diversity management Flashcards
what are some indicators of inequality in employment stats?
- the gender pay gap, down from 17.4% in 1997, means at women’s full time pay on average 12.6% less per hour than a man’s
- women working part-time are paid around 40% less per hour
- rate of employment of disabled people has risen from 28% ten years ago to 48% today, but if you are disabled, you are still two and a half times more likely to be out of work than a non-disabled person
- if you are think minority, in 1997 you were 17.9% less likely to find work than if you are white. The difference is still 15.5%
- 62% of over-fifties feel that they are turned down for a job because they are considered too old, compared with 5% of people in their thirties
what happens if things don’t change?
- pay gap won’t close between men and women between 2085
- it will take almost 100 years for people from ethnic minorities to get the same job prospects as white people
- disabled people will probable never get the same prospects
- it will take 20 years for women to achieve equal representation in civil service
- it will take 80 years to elect a representative House of Commons
why equality and diversity
more diverse workforces
inequalities exist within society
what is direct discrimination?
this occurs when individuals or groups are treated less favourably than others in the same or similar circumstances
what is indirect discrimination
this occurs as a result of policies, procedures, practices and structural arrangements
what are equal opportunties
- legal framework - protect individuals from discrimination in their working life and in receiving services
- the focus is on the fair treatment of all. Not treating someone unfairly because of…
- not treating everyone the same, the law allows positive action to be taken to assist certain groups
- direct and indirect discrimination
what is diversity?
‘any significant difference that distinguishes one individual from another’
what are the four areas of diversity characteristics?
- personality (traits, skills and abilities)
- internal characteristics (gender, race, ethnicity, intelligence, sexual orientation)
- external characteristics (culture, nationality, religion, marital or parental status)
- organisational characteristics (position, department, union/non-union)
what is the underlying principle of diversity?
“The basic concept of managing diversity accepts that the workforce consists of a diverse population of people. The diversity consists of visible and non-visible differences which will include factors such as sex, age, background, race, disability, personality and work style. It is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where their talents are being fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met.”
Kandola and Fullerton (1994)
what is stereotyping?
- an irrational belief that all members of a particular group share certain characteristics
- overgeneralisations
- often involve portraying “other” as inferior, weak, criminal, deviant etc
what is prejudice?
- refers to negative attitudes towards members of a particular group based solely on their membership in that group e.g. gender, race, age
- often involves stereotyping and acting negatively towards a particular group
what is discrimination?
- when people are thought of as having different worth or value
- some people deserve to be treated less well than others
- treated differently or given fewer opportunities
- in-groups (us) and out-groups (them)
what are previous legislations?
- Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995; 1999; 2005
- Equal Pay Act 1970 and amended reg. 1984
- Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003
- Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulation 2003
- Gender Recognition Act 2004
- Age Equality Duty 2006
- Gender Equality Duty 2006
- Equality Act 2006
- Human Rights Act 2000
- Equality Act 2010
Women’s equal pay movement in UK - Ford workers in Dagenham - 1968 female striker
what are the protected characteristics?
within the equality act 2010 the 9 protected characteristics;
1. age
2. disability
3. gender reassignment
4. pregnancy and maternity
5. race
6. religion or belief
7. sex
8. sexual orientation
9. marriage/civil partnership (employees only)
why did the business case emerge?
The law not delivering much change:
“So long as equal opportunities is equated simply with complying with legislation, then its always going to be about group parity, and getting the numbers right. This is a recipe for inertia over the last fifteen years, this is pretty much what we experienced.” Ross and Schneider (1992, p.36)
