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Equality & Diversity: The Business Case in a Changing World

Equality & Diversity: The Business Case in a Changing World. Outline of the workshop. What do we mean by Equality and Diversity? What problems do businesses face in 2009 ? Why does diversity in the workplace matter ? What are the risks to businesses ? What opportunities do we face ?

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Equality & Diversity: The Business Case in a Changing World

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  1. Equality &Diversity:The Business Case in a Changing World

  2. Outline of the workshop • What do we mean by Equality and Diversity? • What problems do businesses face in 2009 ? • Why does diversity in the workplace matter ? • What are the risks to businesses ? • What opportunities do we face ? • What have others done ? • What help is at hand ? • What next for you ?

  3. “Equality” and “Diversity” • What do we mean by ‘equality’ and ‘diversity’ ? • Are they the same thing ?

  4. “Equality” and “Diversity” are about.. • Recognising differences between people • Acknowledging past imbalance • Taking steps to redress imbalance • Maintaining competition (where appropriate) • Ensure equal access to jobs, promotion, benefits, services • and being aware of our attitudes and their practical impact

  5. Equal ?  Diverse ? 

  6. Diverse ?  Equal ?

  7. ‘Equality’ = Equal Opportunities approach Emphasis on legal compliance Putting employees into ‘categories’ 6 discrimination law jurisdictions ‘G.R.A.D.E.S.’ Gender Religion and Belief Age Disability Ethnicity and Race Sexual Orientation Equality vs Diversity

  8. Equality vs Diversity • ‘Diversity’ = • Equal Opportunities (legal compliance) approach + Business Benefits • Continuous spectrum – not ‘categories’ – more realistic • Variety in workforce is source of strength… • not weakness

  9. Stereotypes • Danger - we categorise people too readily • and based on insufficient information • about them or their ‘group’ • Exercise… • Write down the name of the famous people (alive or dead) we are describing…

  10. Subject number 1 • White man • Vegetarian • Loves children • Mountain walking enthusiast • Public speaking skills • Determined and hard working

  11. Subject number 2 • Revolutionary • Terrorist • Danger to society • Fanatic • Plans to overthrow stable government • Wanted man

  12. Did you guess correctly ? Subject no. 1 Subject no. 2

  13. The challenges we face .. and the benefits of a diverse workforce

  14. What problems do businesses face ? • Costs • Getting people • Shedding people • Keeping the right people • Motivating them • Maximising productivity • Avoiding legal risks • Getting more business • Including public sector contracts

  15. The Credit Crunch • Costs and price of credit are rising • Competition for business is increasing • We need value for money • and to maximise business / sales opportunities

  16. Financial business case for diversity • Maximising business turnover • Maximising commercial opportunities • Finding diverse (new) markets to sell into • Minimising labour turnover and recruitment costs • Minimising absence levels / stress-related illness • Avoiding litigation costs • What difference does ‘diversity’ make ?

  17. Diversity in action • What is the annual spending power of disabled people in Scotland ? • The ‘pink pound’ is worth how many billion pounds in UK ?

  18. Diversity in action • In a consumer survey, what percentage of heterosexual people said they would be less likely to buy from an organisation that had demonstrated negative views about sexual orientation ?

  19. Recruitment • Difficulty in recruiting the right person • Limited choice is a challenge • Widen the labour market • Changing demographics • Need to think ‘outside the box’…

  20. Sobering statistics • By 2011, only 20% of workforce will be able bodied, white, British male under 45 • By 2020 half UK population will be 50 or over

  21. What about considering… • an older (or younger) person ? • a disabled worker ? • a labour market ‘returner’ ? • (or one person who fits all these categories ?)

  22. Reducing Staff • Ways of avoiding redundancy • Greater flexibility in roles and working arrangements ? • Reduce overheads – home working ? • Redundancy selection criteria • Discrimination issues

  23. Retaining key staff • Labour turnover - expensive and inconvenient • Need to stop people leaving • or back to work more quickly • 86% organisations report difficulties recruiting • Average recruitment cost per employee is £4,667 • £5,800 with associated labour turnover costs • Source CIPD 2008 Recruitment, Retention and Turnover survey

  24. Retention: Key factors • Employee morale • Loyalty / commitment • Reputation in the community • Fairness / respect / equal treatment and pay • ‘Dignity at work’ (freedom from harassment / bullying) • Promotion from within • Management style / actions…

  25. Retention: Key factors • Absence management – ‘back to work’ plans • Reasonable adjustments / redeployment / retraining • Tackling stress – getting them back to work • Flexible working – positive approach •  All relate to equality and diversity

  26. Customer service • Widen markets • Advantage of diverse workforce… • identify new markets, exploit them • Flexibility in workforce… • Ethical consumer and business to business markets – new demands – new solutions • Being accessible – premises and operating hours • Diverse workforce helps get business through the door + keep it

  27. Litigation threats • Complexity • Costs • Liability for illegal acts of your staff (or of your customers) • Proactive approach • In advance • Training

  28. Litigation defence • Need to demonstrate preventative actions… • Dignity at Work policy / practice • Take complaints seriously • Educate / train workforce to reduce legal risks • Leaves harasser on their own in court • Show you take issue seriously • Gives credibility to your defence

  29. Public sector contracting • Increasingly important • Competition for contracts • Not just on price - but also ‘equalities’ record • ‘Contract compliance’ approach to procurement • Your equality and diversity policies / practice… • Difference between getting the work and not

  30. Business case • Gaining advantage from diversity • + advantage from equality of opportunity • Starting the process…

  31. Implementing Diversity 12 Key Steps • See your handout pack for detail: • Advertising • Recruitment and Selection • Application Forms • Short listing • Interview process • Retention & Progression • Pay banding • Training & Development • Organisational Culture • Equal Opportunities • Dignity at Work • People Friendly policies

  32. Test your progress ! • Sample Diversity Audit • You may already be half-way there ! • Equality Policy – sample in the pack • Remember: this is only a start • To get you through the door • But you need to ‘walk the talk’ as well

  33. Case study

  34. Where can I start / go now ?What help is available ? Handout Pack Local information Law At Work for legal queries www.lawatwork.co.uk 0141 271 5555 Equality Matters in Business Helpdesk emb-enquiries@scotent.co.uk 0845 6078787

  35. Equality Matters in Business

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