It’s critical to remember ‘equality in the workplace’ isn’t a box ticking exercise. An inclusive and diverse workforce Workplace leaders should communicate the company’s position and work hard to create a culture which encompasses this. Promoting LGBT+ Equality in the Workplace With Pride Cymru on the 24th of August, it is important to focus on the LGBT+ equality and whether the LGBT community are treated fairly in the workplace. When you encourage meetings which allow employees to share their stories and unique experiences, employees learn from each other. No workplace is perfect but by equipping employees with educational resources, you can help to drive awareness and change. This should be a constant priority not just for workplace leaders, but everyone in the workplace. 5. The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination related to any protected characteristics—of which there are nine. Employees are affected by current affairs and what’s going on in the world outside of your company – but certain topics can have a particular impact on mental wellbeing. Race 6. Equality and diversity can be defined as “promoting equality of opportunity for all, through diversity, giving each individual the chance to achieve their potential, free from prejudice and discrimination.”. There are two major arguments in support of employers having a … This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience. The diversity and inclusion strategy sets out our ambitions for equality and diversity between 2018 and 2025, both in relation to staff and in providing services to the public. Use phrases such as ‘they’, rather than ‘he’ or ‘she’ and think about whether you are excluding potential applicants by asking for requirements that may not really be necessary (such as requiring a masters degree, when experience might be just as valuable). Age. Religion and belief. Diversity and inclusion champion. This for those in different positions or who have different experiences to still work in the same way. To understand how you can promote equality and diversity we need to understand the terms.. We have a wide range of handy hints and tips for managing stress, developing resilience. Holding sessions and meetings which display the company’s stance on equality helps to make this a core element of your company culture. According to the UK government, discrimination can be displayed in four ways: These are all forms of discrimination to be aware of in your workforce. Inequality, unfortunately, is still prevalent in the workplace, despite equality legislation and recognition by many organisations of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Your policies should se… 3. With employees from different backgrounds, nationalities and who speak different languages, you can take your business to new places and competently serve different customers. A brand reputation precedes your company. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Find resources and educational material that include examples of different types of discrimination – whether this is indirect discrimination, unconscious biases or offensive language. It’s Not Just ‘HR Processes’ That Can Exclude. Another helpful method to reduce unintentional bias can be for HR to remove the potential candidates' names from CVs, before they pass them on to the hiring manager. Disability 3. Equality and diversity, or multiculturalism, is the idea of promoting and accepting the differences between people. 9. It can also help to know where your employer stands in regards to external issues or if they are taking any action in response, so be sure to speak out. If an employee should feel discriminated against in any way, they should know they have a safe place to go and talk about the issues they’re facing. 8. Employers, managers and employees should all understand the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion in all areas of work, including: 1. recruiting new staff 2. training and promoting existing staff 3. equal pay 4. religious beliefs and practice 5. dress code 6. unacceptable behaviour 7. the dismissal of staff 8. redundancy 9. different types of leave for parents 10. flexible working Equality, diversity and inclusion need to be measured and analysed in all aspects of the organisation such as performance and processes. Everyone should be treated fairly in all day-to-day activities and work … It’s important that employees feel able to uncover any biases in a safe environment, without harming others, and get the guidance and resources to tackle these. To progress diversity, organisations should take a systemic approach, including developing an inclusive culture, inclusive approaches to employment policies and practices, to personal behaviours, and by managing equality and diversity issues in ways that also support business contexts. With the number of working women rising steadily for decades and the average age of the workforce increasing (BBC News 2008), it is more diverse than ever. Employee surveys should be used to assess and understand the blockers to progression. You want your company to be perceived in a positive way. Acknowledge Differences. It also makes your business more relatable to different audiences. In the UK, it is against the law to discriminate against anyone due to: You are protected against these in many circumstances, including at work. Appoint members of the board of directors/senior management as diversity and inclusion champions. Discrimination in the workplace can be shown in many forms. The Terms What is equality? Disability. We provide in company training courses to private and public sector organisations throughout the UK. Acas can give your organisation the help it needs to promote good equality and diversity practices in the workplace. This act brings together and replaces numerous anti-discrimination laws passed since 1970, covering equal pay, gender, sexual orientation, race, and much more. A workplace where senior management are committed to ensuring that every single employee is valued for who they are and what they do and ensuring that everyone has the same development opportunities regardless of, for instance, their age, disability, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, political persuasion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, race or religion. Empower Your Existing Employees. For example, those with children would greatly appreciate the ability to work from home on certain days or have some flexibility to their working hours, while offering religion-specific holidays is a great way to show acceptance and celebration of all. Marriage and Civil Partnership 5. In order to deliver our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2020 to 2024, we have developed an initial 2-year Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2020 to 2022. Are you potentially discouraging people from applying to your roles with the language used in your descriptions? In order to achieve equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace, you first need to assess the current organisational behaviours, the behaviours you would like to encourage, and act - identify what needs to be done to achieve them. You must not treat people unfairly because of reasons protected by discrimination law (‘protected characteristics’). Register now. In October 2010, the Equality Act 2010 replaced and simplified over 100 pieces of anti-discrimination legislation and also enhanced workers’ rights. Marriage and civil partnership. Bringing guest speakers in to talk to your people helps to bring new viewpoints and conversations around the question of diversity to your workforce. Introduce a policy for honoring a … Potential candidates now have access to a wealth of information about your company before they even consider applying to a role, the same goes for customers before they make a purchase. The benefits of this are endless. Society is made up of a wide spectrum of people. It is also important to look at how employers can promote further equality and diversity in the workplace. Any actions taken by leaders should uphold and display these cultures and values too. The workplace is forever changing. Equality isn’t simply accepting people from different backgrounds – it’s about celebrating them. Diversity training helps employees understand how cultural … The group should be diverse in nature and be made up of volunteers. Set definite goals, and develop strategies to meet the goals. Acknowledge and honor multiple religious and cultural practices. Age 2. Recognise, support and reward the actions of staff members promoting ethnic diversity both in and outside the workplace (for example, sponsoring employees taking part in fundraising activities). Working towards equality means making sure you have an inclusive and safe work environment, provide equal opportunities, equal pay and above all – accept and celebrate everyone for their differences. Read your job descriptions with fresh eyes and check that you aren’t using any stereotypes or biased language. This also helps to bring people together. A culture which treats its people like equals is one that warnants loyalty. Thus, to create a culture … At the end of the day, the candidate’s name is not important for evaluating the CV, so taking this away ensures that managers are simply looking at credentials rather than taking anything else into account. A diverse team creates a greater basis for creativity, your products and services can be adapted to appeal to a wider audience and your teams can work together to drive towards more innovation. When you have people in your workplace from all different backgrounds, you create a group of people who have a variety of experiences to draw from, and can therefore bring a wider range of ideas to the table. It outlaws sexism, racism, ageism and other forms of discrimination in the workplace and promotes equality and diversity.It sets out a number of so-called “protected characteristics”. Another positive is that diverse workforces are perceived … In fact, it’s almost impossible to say it’s ever ‘done’. There are many differences and these differences can create connections with one another and they can also put certain groups at a disadvantage. In order to promote equality and diversity in your health or social care setting, everyone on your team needs to be fully understanding of the relevant legislation, principles and practices. © Copyright Perkbox 2021. All rights reserved, Read next: How to improve diversity and inclusion in your workplace, Understanding and improving equality in the workplace, Race, including nationality, ethnic, or national origin, Ensure that all employees and potential employees are not subject to discrimination due to any protected characteristics, Set up training for workplace leaders and managers surrounding equal opportunities and correct actions, Regularly communicate and promote equality and diversity to employees, Distribute and provide access to educational resources to promote learning, Act in a way that never discriminates against any of their colleagues due to any protected characteristics, Comply with company policies and contribute to a culture of respect, Be aware of their own actions and how they may be interpreted and affect others. Race. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Today, the market is global. This provides an opportunity to boost performance sales on a global scale but also boosts your brand identity. See more about the law on discrimination and protected characteristics. This helps to make employees aware of issues they may not have recognised as discrimination before. Everyone in the company should feel that they are in a safe place. This means that a strong brand reputation of equality and fairness is vital to long lasting success. Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences! We specialise in practical training aimed at developing resilience, minimising the risk of stress and enhancing well-being within your organisation. Employees should also feel safe in the knowledge that they will never face retaliation for a complaint or raising a concern. When it comes to diversity, inclusion and creating equality, it can help to take a close look at different elements of your workplace, rather than looking at it as a whole. When you create an environment which encourages honesty, open communication, respect of individual backgrounds, beliefs and practices, alongside recognising the importance of diversity and celebrating it, it becomes clear who you are as an organisation and who you want to be. Sex. Each individual person comes with the visible and non-visible differences and through respecting the dissimilarities would make each of them feel valued for their efforts which is valuable not only for the individual but fo… The Equality Act 2010 is a set of laws implemented by the UK government to protect the rights of individuals in society, and advance equal opportunities for everyone. Employees should be able to balance their work and their life in a way that suits them. Allowing your employees to work flexibly can have a huge impact on equality. By being more educated, employees will be more able to find ways they could work to improve their language or actions. A client in the creative sector asked for a review of … This means that people from all over the world can be your audience. Offer diversity and inclusion training. While this may not be directly related to your business, it’s important that employees feel that they can speak openly about anything affecting them and know that support is provided to those in need. Overall, this will make stronger, more unified teams. There should never be a question, internally or externally, of what your company stands for. It’s OK -- and necessary -- to admit that people are different from one … One of the main ways of doing this is to have equality and diversity policies of the kinds noted above, backed up by an action plan to promote the policies and ensure that they are understood and followed across the business. Not only does this make good business sense—helping your company to better understand colleagues, clients, and customers around the world—it also makes the workplace a more interesting and personally enriching environment for everyone. 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When it’s clear that those higher up demand equality and justice, it spreads throughout the company. Our training courses create an environment where personal resilience is enhanced and well-being is protected, enabling people to respond effectively to challenges and perform at their best. That means you’ll succeed in boosting your talent pool and beating competitors to the top hires. All employees within the company should know that if they have an issue, they are able to go to a HR team member and air any concerns, discuss any problems or ask any questions that they might have, without judgement. UK legislation sets minimum standards for equality within the workplace, but an effective equality and diversity strategy goes beyond legal compliance and seeks to add value to an organisation, contributing to employee wellbeing and boosting staff morale. When you remove any bias that may block potential employees from applying to your positions, you get access to a much wider talent pool. For example, because of a person’s sex, age or race. Promoting equality and diversity in the workplace means that companies can gain a more flexible and adaptive corporate culture by accessing a broader variety of worldviews and problem-solving styles. What is classed as Discrimination? Form a diversity and equality committee. Support members facing unfair treatment at work, in education or other aspects of their lives Seek equal access, treatment and outcomes for all patients Ensure strategic decisions are informed by the full diversity of our members Set an example of good practice in equality, diversity … No one wants to feel that they are putting in the same amount of work for less reward than those around them. There have been some high profile cases where organisations have failed to promote equality and diversity and have been guilty of discrimination in the workplace. When you support causes that matter to your employees, they will feel more valued and connected to the company. 4. Educational resources also help to learn of the experiences of others, which helps to bring unity in the workplace. Gender Reassignment 4. Not only should HR provide a space for any employees to feel impacted or concerned, HR teams also need to be there to provide guidance for those who feel that they need help to examine any biases they may hold. Although employers must pave the way for a culture of equality, everyone in the company must also play their part. This website uses the following additional cookies: Facebook Pixel - for helping to understand the traffic from facebook users. Put equality policies in place. Case 1 Eileen Jolly, an 89-year-old woman working as a medical secretary in the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, was the oldest person to win a case on age discrimination. One of the key aspects of achieving any goal is measuring it. Diversity is generally defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status (Esty, et al., 1995). The most basic description of equality in the workplace is a lack of discrimination. Your language and wording is important – your company may be unintentionally wording descriptions in a way that positions certain roles towards a certain demographic, making others feel excluded. Under the Equality Act 2010, this allows employers to favour an individual with an under-represented protected characteristic among candidates who are equally capable of taking a particular vacancy. More information about our Privacy Policy, Developing Resilience: Training for Managers, Customised training in Developing Resilience, Developing a Growth Mindset in the Workplace, Team Working – Action Planning for Virtual Teams, Training to manage covid fatigue and coronanxiety, Practical Approaches to Handling Pressure, Tired all the time? Hearing an outside voice speak about their experiences can spark new thoughts and asks your employees to think in a way that they may not have before. Are many differences and these differences can create connections with one another and they can also certain! Is a lack of discrimination be diverse in nature and be made up of a wide range of thinking takes. Browsing experience sets out Monitor ’ s position and work hard to create culture. With the language used in your organization diversity within your organisation provides an opportunity to performance. Just ‘ HR processes ’ that can Exclude made up of volunteers that people from kinds! 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