Week 9 - Managing workplace diversity for competitive advantage Flashcards
Describe the HRM legal framework in Aust
Constitution defines who a worker is.
The fair work act 2009 sets national employment standards (some states retain)
Negotiated collective agreements
Define EEO
the government’s attempt to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment, regardless of characteristics such as race, colour, religion, gender or national origin.
Identify EEO laws
Federal laws, Australian Human Rights Commission has statutory responsibilities under them:
- Age Discrimination Act 2004
- Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- Racial Discrimination Act 1975
- Sex Discrimination Act 1984
- Workplace gender equality act 2012
- Fair work act 2009 (unfair dismissal)
Note the presence of state law also eg • Anti discrimination act (NSW) 1997
identify the various types (or heads) of discrimination
Direct discrimination: less favourable treatement on the basis of a particular characteristic than someone with a different characteristic in same circumstances.
Indirect discrimination: an irrelevant but compulsory requirement attached to a job limiting particular groups or individuals from being able to apply.
Grounds (types or heads) of discrimination: • • gender • • sexuality • • race • • colour • • age • • mental or physical disability • • caring responsibilities
how might managers go about preventing their occurrence
Preventing escelation of complaints: • Handle quickly/professionally • formal policy, articulated to staff • employee training • Designated complaints officers
Id the forms of sexual harassment behaviours
Direct - behavour of a sexual nature that is unwanted - eg leering, touching
indirect - Behvavour that occurs because of and related to the persons sex eg annonymous printed material left around, defacing facilities etc
Identify affirmative action laws in Aust
Workplace gender equality act 2012 An Act:
Compensation for reparation
establishs the Workplace Gender Equality Agency and the office of the Director of Workplace Gender Equality
Quotas not stipulated
Define diversity management
Managing people’s similarities and differences;
Recognises that the differences between people as strengths for the organisation.
Creates an environment that allows all employees to contribute to organisational goals and experience personal growth.
What’s the difference between diversity mment & EEO/
EEO is the removal of discrimination from the workplace while diversity management is recognizing similarity & difference between workers, embracing it and using it to enhance competitive advantage for the organization.
How does diversity management help the bottom line
BCFI
Business case - demographic & global change mean diverse workforce & markets & competition for skilled labour
Competitive advantage - workforce mirrioring markets better suits their needs
Encourages flexibility - innovation, flexibility, WLB, avoid group think
Idealogical - matches needs of individuals to organisation, values HR, good culture
What initiatives can manage diversity
Strategic - recognise diversity as critical to success eg audit, establish culture, elements to achieve
Management - policies that support diversity mment.
Operational - activities to implement policy
What are the steps/ challenges when developing & implementing diversity managemnt
(FTI BEI IA.)
fitty bei ia
focus
techniques
improvements
business case
evidence
inexperience
influence
attitude
1 focus
2 implement techniques
3 demonstrating the improvements arising
4 building a business case
5 managing contradictory evidence
6 overcome inexperience with the process
7 overcome influences on management eg prejudice, unsupportive culture
8 deal with attitudinal issues - lack of awareness, denial of the issue, lack of trust
Define a work life balance programme
HR policies such as flexible hours, part-time work, job sharing, telecommuting or working from home, use of employee sick days to attend to family commitments, employee assistance programs and relocation services.
Enabling employees at different stages of their lives and with different family responsibilities and interests to lead healthy, balanced lives.
List the costs & benefits of having and not having a WLB programme
Pros:
Committment
Improved personal lives
Job satisfaction
Mistakes
Turnover
Absenteeism
Poor job satisfaction
List generic strategies for dealing with general issues in diversity management
Passionate support Demonstration benefits Procure support from stakeholders Monitorin & evaluation of benefits Broadening of wlb to consider all employees
