BSBTWK501 Lead diversity and inclusion
This workbook has been designed to be used in conjunction with information and materials to be
provided at sessions.
This workbook does not contain all subject information and students should attend all scheduled
sessions and read and understand all materials provided at sessions.
Copyright © 2023 APEX AUSTRALIA VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
BSBTWK501 Lead diversity and inclusion
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Publisher:
Apex Institute of Education Pty Ltd (A.C.N. 38 130 193 207) trading as APEX
AUSTRALIA VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
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Edition: 4th Edition
Release date: 2023
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Copyright© 2023 APEX AUSTRALIA VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
The publisher owns the copyright in this publication. All rights reserved.
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CONTENTS
Subject Overview
Page- 4
Element 1
Review diversity policy
Page- 5 to 15
Knowledge test
Page- 15
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BSBTWK501 Lead diversity and inclusion
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Element 2
Foster respect for diversity in the work team
Page- 16 to 24
Knowledge test
Page- 24
Element 3
Promote the benefits of diversity
Page- 25 to 33
Knowledge test
Page- 33
REFERENCES
Page- 34
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SUBJECT OVERVIEW: Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT
Elements
describe
essential outcomes.
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
the Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate
achievement of the element.
1. Review diversity policy
1.1 Locate and review organisational diversity policy
1.2 Identify application of diversity policy in work area
1.3 Assess currency and efficacy of diversity policy
1.4 Provide feedback and suggestions for improvement of organisational
diversity policy
1.5 Revise diversity policy and incorporate improvements
2. Foster respect for
diversity in the work team
2.1 Identify training needs to promote respect for difference in personal
interactions
2.2 Identify staff struggling to work with diversity and implement measures
to support working with diversity
2.3 Develop processes to demonstrate benefits of working with various
diverse groups
2.4 Address workplace diversity complaints according to organisational
policies and procedures
3. Promote the benefits of
diversity
3.1 Promote organisational workforce diversity in external forums
3.2 Identify role of diversity in gaining a competitive advantage for the
organisation
3.3 Support organisational efforts to champion diversity
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ELEMENT 1: Review diversity policy
1.1 Locate and review organisational diversity policy
1.2 Identify application of diversity policy in work area
1.3 Assess currency and efficacy of diversity policy
1.4 Provide feedback and suggestions for improvement of organisational diversity policy
1.5 Revise diversity policy and incorporate improvements
Diversity
Diversity means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences.
These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status,
age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. Diversity stands for the state
or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness; variety; multiformity.
This includes the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion,
socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc. Diversity means 'otherness', or those human qualities that
are different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong, yet are present in other groups
and individuals.
Importance of diversity information
Diversity information is vital for organization to maintain a proper workplace balance. It is important to
have information on both primary and secondary dimensions of the diversity.
Diversity in the Workplace
Technology, multinational corporations and immigration have all converged to produce diverse
workplaces. Seeing people of different backgrounds work together is common in big cities, and even in
some suburban and rural locales.
•
Age
At any given time, there may be three or four generations at work. That is, people whose ages could
make them grandparents, parents and children if they were related, all bring different experiences,
worldviews and strengths to the modern workplace. Also, many people delay retirement and stay
in the workforce longer.
•
Religious
People of all faiths -- and of no organized religious faith at all -- clock in workday mornings. Religious
diversity in the workplace can have a particular set of challenges. This may especially be so for faithbased companies of a certain ideology or workers who wish to live consistently with their beliefs in
organizations that are expressly non-religious. For example, someone may want to not participate
in a mandatory company event that has religious overtones. In another case, a worker who has
exhausted all personal days may want to take a day off for a holiday that is central to his religion
but not recognized by the company.
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•
Racial/Ethnic
People of color have always been a part of the workforce, even if they were not treated fairly as
such. Blacks, Asians, Americans, Africans etc have all played early roles in developing various
industries. They are more widely hired in professional, service, corporate and public places of
employment.
•
Disability
The government encourages the hiring of people with physical, mental or emotional disabilities
through federal laws and by making funding available to companies to employ these workers. Even
so-called invisible disabilities, such as depression, dyslexia and fibromyalgia, require workplaces to
provide reasonable accommodations. These accommodations help workers adequately perform
their duties without lowering performance expectations or standards.
•
Race and Gender
The two most common forms of diversity are also the most obvious when you walk into your
workplace. You can immediately see differences in race and gender without knowing anything else
about the people. These two factors lead to different experiences that can broaden the scope of
your team; a black woman might have a very different view of the impact of an ad campaign than a
white man, for example. The differences can sometimes lead to conflict, but they can also spark
new ideas that a homogenous group might never come up with.
•
Education and Life Experience
An employee's education level and life experiences help to define who she is, how she sees the
world and how she relates to co-workers. Someone with a master's degree might have difficulty
finding something in common with a high school graduate. Also, a former stay-at-home mom might
have different opinions and ideas from a woman whose main focus has been to climb the corporate
ladder. Income levels add another form of diversity, with the "haves" and the "have nots" viewing
issues from different perspectives.
•
Demographic
Demographic background encompasses age, gender and ethnicity. The most basic type of workplace
diversity is that of demographic background, which encompasses age, gender and ethnicity.
Demographic diversity can also include professional degrees, work history and veteran and disability
status.
•
Experiential
Varied life experiences represent another type of workplace diversity. For example, a military
veteran or a retired athlete will have unique ideas and perspectives due to their respective
experiences, as will a homemaker, a single parent and a political refugee.
•
Informational
An individual with an MBA will have a different base of knowledge and understanding than a high
school dropout who became a self-made millionaire. Informational diversity refers to differences in
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educational background and individual knowledge base. For example, an individual with an MBA
will have a different base of knowledge and understanding than a high school dropout who became
a self-made millionaire.
•
Fundamental
Individuals often have very different fundamental beliefs and goals about the importance, purpose
and function of work, as well as the relationship between the individual employee and the larger
organization. Workplace diversity also encompasses more fundamental differences of values and
objectives. Individuals often have very different fundamental beliefs and goals about the
importance, purpose and function of work, as well as the relationship between the individual
employee and the larger organization.
Benefits of diversity for an organization
Employers can offer more solutions to customers because of new ideas and processes brought into the
organization. Workplace diversity increases employee morale and causes employees to desire to work
more effectively and efficiently.
Benefits include:
•
Attracting, recruiting and retaining people from a wide "talent" base.
•
Reducing the costs of labour turnover and absenteeism.
•
Contributing to employee flexibility and responsiveness.
•
Building employee commitment, morale and "discretionary effort".
•
Managing better the impact of globalisation and technological change.
•
Enhancing creativity and innovation.
•
Improving knowledge of how to operate in different cultures, better reflection of society
•
Improving the understanding of the needs of current customers or clients.
•
Improving knowledge about the needs of new customers and clients.
•
Assisting in the development of new products, services and marketing strategies.
•
Enhancing the organisation's reputation and image with external stakeholders.
•
Creating opportunities for disadvantaged groups and building social cohesion
•
Learning and growing from each other
•
Diverse ways of doing things
•
Better understanding of clients
•
Exposure to different cultures and beliefs building tolerance and understanding
•
Fun and more interesting workplace
•
Facilitates change
•
Social/cultural/intellectual enrichment
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•
Richer exchange of ideas that benefit individuals in the workplace.
Diversity policy
The purpose of Diversity policy is to support and facilitate an inclusive environment that embraces all that
makes people different and recognises the benefits that these differences make. These differences can
include gender, age, ethnicity, religious or cultural background, disability, marital or family status, sexual
orientation, gender identity and other areas of potential difference. An organization must be committed
to supporting and ensuring a diverse work environment in which everyone is treated fairly and with
respect.
Diversity policy is one of the most important resources because diversity in a workforce helps:
•
attract, retain and motivate employees from the widest possible pool of talent;
•
foster a culture that reflects our values of Customer Focus, Accountability, Integrity and Respect
and is open to all;
•
improve innovation, creativity and inspire critical thinking;
•
create a dynamic environment that leads to higher performance and well-being and greater
employee engagement and satisfaction; and
•
improve the connection between people and the community an organization serves.
Diversity Policies and Procedures • Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunities is a policy that protects members of service being treated by prejudice based
actions and grants them rights and access to achieve further career development and same
treatment such as: pay rate, health and safety concerns and workload regardless of their protected
characteristics such as: gender, race, religion or culture. Actions can only be based on member's
abilities, skills, qualifications and or achievements that has been gained during or before their time
of service. This policy also applies in selection and recruitment process, when new recruits could be
challenged with discrimination even if they meet all the criteria and are successful candidates.
Overall Equal Opportunities policy recognise the needs of citizens as individuals and fulfils them to
create fairness and justice.
•
Grievance procedure
Grievance procedure is form of complaint made internally within a workforce by a member, for
specific reasons that can be: law breaking, unfair treatment, harassment in the workplace,
discrimination or dispute that cannot be solved on an informal basis. After employee fills out a
grievance form, employer cannot legally treat that person differently and dismiss that person from
the position. If the dispute cannot be resolved after grievance procedure, then mediation or legal
actions can be taken and both parties may need to take part in court.
•
Bullying and Harassment
Bullying and Harassment is unlawful form of abuse prohibited under the Equality Act 2010, so
organisations has to ensure that they have policies in place that protects their employees from
different types of harassment and bullying such as: sexual harassment, unfair treatment, malicious
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rumours, gossip, exclusion or challenging with unachievable tasks to make member to fail
intentionally. Employee who confronts bullying and harassment has full rights to report this
behaviour to higher authorities within the organisation and if it doesn't resolve the problems further
legal actions could be taken such as grievance procedures or court.
•
Whistle blowing
Whistle blowing is an act of exposing and reporting something that is unlawful, unfair or illegal, by
employees of particular organisation. This can include: damage to environment, covering up
wrongdoing, breaking acts and legislations, health and safety concerns, harassment and bullying
and others. Official name for whistle blowing is 'making a disclosure in the public interest'. A worker
can't be dismissed because of whistleblowing. If they are, they can claim unfair dismissal – they'll
be protected by law as long as certain criteria are met and evidence provided.
All of the policies are based on Universal Human Right Declaration and not a single one should be
against it and against the Laws of the Land. These laws and policies are designed to protect
wellbeing of workers to ensure that they are not being abused, and treated with respect and
dignity.
Developing and Implementing a Diversity Policy
Considerations involved in developing and implementing a diversity policy include:
•
Integrating diversity policy into multiple facets of the workplace,
•
Disability-specific and integrated approaches to diversity, and
•
Strategies for communicating and publicizing policy.
Diversity policies can encompass a wide range of goals and strategies, geared towards improving
representation of various groups and facilitating positive relationships between employees from varying
backgrounds and demographics. They may be specific to just one demographic, such as a gender, or may
cover multiple categories including race, gender, age, religion, nationality, marital status, sexual
orientation, veteran status, and disability. Implementing a Diversity Policy
Equal Opportunities and monitoring data
Organisations and institutions record data related to Equal Opportunities that can include protected
characteristics such as: age, gender, religion and culture in recruitment process or surveys, to be able to
monitor and track statistics of diversity within organisation. This information can be used as evidence for
government agencies to prove that service has diverse workforce and is following the laws and policies
set by the government. Furthermore, monitoring data assists when there is need to undertake positive
action and target people in particular communities or with particular characteristics to achieve fair
diversity percentages in the service.
Monitoring Complaints and complaints procedures
All services has different complaint procedures both internally for the members and externally for the
public. Employees can write a complaint if they are unhappy about the treatment they get within
organisation as well as members of the public can complain about the service they receive by contacting
the required responsible body. All organisations have to have complaint policies according to the law, so
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they can receive feedback and react to it by resolving the issues. Complaints are monitored and stored as
a record after they have been resolved and can be used as evidence to track the history of former
violations. For recurrent violations different disciplinary actions can be taken and can even lead to loss of
job or position.
Recruitment strategies
Organisations provide training for their staff to ensure awareness of diversity within the workforce and
the community by that creating positive reputation of the organisation to gain trust and respect from the
general public and potential recruits. Employees learn the importance of diversity and apply that
knowledge to practise during their work.
When diversity percentages in the organisation does not meet required standards or guidelines, positive
actions can be taken to achieve diverse workforce. This is done by monitoring Equal Opportunities data
and evaluating which areas should be improved. Positive actions such as: targeting particular community
or gender for recruitment process, allowing them to go through different tests that can be easier than
standard ones. In addition, adopting equipment and facilities to support and suit these people needs.
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Organisations have to ensure that they meet the laws and legislations that are set by the government to
support people in terms of equality, diversity and well-being of the members. So they put policies in place
to protect these rights of the members by that creating suitable conditions and environment for people
to work in, and whilst services recruit more people.
Diversity policy components
Diversity policies help organizations reach talent in traditionally undertapped demographics. They can also
encourage innovation and can make a company a more desirable option to candidates.
Diversity policy components include:
•
Definitions of discrimination, harassment and behaviours that will not be tolerated in the
workplace
•
Consequences of breaches of the policy
•
Management responsibilities for equal employment opportunity (EEO)
•
Procedures for complaints and how these are to be made and managed.
A good diversity policy encompass the following components:
•
A thorough assessment: Without one, according to the Society for Human Resource Management,
companies may not be able to need to determine what needs to change. An assessment can help
your organization accurately identify what elements its diversity and inclusion program should
include.
•
A solid training program: Employees—particularly managers who will oversee diversity
programs—need to be given a solid framework to work with. A diversity training program can also
help convey to your staff, at all levels, that your organization is placing a serious emphasis on
diversity and inclusion. Workforce magazine recommends focusing diversity training programs on
clear metrics, experiential learning and sharing an individual benefit for all involved parties to help
make diversity program training efforts successful.
•
Career-focused leadership and guidance: Fostering growth from within can help enhance
employee retention and provide additional support for diversity efforts. Mentoring policies
programs can be one of the most successful ways to increase the amount of white, black, Asian
people.
•
Specific targets: A general stance to increase diversity is likely far too vague to be very successful.
Companies that create clearly outlined goals have a better chance of developing effective
programs and seeing real change. Take, for example Shell. The global energy and petrochemical
company's diversity program goals include increasing the proportion of women in senior
management roles to at least 20 percent and placing local residents in more than half of the senior
management positions in countries it operates in.
•
Periodic reviews: Goals are only effective if you're able to determine if you're meeting them. An
organization's management team and CEO should regularly gauge its diversity and inclusion
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policies and program's success, based on its pre-determined goals. If an element isn't working,
you'll then be able to tweak the program as needed to see greater results.
Comply with diversity legislation and organisational policy
Diversity in the workplace means having employees from a wide range of backgrounds. This can include
having employees of different ages, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, religious belief,
work experience, educational background, and so on.
Equal employment opportunity (EEO) and anti-discrimination
Various national and state laws cover equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination in the
workplace. Employer are required by these laws to create a workplace free from discrimination and
harassment. It's important that as an employer, one understand their his rights and responsibilities under
human rights and anti-discrimination law. By putting effective anti-discrimination and antiharassment
procedures in place in their businesses they can improve productivity and increase efficiency.
Equal opportunity means that every person can participate freely and equally in the workplace, in
accessing education and services. Equal opportunity aims to promote everyone's right to equal
opportunities and eliminate discrimination on various grounds.
Employing staff fairly
Taking on people facing barriers to employment is often overlooked by employers and can be a useful way
of diversifying the skill set within a business. There are funding and incentive schemes available for
businesses that support people with a disability, Indigenous people, the long-term unemployed and the
mature-aged. Human Rights Commission also offers best practice guidelines for recruitment and selection
to help you recruit in a fair and discrimination-free way.
Discrimination
It's unlawful to disadvantage employees and job seekers in any way because of their:
•
race
•
colour
•
gender
•
sexual preference
•
age
•
physical or mental disability
•
marital status
•
family or carer's responsibilities
•
pregnancy
•
religion
•
political opinion • national extraction
•
social origin.
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Presenting diversity policy
The Board of directors of the Company is responsible for the overall management of the Company,
including guidance as to strategic direction, ensuring best practice corporate governance and oversight of
management. The Company recognises that people are its most important asset and is committed to the
maintenance and promotion of workplace diversity. Diversity drives the Company's ability to attract,
retain, motivate and develop the best talent, create an engaged workforce, deliver the highest quality
services to its customers and continue to grow the business. The Board has formally approved this
Diversity Policy (Policy) in order to, among other matters, address the representation of women in senior
management positions and on the Board, and to actively facilitate a more diverse and representative
management and leadership structure. The Board is committed to promoting a corporate culture which
embraces diversity and which recognises that employees at all levels may have domestic responsibilities.
Implement diversity policy
There are many ways to ensure the policy is being successfully implemented once its implementation has
become a goal of the organisation. Best practice experience suggests at crucial steps when implementing
a successful and lasting diversity strategy. These are listed below:
1. Involve the entire top management team
The senior leadership must be involved and visible throughout the whole diversity project. Visionary
speeches have little impact alone. The CEO and other senior leaders should be visible at workshops,
training programmes and during Q&A sessions on diversity. An important first step in showing the way is
also to implement diversity at top management level.
2. Adapt the organisational structure
The organisational structure must support the diversity effort. This can be done by creating a diversity
office and appointing a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). If the organisational structure supports the diversity
offers, it is more likely to be taken seriously across the whole business.
3. Communicate about the initiative on continuous basis
Communicating about why diversity is crucial for the success of your business is highly important. The
communication must be plentiful and include variety of channels such as social media, newsletters,
intranet, seminars, meetings, posters and so on.
4. Create a formal project plan
Create a formal project plan to support the diversity strategy with measurable objectives that is integrated
with the rest of the company's strategic objectives and operations. During the years, various research has
shown that if such project is not carefully planned in advance using tested and robust processes, critical
elements will not receive the proper attention. Such project plans should take into consideration the
length of time taken to cultivate a mind-set that acknowledges that diversity is part of the overall strategy.
The project should also include a performance evaluation programme that functions as an accountability
mechanism.
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Conduct a formal, critical review of the policy
A review of an organisation's diversity policy requires planning and is a more formal way of evaluating the
currency and effectiveness of the policy. Making sure all staff are consulted will indicate how effective the
policy is. Go through each section of the policy and check it for currency, how effectively it relates to the
organisation, what amendments or additions should be made and whether it could be written more
clearly.
The Company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) should perform the day to day management and operations
of the Company, including the day to day administration and operation of the Company's diversity policy.
The CEO should be supported in this role by the executive team, including the Company's General Counsel
and Chief Financial Officer and support by the Human Resources Managers at each operating site within
the Group.
The CEO should monitor and report to the Diversity, Remuneration and Nomination Committee on the
progress of the development and implementation of the Company's diversity policy and associated
programs as required. The Diversity Committee should regularly review the Company's diversity policy on
an annual basis and will report to the Company's Board and make appropriate recommendations in
respect of the following;
•
developing measurable objectives to assess the Company's performance in recruiting from,
employing and retaining, a diverse pool of candidates for all positions, including the Board and
senior management and particularly including the proportion of women who are employed by the
Company and the proportion of women who are employed by the Company both at Board and
senior management level;
•
following the development of measurable objectives, assessing the Company's performance against
such objectives in recruiting from, employing and retaining, a diverse pool of candidates for all
positions, including the Board and senior management and particularly including the proportion of
women who are employed by the Company;
•
the Company's recruitment and employment procedures with respect to diversity at all levels
(including the Board and senior management) including compliance with relevant legislative and
regulatory requirements, including identifying factors that should be incorporated in the Company's
recruitment procedures and whether professional intermediaries should be used to identify and/or
assess potential candidates;
•
the Company's remuneration arrangements to ensure that the Company's remuneration is
appropriate and is not inequitable to any proportion of personnel who are employed by the
Company (i.e. on the basis of gender, age, cultural background, ethnicity, disabilities etc.);
•
the Company's succession plan, to ensure that such plan encourages, promotes and develops
diversity and that there are appropriate personnel with the relevant skills, experience and capability
to be able to manage the Company's business strategies and objectives, operation, future growth
and development; and
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•
the formulation and development of strategies and procedures to encourage the Company's
diversity including the preparation of measurable objectives and the development and
implementation of appropriate education, training and mentoring programs.
Improving diversity policy
There are a number of ways to address issues you have discovered in your review of the efficacy and
currency of your organisation's diversity policy.
These include:
• revising the wording of the policy to eliminate complex language
• conducting regular diversity discussions with staff
• making the policy more visible through displays or newsletter articles
• promoting the organisation's diversity policy within the local community.
Analyzing existing diversity practices
There are the following types of information that an organisation can use to analyse their existing practices
in relation to diversity? These are as following:
•
Complaints and grievances
•
Incidences of harassment or discrimination
•
Customer feedback,
•
EEO targets
•
Recruitment patterns
•
Stakeholder opinions
•
Data such as gender ratio
•
Distribution of gender across levels within the organisation
•
Mobility and promotion rates for various groups etc.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
•
•
•
•
•
What is diversity? Explain.
Explain importance of diversity information.
What are the benefits of diversity for an organization? Explain.
What is Diversity policy? Explain.
Explain Equal employment opportunity (EEO) and anti-discrimination.
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ELEMENT 2: Foster respect for diversity in the work team
2.1 Identify training needs to promote respect for difference in personal interactions
2.2 Identify staff struggling to work with diversity and implement measures to support working with
diversity
2.3 Develop processes to demonstrate benefits of working with various diverse groups
2.4 Address workplace diversity complaints according to organisational policies and procedures
Foster respect for diversity
In most organizations, diversity and inclusion is best approached with a top-down, bottom-up strategy.
While it's imperative that efforts are supported by the CEO and actively engages leaders, one cannot
discount the impact of employee involvement. Engaging employees at all levels is the most effective way
to reach critical mass and communicate the import of diversity and inclusion. Often employees are eager
to join in the process but lack the know-how and confidence to take action. It is important to let employees
know that there are many ways to contribute and support efforts and does not necessarily require
expertise in the field.
Employees can foster respect for diversity in the following ways:
1.
Know the diversity goals and vision of your organization and its connection to the overall business
objectives. Commit to the process by understanding how diversity impacts your role, and how your
role impacts the success of the diversity initiative.
2.
Participate in employee engagement surveys and respond as openly and honestly as possible.
Finding an internal champion with whom you can comfortably express concerns and/or elicit advice
can be instrumental in supporting your efforts.
3.
Actively engage in the diversity effort. You can take part in or start an Employee Resource Group, or
volunteer to chair or serve on committees that organize diversity-related events and activities.
Consider becoming a mentor, mentee, or part of a co-mentoring relationship. These activities
require a commitment of time, but represent a valuable opportunity for personal and professional
development.
4.
Become culturally competent. Take the time to learn about different cultures, races, religions and
backgrounds represented by your colleagues. Ask your coworkers to share some of the customs and
practices associated with their cultures. Become familiar with diversity-related terms and, if you err,
apologize and ask for help.
5.
Treat people in a way they wish to be treated rather than the way you wish to be treated. Common
social activities and practices that are comfortable for you may not be comfortable for everyone. Do
not tell offensive jokes that may alienate those who are different from you — even if they are not
present at the time. Most importantly, be respectful always. Diversity exists everywhere — not just
in the office. Take these diversity principles into your community and your home.
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6.
Drive positive change in the organization. Be a spokesperson for diversity issues that are not
necessarily your own. Any organization will find it difficult to ignore the powerful voice created when
groups representing different diversity dimensions unite.
7.
Welcome ideas that are different from your own, and support fellow teammates. The creativity that
comes with diversity can help you generate new ideas or improve a process already in place. It can
also make work more interesting, engaging, and fun.
8.
Understand the diversity elements you personally bring to the organization. Diversity comes not
only in the form of culture, race, and gender but also includes elements such as socio-economic
background, education level, geographic location, sexual orientation, thought, and many others.
Each of us brings to the table a lifetime of experiences and knowledge. Each of us is different and
adds value to the organization because of these differences.
9.
Commit to continuous improvement. Be willing to learn, accept feedback, and listen to the concerns
of those around you. Even the most enlightened individual can find opportunities for growth.
10.
Communicate and educate. Diversity work is a journey, not a destination. It takes time, patience,
and perseverance. Be tolerant of coworkers who do not yet appreciate the value of diversity or who
may not always behave respectfully. Often, negative behavior comes from ignorance rather than
malice. A willingness to educate can go a long way.
Approaches to diversity management
companies have now realized the value of a diverse workforce. Now thousands of companies throughout
the country have implemented diversity programs within their organization in an attempt to capitalize on
the strengths of multifaceted employees. At least that is what companies say they are doing.
There are various approaches to diversity management in corporate:
Brand Image
Desired Outcome: The purpose of this approach is to create a brand image of being a company that values
the diversity of its employees. The focus of this approach is on getting name recognition and awards for
the company's diversity programs. The primary goal of this approach is to be viewed as a benchmark
company when it comes to diversity programs. Under this scenario, it is only necessary to achieve a
perception that the company is a diverse company. If customers, employees, vendors, suppliers,
shareholders, and the general public believe the company is a diversity champion, and hold the
organization in high regard because of it, the diversity program can be considered a success.
Indicators of Success: With this approach the key is getting the company's name in the media, obtaining
industry awards, and being at the top of mind regarding all diverse issues. The focus is on getting the
company's name out as much as possible so people accept the message that the organization is a diverse
company.
Achieving the Desired End Result: If a message is repeated loud enough and often enough people begin
to believe it. This approach to diversity requires a strong marketing and public relations component to
make sure the company's name is at the top of mind in all of the important venues of interest regarding
diversity. The key to success is having anecdotal stories that show the company is diverse. The more
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examples one can give of where the company has provided opportunity and growth for diverse
construction companies, vendors and employees, the better the company brand image will be.
Consequently, all one has to do is find a few powerful success stories of diversity, share those stories
loudly and often, and the organization will be successful in creating the desired brand image.
Affirmative Action
Desired Outcome: The goal of this approach is to create a company that truly provides equal opportunity
for people of diverse backgrounds and characteristics to be paid fairly, promoted equitably, obtain
supplier and vendor contracts, and/or to win construction projects. It entails more than just consideration
for such things, but rather an affirmative and aggressive desire to achieve diversity in the managerial,
supplier, vendor and construction company ranks. The goal of this approach is to have a representative
number of people in key positions throughout the company that match the diverse demographics of the
community. Vendor, supplier and construction contracts must also be awarded to a representative diverse
group.
Indicators of Success: The key to this approach is the typical EEO approach of making sure the company
has numbers that confirm it is affirmatively providing opportunities for people of diversity regarding pay,
promotions, supplier contracts, and/or construction projects. Success is achieved when the company has
the right numbers and percentages that indicate it is a diverse company.
Achieving the Desired Results: This is a relatively simple approach to diversity. All it requires is identifying
viable employee, vendor, supplier, and construction company candidates who can be hired or developed
into qualified individuals for key management positions, vendor or supplier contracts, and/or construction
projects. All that must be done is to search for candidates in the obvious places where they might be found
(e.g.: black colleges, suppliers from minority communities, etc.). Or, even simpler, just identify the right
diversity mix the company wants and hire it, regardless of qualifications.
Culture of Acceptance
Desired Outcome: This approach seeks to create a company that truly values and appreciates the diverse
nature of its workforce. It recognizes diverse people have different needs, different values, different
characteristics, different styles and different desires in the workplace; and it seeks acceptance and
tolerance for these differences in order to create a healthy and productive workplace. The key to this
approach is to get everyone to be aware of and accept these differences in order to reduce conflict,
maximize performance, and allow each person to reach his or her full potential by removing diversity
barriers or conflict in the workplace.
Indicators of Success: The key to this approach is helping everyone within the company to become more
diversity conscious; to become aware of their personal beliefs, biases, and actions regarding people of
diverse backgrounds; and to alter their actions in order to provide equal opportunity and a work culture
that meets the needs of every employee in the company. It includes removing the barriers that limit
growth opportunities for certain people because of diversity issues. It also entails creating a culture that
strongly condemns discrimination of any type in any form.
Achieving the Desired Results: This approach requires people at all levels of the company to become
introspective and aware of their belief systems and actions regarding diversity issues. It requires specific
policies, procedures, processes, practices, and systems that create a culture that accepts and assertively
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values the diversity of its employees. This acceptance must also lead to opportunities for diverse people
to raise their potential, be promoted, and take on different roles and responsibilities that previously may
not have been available to them in a less diverse-sensitive company.
Maximizing the Performance of All Employees
Desired Outcome: The purpose of this approach is to maximize the performance of each employee by
removing barriers that limit an individual's potential, regardless of whether those barriers are diversity
issues (e.g.: race, culture, gender, etc.) or other barriers that hinder one's progress (e.g.: language skills,
education, work ethic, off-purpose work behaviors, social skills, etc.). The goal is to raise the productive
output of each individual by understanding their unique differences and override whatever keeps the
person from reaching his or her fullest potential. The ultimate outcome is to get 100% from 100% of the
employees 100% of the time. Likewise, this approach seeks suppliers, vendors, and construction
companies who can produce the desired quality products on time, on budget, and within scope regardless
of their owner or employee demographics.
Indicators of Success: The success of this approach is witnessed when each individual within the company
has achieved the highest level of performance of which he or she is capable. It is also signified when
barriers are removed to allow employees to go beyond what anyone had previously believed was possible
because of preconceived insurmountable diversity issues. Success entails helping diversity suppliers,
vendors, and construction companies raise their productive output to a level where they are capable of
winning company contracts and successfully delivering their goods and services as specified in the
contracts without the company lowering the requirements of the contracts. In other words, the success
of this approach is not in lowering standards or raising people up, but in raising their performance up so
people are viable candidates for future promotions and contracts regardless of their diversity.
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Achieving the Desired Result: This approach entails a mature and sophisticated approach to managing
the business using proper management techniques. It entails an acceptance that diversity is a normal
practice of good management wherein managers are charged with increasing the efficiency and
effectiveness of all of their employees so they can produce more. This approach requires good
management systems that create a productive work environment where all employees feel comfortable,
confident, proud and included. It requires managers to deal with employees as individuals (rather than
ethnic groups, genders, etc.) and to implement individual development plans so every employee can
overcome barriers that inhibit the achievement of their highest potential. It also requires working with
diverse vendors, suppliers and construction companies who currently do not qualify as acceptable
resources to help them raise their performance capabilities so they can qualify for contracts with the
company.
What is harassment?
Workplace harassment is unwelcome conduct from a boss, coworker, group of coworkers, vendor, or
customer whose actions, communication, or behavior mocks, demeans, puts down, disparages, or
ridicules an employee. Physical assaults, threats and intimidation are forms of harassment. Harassment
may also include offensive jokes, name calling, offensive nicknames, and offensive pictures or objects.
Interfering with an employee's ability to do his or her work is also considered harassment. Harassment
can also be experienced by employees who are not the target of the harasser because of the workplace
environment that can develop and they experience as a result of his or her actions. law say about
harassment?
In NSW, it is against the law to harass you because of your:
•
sex
•
pregnancy
•
race (including colour, nationality, descent, ethnic or ethno-religious background)
•
age
•
marital or domestic status
•
homosexuality (actual or perceived)
•
disability (actual or perceived, past, present or future
•
transgender status (actual or perceived)
•
carer's responsibilities (actual or presumed).
Anti-discrimination law defines harassment as any form of behaviour that:
•
you do not want
•
offends, humiliates or intimidates you
•
creates a hostile environment.
It is also against the law for you to be harassed because of the sex, pregnancy etc of any of your relatives,
friends, work colleagues or associates. For example, you could be harassed because your husband comes
from another country, or because you have a friend who is homosexual.
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In general, harassment is only against the law if it is done by someone aged 16 or over.
Harassment becomes illegal when:
•
Putting up with the offensive and unwanted actions, communication, or behavior becomes a
condition of continued employment, or
•
The behavior is severe and pervasive enough to create a work environment that any reasonable
individual would find intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
Harassment against individuals is also prohibited in these specific situations.
•
"Retaliation for filing a discrimination charge,
•
"testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or lawsuit under these laws;
or
•
"Opposing employment practices that they reasonably believe discriminate against individuals, in
violation of these laws."
Demeaning an employee for any aspect of their parental status, appearance, weight, habits, accent, or
beliefs can be considered harassment and can add to a claim about a hostile work environment.
The law against harassment
The law against harassment and generally applies in five main areas of public life. The exception is
harassment because of carer's responsibilities, which is only against the law in employment.
The areas in which the law applies are as follows:
•
in employment - when you apply for a job or for a licence or registration to perform a job, when you
are at work, or when you leave a job.
•
when you get, or try to get, most types of goods or services - for example, from shops, banks,
lawyers, government departments, police, public transport, local councils, doctors, hospitals and
other medical services, hotels, sporting venues and entertainment venues.
•
when you apply to get into or are studying in any State educational institution, which includes any
government school, college or university. Sexual harassment and harassment because of your race
are also against the law in private educational institutions.
•
when you rent accommodation such as houses, units, flats, hotel or motel rooms and commercial
premises.
•
when you try to enter or join a registered club, or when you're inside one. A registered club is any
club that sells alcohol or has gambling machines.
If you are harassed somewhere else (for example, in your home or on the street), you may be able to get
assistance from a local chamber magistrate or the police.
What types of behaviour could be harassment?
It's important to understand that if a person finds a particular behaviour offensive, humiliating or
intimidating, and it relates to their sex, race, age etc as described above, then it is harassment. This is
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irrespective of how the harasser or anyone else perceives the behaviour. People may have different ideas
about what is offensive, and within reason, it is up to them to define what they find unacceptable.
Anyone can be harassed, including women or men, and people of any age or race. Harassment may be an
ongoing pattern of behaviour, or it may be just a single act. It may be perpetrated by a person in a position
of power over the victim, for example their supervisor at work, or it may occur where there is no power
relationship, for example among work colleagues.
Depending on the circumstances, any of the following could be harassment if it relates to a person's sex,
race, age etc:
•
material that is displayed in the workplace (for example on a noticeboard), circulated on paper, sent
by fax or put in someone's workspace or belongings
•
material put on a computer, sent by email, or put on a website, blog or social networking site
•
verbal abuse or comments
•
offensive jokes
•
offensive gestures
•
ignoring, isolating or segregating a person or group - for example not inviting someone to a work
event that everyone else is invited to
•
initiation ceremonies that involve unwelcome behaviour.
Rights against harassment at work?
Most harassment that is against the anti-discrimination laws happens at work. Your employer must not
harass you at work, and they must also take 'all reasonable steps' to make sure that there is no harassment
in their workplace. Your employer must do their best to make sure that you are not harassed by your
supervisor, your workmates or your customers or clients. They must do this whether you are full-time or
part-time, permanent or casual.
In this context, all reasonable steps may include:
•
having a clearly defined policy that harassment is not acceptable, and procedures for addressing
harassment when it occurs
•
making sure all employees know about this policy, what constitutes harassment and the procedures
for addressing it
•
ensuring that the policy and procedures are followed.
Of course, if you are happy with a particular type of behaviour or you want to have a relationship with
someone you work with, that is OK - as long as it doesn't interfere with your work or any standards of
workplace behaviour that your employer has set. If you don't mind the behaviour then it's not harassment.
Laws relating to harassment
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 prohibits harassment in the workplace by employers, co-workers and
other "workplace participants", such as partners, commission agents and contract workers. Sexual
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harassment is broadly defined as unwelcome sexual conduct that a reasonable person would anticipate
would offend, humiliate or intimidate the person harassed.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 prohibits harassment in the workplace based on or linked to a
person's disability or the disability of an associate.
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 prohibits offensive behaviour based on racial hatred. Racial hatred is
defined as something done in public that offends, insults or humiliates a person or group of people
because of their race, colour or national or ethnic origin.
The Fair Work Amendment Act 2013 defines workplace bullying as repeated unreasonable behaviour by
an individual towards a worker which creates a risk to health and safety.
Main features of current legislations relating to diversity and anti-discrimination are as follows:
Age
Discrimination
Act
The Age Discrimination Act 2004 helps to ensure that people are not treated less
favourably on the ground of age in various areas of public life including employment,
provision of goods and services and education. The Act also provides for positive
discrimination – that is, actions which assist people of a particular age who
experience a disadvantage because of their age.
Disability
Discrimination
Act
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 has as its major objectives to:
•eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities
•promote community acceptance of the principle that people with disabilities have
the same fundamental rights as all members of the community, and
•ensure as far as practicable that people with disabilities have the same rights to
equality before the law as other people in the community.
Racial
Discrimination
Act
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 gives effect to Australia's obligations under the
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Its major objectives are to
•promote equality before the law for all persons, regardless of their race, colour or
national or ethnic origin, and
•make discrimination against people on the basis of their race, colour, descent or
national or ethnic origin unlawful
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Sex
Discrimination
Act
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 gives effect to Australia's obligations under the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and
certain aspects of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 156. Its
major objectives are to
•promote equality between men and women
•eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status or pregnancy and, with
respect to dismissals, family responsibilities, and
•eliminate sexual harassment at work, in educational institutions, in the provision
of goods and services, in the provision of accommodation and the delivery of
Commonwealth programs.
Human Rights
and
Equal
Opportunity
Commission Act
The Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 established the Human Rights
and Equal Opportunity Commission (now known as the Australian Human Rights
Commission) and gives it functions in relation to the various international
conventions on human rights
Preventing Workplace Harassment
In any case of workplace harassment, the employer's behavior must meet a certain standard in the eyes
of the law. Just posting an anti-harassment policy, while a positive step, is insufficient to prove that an
employer took workplace harassment seriously. The employer needs to develop a harassment policy; train
the workforce using examples that make inappropriate actions, behavior, and communication clearly
defined; and enforce the policy.
If harassment is mentioned to a supervisor, observed by a supervisor, or done by a supervisor, the
employer is particularly liable if an investigation was not conducted. A clear harassment policy gives
employees the appropriate steps to take when they believe they are experiencing harassment. The
company must be able to prove that an appropriate investigation occurred and that perpetrators found
guilty were suitably disciplined. Employees do well to avoid harassment charges by living the platinum
rule at work: treat others as they wish to be treated.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Trainer to give 1 mark for each correct answer How
you foster respect for diversity? Explain.
what is harassment and what types of behaviour could be harassment? Explain.
What are the Rights against harassment at work? Explain.
What are the main features of current legislations relating to diversity and anti-discrimination? Explain.
Explain how you preventing workplace harassment.
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ELEMENT 3: 3. Promote the benefits of diversity
3.1 Promote organisational workforce diversity in external forums
3.2 Identify role of diversity in gaining a competitive advantage for the organisation
3.3 Support organisational efforts to champion diversity
Promote Diversity
Workplace diversity makes good business sense. Understanding differences between people from a broad
spectrum of backgrounds can help companies find ways of appealing to a broader range of customers and
employees.
To promote diversity in the workplace, companies can take an active role by establishing diversity
programs and valuing diversity in all aspects of the business.
•
Align Diversity Programs With Strategic Plans
One of the keys to the long-term success of a diversity program is to develop a diversity strategy
using the same deliberate goal-setting processes used to formulate traditional business-related
goals. What is the goal of diversity at your organization? How broad is your diversity focus? Strategic
plans around diversity should include quantitative goals along with specific timelines for reaching
benchmarks and measuring progress, all of which provide direction and promote action by
employees. And, having a well-defined strategy will help your business attain its goals, whether
those goals are to provide better service to clients, create a more inclusive workplace culture, recruit
and retain highly-qualified and talented diverse employees, and/or implement programs which will
create a pipeline of talent for the future.
•
Establish Task Forces
To learn how to eliminate discrimination and create a more diverse workforce, you can create
diversity task forces within your company, each focusing on a particular area, such as disability,
gender, age, sexual orientation and ethnicity. Gather views from employees and formulate ways to
make your company more diverse in each area. Task forces can also focus on ways of reaching more
diverse customers. For example, at IBM in the late '90s, a women's task force developed the idea of
providing specialized support to small and medium-sized businesses, which were more likely to be
owned by women and minorities. This strategy increased the service revenue by $290 million in just
three years.
•
Diversity Policies
Create diversity-friendly policies. For example, providing flexible working hours and on-site childcare
may make your business a more appealing place for young women and mothers to work. Similarly,
allowing employees to take time off for a variety of religious holidays may help you attract a more
religiously diverse workforce. Making your office usable by people with a range of disabilities can
help attract more talented people. These policies can also help your company find new customers.
For example, mothers may prefer to buy from a company whose employment policies are deemed
friendly to working moms.
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•
Hiring and Promotion
Incorporate diversity into the hiring and promotion policies of the company. Set standards for hiring
and promotion that are based on merit and not quotas. Make sure your policies are transparent, so
all employees and potential employees know that promotion is based only on ability and merit.
Promote diversity in hiring by creating policies that require equal treatment for everyone, and
require all new and existing employees to agree to these policies. Promote your company as diverse
in its literature and advertising so all job applicants know your company supports and encourages
diversity.
•
Communicate Effectively
Effective communication is an important part of promoting diversity. Management can help
communicate expectations by always using clear language to describe diversity programs and goals.
Management should also lay down clear guidelines for disciplining those who engage in activities
such as workplace bullying and teasing, which discourage diversity. Managers should be willing to
listen to workers who feel their treatment was affected by gender, disability, age, ethnicity or other
factors and address their concerns quickly and effectively.
•
Use Company Intranets
If you have a company intranet, include a diversity page where the diversity committee can post
updates and information about what the organization is doing from a diversity standpoint,
upcoming community events and other relevant programs.
•
Become Involved in the Community
Encourage employees to participate in professional and civic organizations that promote diversity.
Involvement with these organizations not only provides excellent networking opportunities, it also
fosters collaborations that may enhance access to a larger pool of diverse candidates. Community
involvement has the added benefit of strengthening relationship among employees as they come
together to serve groups they are passionate about.
Methods to promote cultural diversity at a work place
Promoting inclusiveness and diversity within your workplace is one of the best ways to foster an
openminded, global company culture. Not only does this make good business sense—helping your
company to better understand colleagues, clients, and customers around the world—it also makes the
workplace a more interesting and personally enriching environment for everyone. Some of these methods
are as follows:
•
Think like a manager/administrator – have a diverse team with a range of experiences and attitudes.
Try to have different opinions from your diverse team, when you face challenging task.
•
Focus on the strengths everybody brings to the workplace- Challenge yourself to appreciate the
others' differences and accept them as potential drivers of change.
•
Stand up to discrimination- Help others to appreciate about strengths which can be an opportunity
to grow and be more productive.
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•
Set up a periodic review system for policies of the company- check the company policies is in
compliance with laws and are open for amendments as and when required.
•
Employing people of all sections like genders, races, religions, culture and mental abilities; usually
build up the organizations as a strong unit. Being a manager it is your responsibility to ensure that
your company is treating people equitably including relevant diversification.
Modern ways to promote workplace diversity
Diversity in the workplace can be a touchy subject, but in many companies it is even harder to execute. It
might be challenging to promote diversity, but it's definitely worth the effort. Diversity is an essential part
of every workplace. Diversity encourages creativity and innovation.
Some of the Modern ways to promote workplace diversity are as follows:
•
Educate Managers
Don't assume managers understand the importance of diversity, or that they understand how to
manage a diverse group of employees. Some studies have shown that women and men work – and
lead – differently. Managers need to understand those differences and encourage them. If these
differences are managed correctly, they can prove to be a huge asset to your company.
•
Create Diversity-Friendly Policies
Facilitating a diverse workplace may mean creating new policies – or amending current policies.
Allowing for employees to take off work for religious holidays that may not be otherwise observed
by the company, offering on-site daycare, and extending the option for flexible work hours are some
examples of diversity-friendly policies. Hopefully your company already is an equal opportunity
employer approved by the Federal EEOC. If not you should meet their standards and get approval
immediately.
•
Communicate Clearly
Creating policies isn't enough, however. Clear communication is necessary to ensure the policies are
actually effective. Employees should feel comfortable coming to their managers with any concerns,
especially about their treatment in the company due to their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age, or
other factors. Managers should feel confident in their communication with employees and strive to
use inclusive language.
•
Offer Opportunities in Diversity
If your company has multiple locations, consider allowing employees to visit another location,
especially if it is in another country. Exposure to other cultures is a great way to let employees
experience diversity themselves. When they see other cultures at work they are able to understand
their co-workers better. Additionally, they are able to see how other locations deal with similar
problems and situations in a completely different way. This may encourage your employees to learn
to think outside the box – and bring that thinking back to their own teams.
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•
Create Mentorship Programs
Hiring a diverse workforce is important, but mentorship programs are key to ensuring that everyone
has the opportunity to advance. Employees with high potential should be offered mentors
regardless of their age, race, sex, or other factor. If a company-sponsored mentorship program isn't
feasible for your company, there are other ways of providing similar opportunities. Encourage less
structured professional development opportunities like outside employee resource groups
dedicated to young professionals, women's leadership, and other cultural relevant factors.
While these are all great ways to promote diversity in the workplace, it's always important to set a good
example from the top down. When the C-suite is directly involved in programs or initiatives to improve
inclusion, employees notice. As the Harvard Business Review notes, CEOs in particular can help their
company attract the best – and most diverse – talent by being involved in diversity promotion.
Communication channels to promote diversity policy
Some of the communication channels that could be used to promote a diversity policy across an
organization are as follows:
•
Face to face meetings
•
Training events
•
Internet & intranet
•
Posters
•
Leaflets and brochures
•
Presentations and speeches
•
Memos
Resolving complaints relating to harassment or discrimination
Employers have a responsibility to establish a process for resolving complaints of discrimination, sexual
harassment, bullying and victimisation in the workplace. Resolving complaints quickly and fairly is good
for organisations. If left unaddressed, discrimination and sexual harassment can lead to increased
absenteeism, low morale, reduced productivity and high staff turnover.
Internal complaints
•
Employers should establish internal procedures for dealing with sexual harassment complaints or
grievances to encourage in-house resolution. The Sex Discrimination Act does not prescribe any
particular type of complaint procedure so employers have the flexibility to design a system that suits
the organisation's size, structure and resources.
•
Employers can establish a specific procedure for sexual harassment complaints or, alternatively, use
the procedure that is already in place for other types of work-related grievances. However, sexual
harassment complaints may be complex, sensitive and potentially volatile. Anyone who has
responsibility for dealing with them will require specialist expertise and should receive appropriate
training.
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External complaints
•
A person who has been subjected to sexual harassment can make a written complaint to the
Commission (or the relevant state or territory anti-discrimination agency). The complaint will be
investigated and the Commission will generally endeavour to settle it by conciliation. If conciliation
is unsuccessful or inappropriate in the circumstances the complaint may be terminated and the
complainant can then apply to the Federal Magistrates Court or Federal Court of Australia for judicial
determination.
•
A person is not required to attempt to resolve a complaint within the workplace before approaching
the Commission or the relevant state or territory anti-discrimination agency. Criminal acts such as
assault may also be reported directly to the police.
Stages in a complaint process 1. Initial contact point
An organisation's discrimination and harassment policy should explain how to make a complaint and,
identify an initial contact person. In larger organisations, the contact person may be an Equal Employment
Opportunity (EEO) Officer or a Harassment Officer. In smaller organisations, this person may be a line
manager or supervisor. The contact person should not be the same person who is responsible for
investigating or making decisions about a complaint.
The contact person should:
•
be available to listen to an employee's concerns about discrimination or harassment
•
not form a view of the merit of any allegations
•
provide information about the internal complaint process
•
advise the person that in some situations where serious allegations are raised – for example,
allegations that may expose the organisation to legal liability – the issue may need to be reported
to management and dealt with as a formal complaint
•
where appropriate, provide support for a person if he or she wants to try and resolve the issue
personally
•
provide information about available support services, for example, workplace counselling services
•
outline other options available to the person, such as lodging a complaint of discrimination or
harassment with an external agency.
2. Early resolution
In some situations it may be appropriate to consider early resolution of an initial complaint without
undertaking an assessment of its merit. This approach may be useful where:
•
the complainant indicates a desire to sit down and discuss the matter with the respondent
informally and this seems appropriate in the circumstances
•
the information on hand supports a view that the complaint has arisen from a misunderstanding or
miscommunication
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•
the behaviour being complained about is not serious and does not appear to be discrimination or
harassment, as defined by the organisation's policy.
Early resolution may involve:
•
a direct private discussion between the complainant and the respondent • an
impartial
third
person conveying information between those involved
•
an impartial third person helping those involved to talk to each other and find a solution.
In some situations the impartial third person may need to be someone external to the organisation, such
as a professional mediator.
3. Formal resolution
If a person wants to proceed with a formal complaint about discrimination or harassment, or if this is
considered to be the most appropriate course of action, the following steps are recommended. a. Obtain
information from the complainant
The person handling the complaint (the complaint officer) should:
•
provide information about the complaint process, potential outcomes, options for
assistance/support and protections from victimisation
•
ensure the allegations are documented, either by the complainant or the complaint officer
•
explain that the process is confidential, what this means and why it is important
•
explain what records of the complaint will be kept, for how long and where
•
explain the action that may be taken if the complaint is found to be vexatious or malicious
•
ask the complainant to provide relevant documents or details of witnesses that may support the
allegations.
Where there is a concern about supporting information being destroyed or compromised, the complaint
officer should try to obtain this information before taking any further action. b. Advise the respondent
about the complaint The complaint officer should:
•
advise the respondent that a complaint has been made against him or her and provide as much
information as possible about the allegations and supporting information (where applicable)
•
confirm that he or she will be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations in writing or
through an interview
•
provide information about the complaint process, potential outcomes and options for
assistance/support
•
explain that the process is confidential, what this means and why it is important • explain
records of the complaints will be kept, for how long and where
•
explain that it is unacceptable to victimise someone who has made a complaint.
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what
c. Assess the information
If the respondent confirms that he or she did what is alleged to have occurred, and if this behaviour would
be considered discrimination or harassment as defined in the organisation's policy, the next step is to
consider an appropriate outcome (see below). It is recommended that the respondent is provided with
the opportunity to comment on any proposed decision and outcome before a final decision is made. If
there is disagreement about what happened, the complaint officer should consider whether there is other
information that will help to determine what happened. It is generally understood that the person making
the decision should be satisfied that it is 'more probable than not' that what is alleged to have happened
did happen.
Given the nature of discrimination and harassment, there may often be no direct witnesses or documents
to support the complainant's version of events. This does not mean that the allegation is untrue. In these
situations the complainant should be given the opportunity to comment on the information that has been
provided by the respondent and to provide any other information to support his or her allegations before
a final decision is made.
4. Outcomes from the process
a. Where the allegations are admitted or substantiated Outcomes
for the respondent may include:
•
disciplinary counselling
•
an official warning
•
a requirement to attend discrimination and harassment awareness training
•
a requirement to provide a formal apology to the complainant
•
disciplinary action (e.g. demotion, transfer, suspension, probation or dismissal)
•
participation in mediation to restore relationships in the workplace.
Outcomes for the complainant may include:
•
re-crediting of any leave taken as a result of the discrimination or harassment
•
supportive counselling
•
a change in the work environment, as requested, for example, a change in work teams or location
•
participation in mediation to restore relationships in the workplace.
It is important that the complainant is provided with general information about the outcome of a
complaint, as this may affect their decision to pursue the matter with an external agency. The level of
detail provided should be balanced against the need to respect the privacy of the respondent. b. Where
the allegations are not admitted or substantiated
Where allegations have not been admitted or substantiated, it may still beappropriate for the employer
to take some action as a result of the complaint. Forexample, it may be appropriate to:
•
provide refresher training for all staff regarding appropriate workplace behaviour, and/or
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•
re-issue the discrimination and harassment policy or code of conduct to all employees.
If such action is taken, it is important that it is not done in a way which could beseen as singling out or
punishing the respondent, especially where there has been nofinding that he or she has breached the
organisation's policy or code of conduct.
These documents provide general information only on the subject matter covered. It is not intended, nor
should it be relied on, as a substitute for legal or other professional advice. If required, it is recommended
that the reader obtain independent legal advice. The information contained in these documents may be
amended from time to time.
List of simple steps involved in resolving complaints relating to harassment or discrimination
•
Assess the complaint
•
Seek resolution
•
Select the appropriate investigative approach
•
Plan the investigation
•
Obtain evidence
•
Reconsider resolution
•
Reporting and recommendations
•
Decide on the complaint and action to be taken
•
Inform the parties
Importance of Recruiting a Diverse Workforce
Businesses have started to recognize diversity in the workplace as a business strategy that maximizes
productivity, creativity and loyalty of employees while meeting the needs of their clients or customers. If
a company is only as good as their employees, then it stands to reason that a great deal of energy should
be devoted to hiring the most talented individuals. By branching out to a diverse workforce, employers
have access to a greater pool of candidates thereby improving the odds of hiring the best person. In a
competitive marketplace, an organization that puts people first – regardless of their race, religion, gender,
age, sexual preference, or physical disability has an advantage over the other players.
Just as the workforce is becoming more diverse so is your market. Employees who mirror the customers
you serve can benefit an organization since they will feel as if they hold a common ground. Furthermore,
employees with different perspectives can help provide companies with a holistic view of the market,
identify unmet needs and identify new opportunities. As the value of diversity continues to grow in the
business community and elsewhere, recruiting and retaining diverse employees is becoming even more
important to continued organizational success.
Recruitment and retention of valuable employees is now recognized as one of the most important issues
facing corporate world. By creating an environment where all employees feel included, represented and
valued helps to produce greater employee commitment and motivation. It also means fewer resources
spent on training and turnover. By recognizing employee's uniqueness and appreciating their varied
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perspectives helps ensure an inclusive work environment where awareness of, and respect for, different
cultures is promoted.
There are several steps that organizations can and should take to promote a diverse work environment:
1. Create a diversity policy and publicize it. Your policy should set formal goals and strategies
pertaining to creating an equal opportunity environment. Once your policy is in place it should be
made public both internally and externally.
2. Write job descriptions as to not exclude anyone. Your job description should clearly be written
for all types of applicants and should in no way discriminate.
3. Publicize job openings in different venues to attract a diverse workforce. Look beyond obvious
recruitment methods and venues for good people. There are many sites online that help facilitate
equal opportunity employment and include: Yahoo!, En Espanol, Diversity Inc, America's Job Bank,
The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, the National
Society of Black Engineers, and the Black Executive Exchange program.
4. Be aware of current legislation. Staying current on the latest discrimination legislation will help
you avoid potential litigation.
Once the appropriate steps are taken, learning how to manage the diverse workforce will take some time.
It requires education, sensitivity and awareness of how individuals from different cultures handle
communication, business etiquette, and relate to management. Promoting workforce diversity requires
HR recruitment of competent and qualified employees and the accommodation of individual needs within
the context of the work team and the organization. Whatever challenges diversity may create the benefits
far outweigh the costs. Diversity allows for flexibility within an organization thereby strengthening the
ability to respond to changing environments and demands which are critical to ensuring that your
organization stays competitive in the global economy.
Benefits of diversity recruitment
Diversity recruitment is smart thing to do for any company. It has many benefits:
•
Having diverse staff enables the companies to understand and meet the needs of people from
diverse backgrounds
•
People from different backgrounds and perspectives lead to a variety of ideas, knowledge and way
of doing things
•
Provides opportunities for wide variety of candidates.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Trainer to give 1 mark for each correct answer
•
•
•
•
•
How you promote diversity? Explain.
What are different ways to promote workplace diversity? Explain.
What are the different communication channels to promote diversity policy? Explain.
What are the different stages in a complaint process? Explain.
What is the importance of recruiting a diverse workforce? Explain. REFERENCES www.wikihow.com,
www.medibank.com.au, www.smallbusiness.chron.com,
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www.woman.thenest.com, www.perilya.com.au, www.ohsrep.org.au, www.worksafe.qld.gov.au,
www.blog.slideshare.net,
www.smallbusiness.chron.com,
www.diversityjournal.com,
www.thebalance.com, www.antidiscrimination.justice.nsw.gov.au, www.gwblawfirm.com
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