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  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 visible e.g. marital status, sexual orientation, socio-economic status 3.Organisation - related Characteristics: Effects the status in the workplace e.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. and sexual 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?