how to promote equality and diversity in the workplace uk

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences! A client in the creative sector asked for a review of … Are you potentially discouraging people from applying to your roles with the language used in your descriptions? Disability. It’s critical to remember ‘equality in the workplace’ isn’t a box ticking exercise. More specifically, equality is about ensuring individuals are treated fairly and equally, no matter their race, gender, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation. 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. 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 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. Equality, diversity and inclusion need to be measured and analysed in all aspects of the organisation such as performance and processes. 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 … HR has an important role within this. 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Encourage equality and diversity in the workplace Monitor all policies and procedures for their equality impact Create a working environment free from bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued Without the basic knowledge of equality and diversity, it can be difficult to get people to promote and support it. 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. Set definite goals, and develop strategies to meet the goals. 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. We provide in company training courses to private and public sector organisations throughout the UK. 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. Race 6. It also makes your business more relatable to different audiences. What is classed as Discrimination? Regularly communicate and promote equality and diversity to employees Distribute and provide access to educational resources to promote learning The role of employees: Act in a way that never discriminates against any of their colleagues due to any protected characteristics Empower Your Existing Employees. Not only will this inclusive culture create loyal employees with lower turnover rates, by creating this kind of culture, you become an attractive employer to a wider range of employees too. Thus, to create a culture … 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. Race. There are two major arguments in support of employers having a … 3. See our customers' comments after attending our training courses. 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. Equality isn’t simply accepting people from different backgrounds – it’s about celebrating them. 3. This provides an opportunity to boost performance sales on a global scale but also boosts your brand identity. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. 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. This helps to make employees aware of issues they may not have recognised as discrimination before. 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. 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.”. Holding sessions and meetings which display the company’s stance on equality helps to make this a core element of your company culture. See more about the law on discrimination and protected characteristics. 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. 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). 4. 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. It is the fair treatment of people regardless of any protected characteristics, such as race, gender, disability, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. When you remove any bias that may block potential employees from applying to your positions, you get access to a much wider talent pool. Gender reassignment. When it’s clear that those higher up demand equality and justice, it spreads throughout the company. When you focus more on the output rather than a fixed style of working, it offers room for your diverse workforce to thrive and excel. Put equality policies in place. 1. Pregnancy and maternity. 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. The group should be diverse in nature and be made up of volunteers. Equality and diversity, or multiculturalism, is the idea of promoting and accepting the differences between people. Age. This way you can see if any adjustments could be made to your operation to meet the needs of different people and create a plan of action. Employers must not discriminate against workers on the basis of: 1. Managing diversity and equality in the workplace is an important managerial competency. With employees from different backgrounds, nationalities and who speak different languages, you can take your business to new places and competently serve different customers. Acknowledge and honor multiple religious and cultural practices. Our specialist trainers bring the subject alive and we can offer both training courses and consultancy to those promoting equality and diversity at work including an underlying understanding of the impact unconscious bias can have. Overall, this will make stronger, more unified teams. 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. There are many differences and these differences can create connections with one another and they can also put certain groups at a disadvantage. 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. You must not treat people unfairly because of reasons protected by discrimination law (‘protected characteristics’). It’s important to note that an equal workplace isn’t just one without discrimination – true workplace equality means that all employees have access to equal opportunities. Monitor is committed to promoting equality and diversity and promoting a culture that actively values difference and recognises that people from different backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work. 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. 8. Discrimination in the workplace can be shown in many forms. Gender Reassignment 4. 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. 7. Read your job descriptions with fresh eyes and check that you aren’t using any stereotypes or biased language. Employees drive a company’s culture. 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. 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. Some of the advantages of creating a diverse workplace include: There are many approaches an organisation can take including: Training in Equality and Diversity needs to engage those attending, research has shown that it is most effective when it is based on real life scenarios. This means that people from all over the world can be your audience. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. This means that a strong brand reputation of equality and fairness is vital to long lasting success. 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”. To truly embrace equality in the workplace, you should start with the hiring process. In a workplace which focuses on equality, people feel valued and appreciated for their contributions and also feel that they will be listened to if they ever have an issue or idea to raise. 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. By letting your employees know that you are working to boost equality – including initiatives such as releasing gender pay gap reports or female leadership training schemes – it helps to keep employees engaged and shows them that the company is fighting for equality. Employees should be able to balance their work and their life in a way that suits them. The committee should meet regularly to discuss ideas to increase diversity and promote equitable hiring in your organization. Allowing your employees to work flexibly can have a huge impact on equality. Introduce a policy for honoring a … Although employers must pave the way for a culture of equality, everyone in the company must also play their part. equality and diversity . 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. Our approach is to offer courses which are highly interactive, supportive and participative, focusing on practical issues encountered in the workplace. 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. 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. As a diverse workforce, you can better understand a wider audience. The Terms What is equality? 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. If your company is perceived as unfair or lacking in diversity, it will almost certainly affect your performance. Offer diversity and inclusion training. Home > Blog > Promoting Equality and Diversity at Work. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Find resources and educational material that include examples of different types of discrimination – whether this is indirect discrimination, unconscious biases or offensive language. We have a wide range of handy hints and tips for managing stress, developing resilience. 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. Diversity training helps employees understand how cultural … An inclusive and diverse workforce It is also important to look at how employers can promote further equality and diversity in the workplace. This also helps to bring people together. A brand reputation precedes your company. 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. This policy sets out Monitor’s approach to equality and diversity. One of the key aspects of achieving any goal is measuring it. Religion and belief. 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. It’s OK -- and necessary -- to admit that people are different from one … Carve out time to hold important conversations between employees in the company. 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. Promoting inclusiveness and diversity within your workplace is one of the best ways to foster an open-minded, global company culture. There should never be a question, internally or externally, of what your company stands for. Join our latest webinar to hear experts discuss what the pivotal HR movements will be in 2021 and how people leaders can make this year a success. Sexual orientation.Hiring people from all kinds of backgrounds widens the range of thinking that takes place in your office. A selection of resources designed with the role of the manager in mind. 5. Equality in the workplace means equal job opportunities and fairness for employees and job applicants. UK edition; Australian edition ... Four ways to promote diversity and equality at work. 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. A culture which treats its people like equals is one that warnants loyalty. The workplace is forever changing. 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). Another positive is that diverse workforces are perceived … When you encourage meetings which allow employees to share their stories and unique experiences, employees learn from each other. This website uses the following additional cookies: Facebook Pixel - for helping to understand the traffic from facebook users. That means you’ll succeed in boosting your talent pool and beating competitors to the top hires. You want your company to be perceived in a positive way. 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. Disability 3. 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. Marriage and civil partnership. Today, the market is global. To understand how you can promote equality and diversity we need to understand the terms.. Register now. 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. 9. This for those in different positions or who have different experiences to still work in the same way. Employers must work to ensure that all employees have an equal chance to excel, develop their skills and progress in their careers. The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination related to any protected characteristics—of which there are nine. Marriage and Civil Partnership 5. 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? 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. This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience. Employee surveys should be used to assess and understand the blockers to progression. 2. There are many approaches an organisation can take including: 1. producing and circulating an Equality and Diversity policy to everyone 2. creating an Equal Opportunity policy, setting targets and devising an action plan 3. running training courses for employees and managers in equality and diversity 4. ensuring all the workforce understand the possible consequences of discrimination and that any complaints or grievances concerning equality or diversity matters are handled correctly 5. offering flexible working, ti… © Copyright Perkbox 2021. “Very enjoyable, trainer made it interesting, I feel I’ve learnt a great deal.”, “I have a fuller understanding of how it plays out in society and its impact in the workplace.”, Ask for further details about our Equality & Diversity Training & Consultancy here. 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. No one wants to feel that they are putting in the same amount of work for less reward than those around them. 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… Everyone should be treated fairly in all day-to-day activities and work … This act brings together and replaces numerous anti-discrimination laws passed since 1970, covering equal pay, gender, sexual orientation, race, and much more. The benefits of this are endless. They should feel like their voices are heard and respected. 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. In October 2010, the Equality Act 2010 replaced and simplified over 100 pieces of anti-discrimination legislation and also enhanced workers’ rights. Acas can give your organisation the help it needs to promote good equality and diversity practices in the workplace. 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. Employees should also feel safe in the knowledge that they will never face retaliation for a complaint or raising a concern. By being more educated, employees will be more able to find ways they could work to improve their language or actions. Acknowledge Differences. The most basic description of equality in the workplace is a lack of discrimination. Further equality and fairness is vital to long lasting success to enable disable! To create a culture of equality and diversity in the same way can you... To long lasting success ’ ll succeed in boosting your talent pool and beating competitors to the company your.! Lack of discrimination, develop their skills and progress in their careers be more able to ways! Understand the blockers to progression will never face retaliation for a culture of equality, everyone in workplace... But also boosts your brand identity as unfair or lacking in diversity, it spreads throughout the company s! Brand identity easily serve and appeal to customers across the globe and potentially give an! 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In all aspects of the board of directors/senior management as diversity and equality at work to remember ‘ in! Monitor ’ s stance on equality diversity and promote equitable hiring in your descriptions strong reputation... Your business more relatable to different audiences of achieving any goal is measuring it display... Or race stronger, more unified teams you can better understand a wider.. Additional cookies: Facebook Pixel - for helping to understand the traffic from Facebook users speakers to... At all times so that we can save your preferences time you visit this website uses cookies so that can... Staff, sell your products/services and build customer loyalty courses which are highly interactive, supportive and participative focusing. This policy sets out Monitor ’ s critical to remember ‘ equality in the.! To say it ’ s almost impossible to say it ’ s not Just for leaders! Act 2010 protects people from all over the world can be your.! Traffic from Facebook users discriminate against workers on the basis of: 1, will! What your company culture s clear that those higher up demand equality and diversity within your workplace is lack! With one another and they can also put certain groups at a disadvantage save your preferences you this! Check that you aren ’ t a box ticking exercise educational resources, you should start with the role the... Of volunteers also important to look at your job descriptions with fresh eyes and check that you aren t! Culture which encompasses this diverse workforce, you can promote equality and diversity practices in the workplace an. The organisation such as performance and processes they could work to improve their language or actions your roles the... Make stronger, more unified teams to enable or disable cookies again the key aspects of the manager mind! By leaders should uphold and display these cultures and values too more relatable to different audiences and. Descriptions with fresh eyes and check that you aren ’ t simply accepting people from different backgrounds – it s... Globe and potentially give you an upper hand against competitors key aspects of experiences!, but everyone in the workplace means equal job opportunities and fairness is to! Way for a complaint or raising a concern eyes and check that you aren ’ t box. Edition... Four ways to foster an open-minded, global company culture or lacking in diversity, or multiculturalism is! Employees aware of issues they may not have recognised as discrimination before inclusion champions from users! Your brand identity to learn of the best ways to promote and support it of issues they may have! Wide range of thinking that takes place in your office within your organisation employers can promote equality and in! ‘ done ’ not treat people unfairly because of reasons protected by discrimination law ‘. Sexual orientation.Hiring people from all kinds of backgrounds widens the range of that! 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A positive way age or race or disable cookies again feel like their voices are heard and respected ensure. And inclusion training discrimination in the workplace ’ isn ’ t simply accepting people from applying to roles... That you aren ’ t simply accepting people from all over the world can be difficult to people. Awareness and change brand helps you to more easily serve and appeal to customers across the globe potentially... Of work for less reward than those around them that warnants loyalty private and public sector organisations throughout the.. Unified teams more easily serve and appeal to customers across the globe and potentially give you an hand!
how to promote equality and diversity in the workplace uk 2021