KUMRA AND MANFREDI ON MANAGING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Use this to develop a holistic approach for managing equality and diversity in your organisation.
Professors Savita Kumra and Simonetta Manfredi argue that the importance of managing equality and diversity effectively in the workplace has never been so critical for organisations. They claim that:
The focus in managing work–life balance has shifted from work–family issues to a more inclusive idea of work–life balance to help all workers to combine paid work with personal life.
The implications for the employment practices of religious rights of workers have generated significant debate and interest on the freedom of religion as well as freedom from non-religion in the workplace.
The introduction of protection against age discrimination is part of a wider strategy to extend working lives.
Although research has indicated that there is a significant increase in the number of women embarking on professional careers, there is no comparative increase in the numbers of women reaching management or executive in their chosen profession.
There are misconceptions about the numbers of immigrants entering the UK and the lack of contribution they make to society.
Quota systems for employing people in protected categories, such as for people with disabilities, are failing the individuals they set out to protect.
Kumra and Manfredi claim that the more aware managers are of the diversity that exists within their organisation, and the key theoretical approaches that aid understanding of this, the more able they will be to react and respond in a coherent and reasoned manner.
HOW TO USE IT
Kumra and Manfredi argue that their perspectives on equality and diversity constitute debates that managers will need to engage with in order to align their labour needs with what is available. To do this you need to:
- Consider how flexible working arrangements can be used to meet the challenge of integrating company-led flexibility with employee-led flexibility. For example look at how compressing someone’s working hours can enable an employee to work his or her total number of hours over fewer days with no loss of income.
- Make sure that you respond to the challenge of balancing the need to allow religious practices in the workplace with individuals’ rights for freedom from the religious interests of other staff and service users.
- Aim to create a workplace where chronological age becomes irrelevant and the focus is placed entirely on workers’ competencies and abilities.
- Examine the sexist politics that exist in your organisation that may be preventing women from reaching senior positions there. If you cannot put your hand on your heart and say that women are not being treated less favourably than men in your organisation, then do something about it.
- Not make assumptions about people based on superficial ideas of their perceived membership of any ethnic or disablement group, or try to address issues resulting from this by holding short awareness training sessions for staff.
Failing to address any of the above issues may result in prosecution for failing to comply with the laws of the day, bad public relations and loss of customers.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- How certain am I about my legal and/or moral obligations on dealing with protected individuals?
- Am I guilty of stereotyping individuals?