Diversity Awareness

Objectives

Analyse what is meant by Diversity

Demonstrate an awareness of the dimensions of diversity including gender, ethnic origin, age & disability

Interpret Vinci Policy on diversity & demonstrate implementation

What is Diversity?

Diversity emphasises social and cultural differences & the positive recognition of those differences

“ We will ensure that colleagues are recruited, developed, remunerated & promoted on the basis of their skills and suitability for the work performed” (VINCI Pledge)

Importance of Diversity

To value our employees as individuals

Business priorities of the organisation

Moral & social reasons

Its up to you!!

VINCI Pledge

The company is committed to making full use of the talents and resources of all its colleagues.

To ensure that no colleague receives unjustified less favourable treatment on the grounds of their: colour, nationality, race, religion/belief, ethnic origin, sex, marital status, disability, part-time status, parental responsibilities, age or sexual orientation

Characteristics

1. Primary Personal Characteristics: 1st Basis on which people are socially categorised e.g. gender, age, race, nationality, physical ability

2. Secondary Personal Characteristics:Hidden characteristics which are not usually visiblee.g. marital status, sexual orientation, socio-economic status

3. Organisation - related Characteristics: Effects the status in the workplacee.g. full-time, part-time, position in the hierarchy

Group Exercise

The Argument of Obviousness

Equal Opportunities - Women

44% of working labour force

Equal Pay Act 1970:“ensures equal pay for male & female workers for equal work”

Sex Discrimination Act 1975:Covers all areas including training, recruitment, promotion, etc. andsexual harassment

Equal Opportunities – Ethnic Minorities

7% of working population Men & women of ethnic origin

experience inferior pay, employment benefits and working conditions (Dickens 2000)

Race Relations Act 1976(amended 2003):- Protects against race discrimination to all employees- Covers areas such as recruitment, pay, training, promotion, dismissal & racial harassment

Equal Opportunities – Disabilities

19% of working population could be classified as disabled (Labour Force Survey 2000)

Disability Discrimination Act 1995:“unlawful to discriminate on any grounds related to disability and gives disabled people the rights in all areas of

Equal Opportunities – Age

Over ¼ of employers consider people too old to recruit at the age of 50 (DFEE Report)

Age is a poor predictor of job performance (CIPD)

Age Discrimination law arrived in 2006

Equal Opportunities - Sex Orientation

Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation)Regulation 2003

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights

The Gender Recognition Act 2004

Harassment

Harassment:When one person’s or a group’s behaviour towards another gives offence

Victimisation:Unfavourable treatment on an employee because they have taken part or given evidence in a claim brought by another colleague

Statistics Estimated that 5 million people are bullied at work

BBC Report: Found 78% had witnessed bullying & 51% had experienced bullying

Cost to the UK of £1.3 billion per year in productivity

UNISON Survey: In 84% of bullying cases, the aggressor had bullied before. In 3 out of 4 cases nothing had been done by organisations to prevent it happening again

What Diversity is NOT!!

Reducing standards or making compromises

Positive discrimination

It is not separate from important business matters, rather it is the core part of the business

Any Questions?