When dealing with sensitive issues like equality and race it is very important to have as much diversity resources and information as possible about the issues involved. This can give you a better understanding of how to tackle discrimination and exclusion, and to ensure you have the best diversity jobs policies in place.
Resources on this page include training tips, education links to other websites that offer advice or related articles. As well as details of organisations that combat prejudice and promote workplace equality. Also get links to learning materials and organisations that can help to increase and develop your knowledge of current diversity issues, on topics as diverse as gender, age, culture and religion. This resources page will be a useful tool for all employers, but especially for those like local governments that advertise public sector jobs.
At work or in social life using the correct language and refraining from using offensive and culturally insensitive words can help to increase inclusiveness. Some people may argue that you should be allowed to say what you feel and use this as an argument against political correctness. There is however a big difference between freedom of speech and using racist and offensive language.
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
This law was introduced to combat discrimination and sexual harassment based on gender, for in the real world at work in certain circumstances women can hit a glass ceiling. It was introduced to protect both men and women. The Act was amended and updated in 1986.
Government Equalities Office
The GEO is a department within government that assists and advices on equality legislation within the United Kingdom. They are there to put into effect policies to end discrimination and to make the country a fairer place for all and to promote integration. They are heavily involved in projects like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women .
The GEO works closely in partnership with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to promote the dignity of the individual.
In the workplace it is unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of age, this could mean if a job applicant is young or old. A job description for a vacancy, its employment contract and any subsequent related training at work should stress that age will not be a discriminatory factor. Unless of course there are factors involved that mean elderly people over a certain age would not be able to do the jobs safely. Elderly workers must have the same rights in relation to retirement and also redundancy as all other workers.
Part of a effective diversity management programme is the ability to communicate the equal opportunities message of a organization across its workforce. A successful company will understand that a multicultural workforce will work more as a team if they believe and see that everyone is treated the same. Aside from legal requirements a employer will see many other benefits from having a positive equal opportunities manifesto. For any organization it is imperative that they get the best suited employee for any jobs vacancies that they advertise, regardless of a candidates race, ethnicity, religion, gender or any disability.
A practical example of this could be for diversity managers to understand and know about the dates of religious festivals and events that affect their workers. They can then try to work out annual leave dates to fit those dates. For instance Muslims would celebrate the Eid- al Fitr and also practise Ramadan for a whole month once, Christians would celebrate Christmas and Easter, whilst Hindus would celebrate Diwali. Jews would celebrate Yom Kippur and also Rosh Hashanah. To help you there are special resources like diversity calendars available to help you keep track of all the different dates.