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Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
1
Unit 6: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the
Workplace
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
2
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Equality, diversity and inclusion ......................................................................................................... 4
Equality .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Diversity ............................................................................................................................................. 5
The value of diversity ....................................................................................................................... 6
Inclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Key terms .............................................................................................................................................. 7
Equal opportunities legislation ........................................................................................................... 8
The Equality Act 2010 ..................................................................................................................... 8
Disabilities ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Consequences of equality breaches ............................................................................................... 10
Nominated responsibilities regarding equality, diversity and inclusion ...................................... 12
Forms of discrimination and harassment ........................................................................................ 12
Direct discrimination ....................................................................................................................... 13
Indirect discrimination .................................................................................................................... 14
Harassment ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Victimisation .................................................................................................................................... 15
Characteristics that support equality and diversity ........................................................................ 16
Supporting equality ........................................................................................................................ 17
Supporting diversity ....................................................................................................................... 18
Supporting inclusion....................................................................................................................... 19
The importance of displaying behaviour that supports equality, diversity and inclusion ......... 20
Unit summary ...................................................................................................................................... 21
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Introduction
All businesses require a group of people to work together harmoniously in order to
be successful. This means that a collection of individuals, all with different
backgrounds, ages and beliefs, must be able to work in a way that highlights their
strengths. In order for this to work each person in the business environment must
have a strong understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion and how to respect
others that they work with. In this unit we will look at equality, diversity and inclusion
in depth and discuss the benefits of having a diversified workforce.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Equality, diversity and inclusion
To be able to treat everyone fairly in the workplace, each person must be given the
opportunity to work to the same standards and must not be discriminated against it
any way. This relies on each individual having a strong understanding of equality,
diversity and inclusion. To start this unit, we will look at the differences between
these aspects.
Equality
Equality is about treating each person the same as everyone else. Members of the
workforce deserve to have the same opportunities regardless of their age, race,
gender, class, religion or disability. This means that individuals should not be
overlooked when allowing new opportunities in a job role.
It was not always the case that each person is granted the same opportunity as their
co- workers. In the past, workers from different races, religions or backgrounds have
been granted special license to access higher paid jobs and certain opportunities.
Today this is not the case and in the UK there are many laws in place to ensure
each person is treated fairly. This being said, it is still possible that equality
standards may fall short in certain areas which can include:
●Training opportunities- it may be more difficult for certain workers to access training
because of the hours that they work or the area of business that they are involved in.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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● Part-time or temporary workers- people who work less hours for an organisation
may find it harder to access the same opportunities as those that are full-time.
● Workers who use English as a second language- it can be more difficult for
organisations to provide fair opportunities in this case as it can be harder to source
translations.
● Older workers- people that are coming up to retirement age may find that they have
few opportunities in their role.
All opportunities within the workplace should be made as accessible as possible.
Every person that wishes to improve upon their skills and developing their career
should be allowed to do so. Ensuring that each employee is treated fairly and the
same as others, regardless of any personal factors, is the true meaning of equality in
the workplace.
Diversity
The value of diversity is found in all walks of life. A team, which is very diverse, will
have a much broader skill set than one that is made of people who know all the
same things. Think about your job at the moment- there will be things that you can
do very well and things that you are not as confident with. If you were to create a
clone of you then you may be able to work faster and get more done but this clone
would still have the same weaknesses as you. Now think about finding a person who
has skills in other areas- this person is great at things you find most challenging but
struggles with your favourite tasks. This type of person will be much more valuable
to a team as they will compliment your own skills and together you can tackle a
wider range of tasks to a very high level. People not only differ in skills but can have
a range of differences including:
●Age
●Gender
●Background
●Beliefs, faith and customs
●Sexual orientation
●Skills and abilities
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Each of these differences should be valued and appreciated. It is these differences
which can help to progress groups as each person will bring a different perspective,
skill or preference to the table and improve the team performance as a whole.
The value of diversity
Diversity is a fantastic thing for any group or organisation. The differences that
people bring to the table will help the team as a whole have a wider range of skills
and perspectives that can come in use at any time.
This diversity can have many important outcomes for an organisation such as:
●A much wider talent pool and skill set for a group of people.
●Different opinions, perspectives and values to give another viewpoint on the
company’s activities.
●A group with diverse backgrounds will contain people who know the customs of
other countries or people- opening the door to new markets.
●A culture that celebrates diversity and sparks innovation
●A dynamic work environment where people are able to celebrate their originality
and be proud of their differences.
All of these factors will have a huge impact on a business. They will make the
company better to work with for customers, open to more opportunity and a nicer
area to work
in- leading to high levels of loyalty and a reduced staff turnover.
Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Inclusion ties in very closely with both equality and diversity- it ensures that each
person feels valued and part of the group dynamic within a business. Every person
working in an organisation should feel included in the way that the business
operates. This will make each employee feel supported in their role by all of those
around them. By doing this each person will feel valued and recognised for the role
that they play in the organisation.
Key terms
Equality- Is about giving each person the same access to opportunities and treating
them fairly
Diversity- Is about recognising that each person is unique and valuing their
differences
Inclusion- Is ensuring that each person is valued and taken account of within an
organisation
Impacts on organisational policy
Equality, diversity and inclusion should be incorporated into all companies and will
be covered clearly in policies and procedures. This makes it clear how employees
are handled in relation to equality and diversity and ensures each person works to
the same standards.
All other policies that are made should be checked against equality, diversity and
inclusion laws so that they do not violate what is in place. Doing so would run the
risk of the company not meeting standards of equality that are universally accepted.
This can impact policies in an organisation such as:
●Recruitment policies- new recruits must be given the same chance at
employment regardless of their ethnicity, religion or background.
●Training- everyone must have the same access to training methods and
opportunities and should not be discriminated against.
●Health and safety- every person in the organisation should meet the standards of
the company with regards to safety and must not be given any special license
because of their background.
●Fire and evacuation- procedures relating to fires and evacuation should not
benefit certain individuals and each employee must be kept safe on the premises.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Any other policy used in a company must be in line with equality and diversity. This
will not only integrate into almost every other policy but should also be remembered
when organising office space, fire procedures and safety. This is especially
important when people with disabilities are working in an organisation as special
measures should be taken to ensure evacuation is possible. This means that fire
procedures must be well- thought-out to ensure wider doorways are used and no
stairs are necessary. Without these special measures it would be impossible for
wheelchair users to evacuate the premises.
Equal opportunities legislation
Treating all people linked with a company fairly is essential to being able to work in a
harmonious manner with colleagues. This relates to who people are, where they live,
any disabilities people could have and for them to be treated fairly regardless of
whether you like them or not. This is true when working with other employees,
managers, customers or anybody else that you come across in your role within the
business.
The Equality Act 2010
In 2010 the Equality Act was put in place by the UK government to protect people
who access goods and services from being discriminated against on the grounds of
their:
●Age
●Pregnancy or maternity
●Gender
●Marriage or civil partnership
●Race
●Religion
●Sexual orientation
●Disability
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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This act aims to protect all people, not just those that may be vulnerable from being
discriminated against and is in place to stop any people from unfairly judging or
treating people differently.
Disabilities
The term disability has a very broad meaning. It can relate to lots of different things
including physical disabilities or mental capabilities that may be short or long term.
The adverse effects of these disabilities will hinder a person’s ability to carry out
everyday tasks that most take for granted.
All disabled people should be treated fairly and in the same manner as an able-
bodied person. Some organisations use ramps or special equipment to assist
physically disabled people and ensure that they are able to carry out tasks just the
same as able- bodied employees. People with other disabilities will have the right to
work in the same manner as staff without a disability and so special measures may
be taken to support this. The Equality Act requires companies to put in place:
●Reasonable changes to the way that things are done. This includes things like
adaptations to policies and procedures, changing practices to include everyone and
changing a ‘No Dogs’ policy to incorporate guide dogs.
●Reasonable changes to premises. This will include disabled ramps, handrails or
wider doors to allow access.
●Providing auxiliary aids and services. Having the option of large print, braille or
audio that assists clients is included here.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Adequate protection needs to be given to people who have a disability, but this does
not necessarily need to be at huge lengths for the company. All staff in a business
will have a hand in implementing any changes as they will be dealing with
colleagues and clients directly and able to spot any potential issues that could arise.
Consequences of equality breaches
Companies that do not meet equality and diversity policies run the risk of severe
consequences. This can either be legal issues or problems that are encountered
internally as staff will not be happy if someone is discriminated against.
‘Consequences’ are the effects of breaking equality laws that are explained in the
Equality Act 2010. Discriminating against people in the workplace means that they
are treated less favourably for a reason to do with one or more of the characteristics
explained in the Equality Act which could include:
●Age
●Pregnancy or maternity
●Gender
●Marriage or civil partnership
●Race
●Religion
●Sexual orientation
●Disability
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Indirect discrimination can also occur in the workplace when an employer places
conditions or requirements on a job that prevents certain members of staff from
doing these duties. This could include, for example, not putting in place enough help
and protection for people with additional needs so that they can complete tasks.
Breaching equality and diversity laws can have a large impact on the workforce and
even results in legal prosecution. An employee who is discriminated against will
have reduced motivation, sense of inclusion and morale in their job.
This will often affect a persons productivity, loyalty to a company and may even
affect their health. Should this be the case, employees have the right to gather legal
advice in case they are entitled to compensation. This can be in the case of disabled
employees who may feel that their rights have been breached due to negligence by
an employer. A disabled employee may require access ramps or wider doorways
simply for them to be able to access the building and carry out their duties. Another
example is if an employee is discriminated against due to their sex or sexual
orientation when working for a company. This can happen in certain industries that
are historically dominated by one particular demographic such as women being
discriminated against on building sites or men being unfairly judged for working in
certain industries such as childcare.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Nominated responsibilities regarding equality, diversity and
inclusion
Certain people that work within the company can be nominated to monitor employee
relations regarding equality, diversity and inclusion. This will ensure that employees
have someone that they can discuss their concerns with should they feel they are
being unfairly treated. It is good work practice to have a designated human
resources manager in any company who can provide help and advice to both
employees and employers.
Employers have many responsibilities for their workforce. These can include offering
both part and full-time work as well as flexible working arrangements. By doing this
employees are safeguarded against any negligence and can be safe in the
knowledge that they are being treated fair at all times. For a company to operate
ethically they should adhere to all legislation that is in place by UK law.
One of the main responsibilities set out in the Equality Act requires employees to
make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to working practice in order to accommodate
disabled employees or people from backgrounds different to those that they already
employ.
This can include the use of access ramps for disabled employees, allowing job
applicants to feel in forms using a computer, rather than handwritten, or any other
reasonable changes that can be made to help employees.
Forms of discrimination and harassment
In equality, diversity and inclusion law, discrimination is defined as treating one
person less favourably than another who has similar skills and qualifications. Should
two employees have the same work background, work ethic and experience their
personal backgrounds should not affect their chances of success. Four different
types of discrimination are recognised by the law: direct discrimination, indirect
discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of
one of the characteristics listed in the law. Equality legislation also explains that a
person should not be discriminated against because they associate with someone
who has protected characteristics.
This form of discrimination is usually very obvious in the workplace. To share direct
discrimination, one persons treatments must be compared to that of someone else.
The Equality Act calls this person a comparator.
Example- A couple who are planning their wedding visit a venue and fill out a form
stating that they are Irish Travellers. Within the Equality Act, Irish Travellers are
defined as an ethnic group and therefore should not be treated differently because of
this fact. The manager of the hotel tells the couple that they are fully booked on the
day that they require. On the way out of the hotel, the couple overhear the deputy
manager offer the same date to another couple who are not Irish Travellers. This is
direct discrimination because the couple have been unfairly treated purely because
of their ethnicity.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination is usually unintentional. It occurs when a policy or procedure
is in place that affects each person in the same way but this policy has a worse
effect on some people than others. The policy must still refer to one of the protected
characteristics and will often put each person with this characteristic at the same
disadvantage. An employer is only guilty of indirect discrimination if they do not have
good enough reason for the policy. Indirect discrimination is usually associated with
an entire group that share the same protected characteristic rather than individuals
who are discriminated against in one specific scenario.
Example- In your employment contracts there is a clause which states that you must
travel the country at short notice. You find this difficult to do as you are a woman and
the sole carer for two young children. This is indirect discrimination against women,
who are most likely to be primary carers children, and even against anyone with a
family.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Harassment
Harassment takes place when a person behaves in a way that causes others to feel
distressed, threatened or humiliated. When this behaviour relates to one of the
protected characteristics, it is seen as harassment under Equality Law. This could
take the form of offensive language, physical violence, humiliation, racist or
homophobic comments, spreading rumours or unwelcomed sexual advance.
Harassment not only treats two sets of people differently because of a protected
characteristic, but actively has a negative effect on certain individuals.
Victimisation
Victimisation occurs when a person is treated differently because they have made a
complaint about discrimination. Once a complaint is made referring to either direct
discrimination, indirect discrimination or harassment, the person making the
complaint should be treated in the same way as everybody else.
Example- A woman makes a complaint about unwanted sexual advances from her
line manager. As a result she is denied promotion, which is seen to be a direct result
of her making a complaint. This is seen as victimisation and action could be taken
against the employer under the Equality Act.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Characteristics that support equality and diversity
In order to support equality in the workplace, employees can take certain actions
that will be observed by others and become part of the company's characteristics.
Personality traits that respect and aide equality should be applauded in the
workplace. Behaviour in the workplace to support equality and diversity can include:
●Tolerance
●Understanding
●Fair treatment
●Awareness of people’s differences
●Supportive behaviour
There are many different ways for employees to show their support for others and
meet equality, diversity and inclusive practices. The most obvious of which being to
treat those around you in the same manner regardless of their personal
characteristics.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Supporting equality
Your behaviour can support equality in the workplace in many ways. First and
foremost, you should never discriminate against anyone who is different from
yourself or others in the workplace. By gaining access to company policies and
procedures regarding equality you will be able to find out how you should act when
carrying out your duties so that your behaviour is in line with legislation.
Ensuring that you speak out about any discrimination that you witness whilst at work
is one of the best ways to support equality. Should you feel that yourself or anyone
else is being treated unfairly you must tell the appropriate authority within the
company. By acting when you witness discrimination it will be made clear that you,
and those around you, do not tolerate this kind of behaviour. Doing this will give
others around you the confidence to speak up whenever they witness discrimination
and encourage best practice within the entire organisation.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Supporting diversity
Despite all of the benefits which diversity brings there are also some drawbacks.
Working with a very diverse group of people will require each person to be more
considerate of the needs of others so that the team can work together harmoniously.
Empathising with others and being able to tailor your approach when working with
people in the team is the best way to achieve this to make sure you are able to work
closely with others and not come into conflict. To do this you must consider:
●Your tone of voice and what you are saying
●Your temperament and demeanour
●Eye contact
●Your facial expressions and posture
●The background and customs of other people
With diversity there will always be the chance of offence, even if this is not intended.
Some cultures will differ massively from your own and it is very important to respect
other people in the world of business, as you need to be able to work with a huge
variety of different people.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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You can learn from others and gain information about their beliefs and backgrounds
through conversation. It goes without saying, but under no circumstances should
anyone comment on the age, gender, sexual orientation or race of a person in a
derogatory way which is intended to cause offence.
Supporting inclusion
In order to support inclusion within the workplace you must be able to actively
encourage each person to contribute to a team. Respecting other people’s opinions
and values, regardless of their personal characteristics, is the best way to support
inclusion and ensure each person is valued in their position.
When working in a team, you must allow each person an equal amount of time to put
across their views. You should always take other people’s opinions into
consideration and judge then on their value, not on the persons background or your
own attitude towards the individual. This will ensure that each person feels included
in the team dynamic and valued in their job role.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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The importance of displaying behaviour that supports equality,
diversity and inclusion
Organisations have very high standards for their workforce. Each person is
representing the business as a whole and must work in a way that is supportive of
those and benefits the entire company. Employees should be aware of how their
behaviour affects others they work with, customers and group dynamics within the
workplace.
Any employees that do not respect those around them will run the risk of creating a
poor atmosphere within the company which will affect colleagues and the way that
they work. Discriminatory behaviour in any business is never acceptable and
employees who do not respect equality and diversity can face legal prosecution or
internal investigations.
It is very important to display behaviour that supports equality and diversity so that
each person in the business feels comfortable in their role and will therefore perform
to the best of their abilities. Failing to do this will result in a workforce that is less
likely to work harmoniously and as a team. By supporting equality and diversity you
will feel the benefits of having a diverse workforce which is able to give insights and
new ideas that individuals may not anticipate. A team relies on each person playing
to their strengths so it is important for colleagues to communicate effectively and
respect each other so that they can work together on projects. This teamwork will
result in tests being completed to a much higher standard as each person can play
to their strengths and gain support and advice to improve any weaknesses they may
have.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
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Unit summary
Throughout this unit we explored the need for equality, diversity and inclusive
practices within the workplace. This legislation filters into all of the policies that a
company uses and into everyday work practices of each person. We explored the
drawbacks of not supporting inclusion and equality as well as any consequences
that can occur through malpractice.
You should now have a much deeper knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion
laws and what they include. This is a basic requirement of many different job roles
and is essential to working effectively within a team.