How to eradicate inequalities in the workplace

Covid-19 has laid bare some of the continuing inequalities in our world. We’ve all seen headlines about the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women, the increased violence against women and Asian communities, and the Black Lives Matter movement – yet governments and other organisations have applied the brakes on programmes to instigate a more equal society, blaming the economic downturn. Now is the time for employers to be bold, ambitious and radical about creating a different kind of working environment. There’s ample evidence that an inclusive workforce improves organisational efficiency, creativity and productivity. Here, in partnership with FairPlay Employer, we look at how adopting more inclusive processes could help you build a better workplace. Don’t be complacent about equalityEmployers have a responsibility to embed equality and inclusivity into everything they do. So don’t assume you’ve got it sorted because you once ran a diversity and inclusion training seminar. While D&I is a priority for 76% of organisations globally, according to PwC research, only 5% of those surveyed have fully mature programmes to promote it.“Sometimes employers need a critical friend to challenge and encourage them to make this pioneering change,” says Elizabeth East, HR Development Partner at FairPlay Employer. As part of Wales’s leading gender-equality charity, Chwarae Teg (which means ‘fair play’ in Welsh), they offer consultancy, development and training services to employers across the UK to help them implement more inclusive working practices. Understand where you’re at Employers that are serious about tackling inequality continually gather and analyse data to help them understand what’s happening within their organisation. This can include staff and customer surveys as well as data on demographics, pay and career progression. Benchmarking your organisation against others can also help you gain a clear picture of how you’re doing on equality, compared to similar employers in your industry and region. FairPlay Employer offers its own benchmarking scheme, drawing on its parent charity’s 30 years of expertise in gender-equality knowledge, policy reform, leadership development and HR consultancy. “The FairPlay Employer Award provides that initial benchmark to assess exactly where an organisation sits against the sector average in terms of equality and diversity,” says East. Change your organisational culture Once you understand how your organisation is doing, you can work on any issues that need addressing. One organisation that has done just that is the Development Bank of Wales. “We worked alongside Chwarae Teg’s FairPlay Employer service to undertake a staff survey and develop an action plan based on the results,” says Beverley Downes, the bank’s Marketing and Communications Director.The many practical measures the bank has undertaken to evolve its culture include gender pay gap analyses; twice-yearly development reviews for staff to support career progression; staff training on unconscious bias and dignity at work; and ensuring all job descriptions are assessed for equality impacts – a move that has resulted in greater diversity in hiring. This evolution has seen the bank progressing from Bronze to Gold ratings for organisational culture in the FairPlay Employer Award scheme. “We proactively introduce working strategies to ensure that we do have an equal, diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the businesses that we support as part of a long-term sustainable Welsh economy,” says Downes. “We are really proud to be working with Fairplay Employer to help to improve our working practices.” Equip your people with the tools they needOne of the secrets of the bank’s success, notes East, was buy-in from all levels, including leadership. “An organisation doesn’t just need to have the policies and process in place, but their staff and leaders need to be living and breathing that inclusive culture.”Equality-driven leaders have the emotional intelligence, management skills and understanding of the biases that can impact the workplace to be able to foster an inclusive culture. Consider whether your staff and leadership are up to speed, or would benefit from training and development in this area. Rethink what flexible working meansFlexible working has been a necessity for many over the past year. But it’s always been important for inclusiveness at work, allowing caregivers, disabled workers and other groups to access employment that fits around their needs.Forward-thinking organisations are consulting with their staff on their preferences, going forward. Bear in mind that flexible working doesn’t just mean working from home. Some employers are rethinking the idea of having a ‘9 to 5’ at all, and moving to job roles based on results, rather than time worked. Baby brand Bibado worked with the FairPlay Employer team to embed equality into everything they do. With their support, Bibado has rolled out results-based working and unlimited annual leave to support staff wellbeing and productivity. “Since our first introduction, I have been amazed by the staff and how they have gone above and beyond for me,” says Bibabo founder Rachel Wood. “I have total confidence in their ability to deliver best-practice HR support and would recommend to anyone.” Learn how FairPlay Employer is helping organisations across the UK develop a more inclusive culture at fairplayemployer.com

How to eradicate inequalities in the workplace

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