Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 Equality and diversity in the workplace: learning aims Background to equality and diversity Why bother about workplace equality and diversity? Key issues in discrimination Tackling workplace discrimination in the UK The role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission The role of HRM

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 Equality and diversity in the workplace: background Civil and gender rights in USA 1950s UK rights for women 1960s But gaps still exist: Women still earn, on average, 22.6% less per hour than men Disabled people more than twice as likely to be out of work than non-disabled people Ethnic minorities 17.9% less likely to find work in 1997 than white person; difference still 13% (Source: Government Equalities Office, 2009)

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 Equality and diversity in the workplace: why bother? Business case Business case critique Social justice/moral case

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 Organisation responses to diversity The negative organisation The minimalist organisation The compliant organisation The comprehensive proactive organisation (Source Kirton and Greene, 2006, p. 207)

Key terms in discrimination Direct discrimination Indirect discrimination Harassment Victimisation Genuine occupational qualification or objective justification Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9

Key terms in discrimination Equal pay Stereotype Horizontal and vertical segregation Institutional racism Positive action, but not positive discrimination Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 Tackling workplace discrimination in the UK Gender The glass ceiling for women’s careers Disability Ethnicity Age Sexual orientation Religious belief

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 The role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission EHRC Objectives Promote understanding of equality and diversity Encourage good practice in equality and diversity Promote equality of opportunity Promote awareness and understanding of rights under the equality laws

The role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Enforce equality laws Work towards elimination of unlawful discrimination Work towards elimination of unlawful harassment Promote understanding of human rights Encourage public authorities to comply with Human Rights Act 1998 Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 The role of HRM Often unable to resist line managers’ ageist behaviour? Diversity policy and interest more likely to be related to legal compliance, rather than changes in culture, values, or behaviours Policy development and process is infrequently supported by meaningful policy review and action

Unlocking Human Resource Management Chapter 9 Learning summary By the end of this chapter you should know: Equality and diversity are different concepts Discrimination in the workplace occurs for multiple reasons – gender, ethnicity, disability, religious beliefs, age, or sexual UK laws tackling this, but progress is slow HRM must: Understand the business case and social justice case for diversity Promote policies to develop diversity Ensure polices and procedures effectively monitored, follow up action taken