A Critical Examination As To Why Measures to Enhance Equality and Diversity often Achieve Limited Success

INTRODUCTION

Equality and   diversity   provides an egalitarian   approach   to people management within an organization. The concept rests on the idea  that workforce consists of diverse people with visible   and invisible peculiarities and that  harnessing these differences provides a sense of value  to the  individual and optimizes their talents  for the good of the organization  (Kandola and  Fullerton  1998).  Discourse on equality and diversity take the form of sexual orientation, religion, race, gender inequality, age, disability and so on; it has been triggered by social justice, legislative and business case requirements. Equality is not about giving certain groups "special  treatment" or "extra rights" It's about regarding  everyone as individuals with respect, esteem  and realizing the clash that our words and  actions can have on others and on society. It's about recognizing  the impact that prejudice and discrimination  has on people and taking positive and constructive  steps  to ensure  that we do not  perpetuate or promote  negative attitudes, stereotypes or damaging misconceptions about certain communities or individuals.

This post will be looking at the introduction of the employment development of written equality and diversity policies within the organization   and considering   the issues being viewed by the organization both in theory and practice. Agencies in  every part of UK  now tend to develop a much more sophisticated approach  to diversity, to note the complexity within  and between communities, As (Ozbilgin  and Tatli 2008,  p. 442) suggested  one prominent  challenge for   diversity management  in  private global organizations have  the need to develop sophisticated approaches to policy   making, "recognizing the tension   between local requirements for diversity   management and the need to standardize international operations".

VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES OF ORGANISATIONAL DISCRIMINATION

Some  people tend to show  a hierarchy in  regards to whatever position they are holding in an organization or  in general not valuing other  people's differences and these  is where the difficulty  in  delivering equality and diversity comes up, more or so it is necessary to say how race and ethnic categories  are  understood, this  is a very  complex  area. The category black include African and Asian origins  the  equality  and human  rights  commission in its  publication analyzed data  are  now  white,   mixed,   Indian,  black  African, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean and Chinese (Kirton   and Greene,  2010, p.20).

(Bromi ,1997- Cited   In  Gill   Kirton and    Annie-Marie Greene, 2010, p.21)  One of  the significant  features  of  black  and Asian was  the low representation of  white  collar  jobs, with these, most people  looked down on immigrants especially Black   Africans.   The black population still has a higher    rate of unemployment compared to their white peers (Platt,   2006). In Organizations men are mostly dominant in higher levels of organizational occupational hierarchies such as high management staffs and executive officials. Men have dominated the world of management   and leadership is  better seen with   in  masculine  terms  (Kumra  and Vinnicombe,2008;  Vinkenburg et al.  2011).  Collinson and Hearn (1996) identified  five masculinities that men enact at work "the macho" management  style which  emphasizes qualities of struggle and  battle  the  nature to be brutal and  ruthless  and an aggressive and rugged individual. The masculine image  of management and leadership  has been  seen to possess personal power and imperious  roles because it has been termed and  still  ongoing that a  man has the power and ability  to control others and self.

A study  of women in management positions organized  by the Diana Project (Brush   et al, 2004) revealed that  even women  in a  high-income country (USA), holding  high-income salaries,   received disproportionately low share of available venture capital.

The study included data   from  a guide   to  venture  capital    sources (analyzed   to  identify  the  numbers   and characteristics   of women in management positions) and  interviews  with high-profile women venture  capitalists. The results showed  that  the venture capital industry is highly populated with  male; pre-existing relationships  provide   an   important  link between entrepreneurs  and venture   capitalists; and that  even  women  venture capitalists  do  not  give  preferential treatment  to women.

The Equality Act 2010 states  that  discriminating   against any worker  in an organization because of  sexual  orientation  is unlawful (Advisory conciliation  and arbitration website), despite the equality  act of  law  some  advances   in  gay,  lesbian, bisexual and  transgender and even heterosexuals  rights  attitudes  remain  common in our  society. Over the  last  20 years, sexual orientation  has  emerged  as a visible  strand   within   diversity management in most large public, private and voluntary  sector  organisations  in developed  economies    (Bell  et al., 2011; Colgan   et al, 2009).

Sexual orientation   equality  and   diversity work  has been triggered   by social  justice, legislative and business case requirements   (Colgan et al.,   2007; Stonewall,   2008 ; Trau and Hartel, 2004). However, despite the   development of an   anti-discrimination legislative framework in Europe, Australasia, parts  of North  America and South   Africa  and a  liberalization in social attitudes, those trying  to "champion" sexual orientation equality and  diversity  work may  still encounter barriers  in developing this work (European Union  Agency for  Fundamental Rights, 2009;   Jones and ltaborahy,   2011).

Most  workers  in organisations tend  to  look  down  on their   fellow colleagues   that   have  a   particular  different sexual orientation    from   them   for example treating them less favorably than   others,     applying    practices   that indirectly disadvantages people with  a particular sexual orientation, hostility   towards   them at  work, violating  at their   dignity, victimize  a person   due  to complaints of discrimination  on the ground of the person's  sexual orientation. Some employers do not  ensure  that  sexual  orientation  is subsumed in  their   equality   policies, having thereby   subtracting    these  policies; this   leads  to  a high  level  of discrimination  within  the  organization which   in turn  regresses the  growth   of the organisation.

The  public  needs  to  be active  in   the encouraging and   supporting of  gays, transsexuals, homosexuals  and bisexuals rather than scrutinizing them.

The barrier and inequality bisexuals, gays and  lesbians  experience   at the  workplace does  not give  them  the free  access to  public  services.   Evidence have been shown that most  people   with   a  particular kind   of sexual orientation   have been   harassed, bullied and  have   difficulties in reaching  senior management roles/positions   in organizations. Almost  one  in five gay, bisexual  and lesbian   has been faced with verbal  abuse   and  bullying, a  quarter   of them have been maltreated  by their managers (www.stonewall.org.uk/publications). Most   homosexuals, bisexuals  and gays  that tend to open up  on  their   sexual  orientation have said they  work more   productive    and motivated to work, confident and  are free to build an excellent working  relationship with fellow colleagues. The purpose of  duty to  make  sure  everybody is treated equally in an organization should  be the involving  of homosexual  staffs in  decision making that make about the  organisation, letting   them decide  cost  effective services  that  the  gay  people need  and use.(Stonewall Reports and Sources).

The  UK   has an ageing  population,   there   are   nearly  20 million    people  aged over  50 years   and older   workers  (aged  between 50  and state pension age)   make up around  25% of the  working age population (Department for  Work   and  Pensions  United Kingdom, 2007).

Research with equality  and diversity     issues   relating  to age were  found  for  both  young   and  older  workers who  each faced particular stereotypes   and barriers  within  the workplace. A study  by CIPD (2003) identified the following   stereotypes associated  with younger  and   older  workers, young workers   tend  to  be seen as  being irresponsible, immature   and ill mannered  while older workers are thought  to be inflexible, slow learners  and  they  are   unable  to adapt  to change.

The CIPD   also   found   that young  people seem to  be experiencing barriers  at  the  workplace, 8% of under  3Ss  had been told   they  were  too  young  for  the job and   a further 8% believed they  got  rejected  from  a  job because of  being too  young  (Blake  Stevenson's  report,  2010). Under  employment, working   in jobs  of a  lower   skill  level than  previously  is something  many older  workers  encounter   (McNair and   Flynnn, 2005).

In  the  1990's, there was evidence that employers  had negative attitudes and approach towards  older  people because there was a view  that  older  people were  less trainable, less interested in developing their careers and  suitable only  for  low-skill and low responsibility jobs (Taylor  and Walker, 1994). The unemployment rate  of  disabled  people is approximately twice that of  non-disabled (Equal Opportunities  Commission   UK,2006).

It  is  believed  there  is a  large  number  of disabled people that  are capable and  willing to work, but   in anticipation of  employer   discrimination these  people prefer  the alternative  of  long-term social security benefits (Hyde,1996). Wahat (2010) examined  job-fit   perception, core  self-evaluation and  career success in a sample  of 30 people  with  disabilities in Malaysia  who  were ex-trainees of a vocational   rehabilitation  centre. While  that pilot study underscores the importance of career and life satisfaction  and recognizes the  need to clearly  identify  objective  career success   for  individuals  with  disabilities, it did  not examine the  well-being of  persons with different    employment statuses, such as underemployment,  unemployment,employment  in  temporary jobs,   or  non-participation in the labor market (i.e. discouraged workers).

 However (Smith ,1992 cited  in  Kirton   and Greene,  2010, p29) referred  to these groups as 'discouraged   workers' because they experience the labor   market as  hostile.  (Woodhams and Corby,2003 ; Humpage, 2007) argues that Australia called on  policy makers to transform  their disability work model from  a  medical viewpoint characterizing disability a curative issue to a social paradigm  that promulgates  empowerment through  full community  integration.

Additionally,   (Woodhams   and Corby ,2007) documented the way UK employers develop their practices to conform  to the letter of the law, changing their structures  as the legal emphasis changes. As  a  result, employers fail to utilize the full range of  measures at their  disposal  to enhance the  employment  status of  workers with disabilities.

Organizations   are committed to ensuring fairness and equal access to all employees regarding their   faith   and  beliefs.    (Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration service booklet,  2011,p.26). Whether or not you have a religion and what  you do or don't  believe in is likely  to make difference   to you  and how you perceive the  world. These perceptions are carried across into our workplaces. It is said by some  that  what  you do or do not  believe is private  matter that should   have  no  effect on your job.  It is  indeed a  private matter but it would be disingenuous indeed   to say  that it had no effect on  your employment. For example if  a company running training events  or promotion panels during periods  of religious  fasting for some colleagues may well  place  them at a disadvantage  in  these instances.

Diversity management    rationales: This section considers the  rationales  being used to  drive    progress from the point of view of those championing discrimination

The Social Justice  Case

Employment   inequalities are unjust and unfair  and employers  have  a social  duty to develop policy and  practice to address  discrimination  and  disadvantage  when lack of workforce seems to  be   notable,  it  is seen to  be a discriminatory  procedure and practice, where  by policy measures  are   meant  to  handle  such  as   implementing formal,   standardized   recruitment and selection procedures. Workforce diversity   is also   perceived  as a good thing  because achieving  a socially balance community   is said to be important    in social  goals. The social justice case places an  emphasis on the 'good  employer'  and on 'best  practice'  (Dickens,   1999). (Noon   and Ogbonna,  2001: 4)  (Cited   in  Beardwell  and Claydon, 2010, p.201) A key concern for the social  justice case is whether the focus should be on justice in terms  of procedures ('a level playing   field' ) or outcomes  ('a  fair share  of the cake').  For example  in a recruitment   process,   is either  the  person would  be selected either  through   merit (procedural justice)  or selected in order to  fill  a  quota  (ensuring   representatives of  different   social groups).  When selection is selected   on   merit   alone  it  would   not   produce representatives except  such  merit   has  been evenly  distributed   throughout all groups.

The Business Case

The question  within the business case focuses on how the workforce diversity can contribute to organisational   goals.  The business   case for equality   and  diversity is to ensure that valuing workforce diversity delivers  benefits to the organisation.   The organisation   would have  to take on practices  by eliminating  discriminating recruitment  selection   practice because that is  the only way an  organisation   can benefit from diversity  by managing to recruit diverse workers. (Kirton and Greene,  2010)

The Legal Case

Olmec’s research says that  Discrimination  on the  grounds  of gender,  race,  religion,  sexual orientation   and  disability in employment and training  and  in the provision of goods, facilities and services is  unlawful  for organisations except in limited circumstances (Lloyd and Ahmed, 2008, p.4). Protection from discrimination  on the grounds  of age currently covers employment only and does not yet cover the provision of goods, facilities or services. So therefore it  makes organisations    to  take  the  best practice  in order  for  them  to  be compliant  with existing legislation.

CONCLUSION

It  can   be seen  that  equality  and diversity   is  difficult  to  carry out  in organisations   due to discriminatory    issues  performed  in organisations,   it  covers issues  related to gender,  race, sexual orientation,   age, religion,  disability.  Workplaces   are becoming more diverse  as people from different   backgrounds  are entering the labour  market.  Positive approach to equality  and diversity   can benefit  you and organisation  by encouraging  employees,  even if discrimination    is done with   good intentions   it is unlawful,  organisations    must make sure all HR  policies and practices  treat people equally and to tolerate  discrimination    amongst employees (Wilson  et al, 2008).

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