showing consideration, such as discussing the evaluation privately and constructively. Making sure they know they are a valued employee.
By emphasizing fairness in the evaluation process, a supervisor can reduce feelings of bias or injustice and potentially retain the employee.
References
Colquitt, J. A., Conlon, D. E., Wesson, M. J., Porter, C. O., & Ng, K. Y. (2013). Justice at the millennium: A meta-analytic review of 25 years of organizational justice research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 199–236. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031757
Gerhart, B., & Newman, J. (2023). Compensation (14th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
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