What does workplace equality entail?
Absence of bias is the most fundamental definition of equality at work. It is the equitable treatment of persons regardless of any protected characteristics, such as race, gender, disability, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. It’s crucial to remember that a truly equal workplace means that all employees have access to the same possibilities, not only one free of discrimination. Employers have a responsibility to make sure that every employee has an equal opportunity to succeed, grow professionally, and develop their skills.
What does employment discrimination entail?
Workplace discrimination can take many different forms. Discriminating against anyone in the UK is illegal when it is based on:
- Age
- Race, comprising ethnicity, national origin, and nationality
- Disability
- Having a civil partnership or getting married
- Having a baby or being on maternity leave
- Reversal of gender
- Religion or philosophy
- Sexual orientation or gender
Bias, based on the UK government, can be seen in four different ways:
- Direct discrimination is when someone is not treated equally with others because of a protected feature.
- Putting policies or practices in place that apply to everyone but give someone with a protected feature an unfair advantage is indirect discrimination.
- Unwanted conduct associated with a protected feature that breaches someone’s dignity or puts them in an offensive situation is known as harassment (this can be avoided with a dignity at work policy)
- Victimization is the practice of treating someone unfairly after they have reported discrimination or harassment.
These are all forms of discrimination to be aware of in your workforce.
Promoting workplace equality: Instead of viewing your workplace as a whole, it can be helpful to look closely at several aspects of it when it comes to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. By doing this, you may assess whether your business should be modified to better fulfill the needs of various people and develop a strategy.
Begin with the hiring procedure: You should begin with the hiring procedure if you want to adopt equal treatment at work fully. Spend some time carefully examining your job descriptions. With the language you use in your job descriptions, are you maybe deterring people from applying for your positions? Your organization can be unwittingly positioning specific roles for a particular demographic by using terminology and wording that makes other people feel excluded.
Establish and promote a secure workplace: Everyone employed by the organization ought to feel secure. They ought to believe that their opinions are valued and heard.
Facilitate employee education: Although no workplace is perfect, you may encourage awareness and change by providing employees with instructional resources.
Celebrate differences rather than merely accepting them: People from various backgrounds should be celebrated; equality goes beyond merely accepting them. Make time for essential company-wide discussions with personnel.
Talk to your staff about bigger challenges: Current events and what’s happening in the outside world have an impact on employees, but specific issues can have a special influence on their psychological wellness.
Hear other people’s voices: By inviting outside speakers to address your audience, you can introduce fresh perspectives and conversations about diversity to your staff.
