February is recognised within the UK as LGBT+ History Month. This coincides with the abolition of Section 28 in 2005, which formerly stated that local authorities weren't allowed to 'intentionally promote homosexuality'.
To align with such a historically important month, we’re taking a look into how you can promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within your organisation. And by doing so, how you can create a work culture where individuals feel safe, protected and have a sense of belonging, so they’re empowered to reach their full potential - ultimately benefiting your workplace and your employees.
So, what are the 9 protected characteristics?
Within the UK, the Equality Act 2010 provides legal protection for nine protected characteristics, which means it’s against the law to discriminate anyone because of:
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Age
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Gender reassignment
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Being married or in a civil partnership
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Being pregnant or on maternity leave
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Disability
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Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)
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Religion or belief
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Sex
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Sexual orientation
That being said, an effective EDI strategy should go beyond legal compliance and take a proactive approach to EDI, which will add value to your organisation and contribute to the wellbeing and equality of your employees. By fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, businesses can benefit from a wider range of perspectives, ideas and experiences.
Here are our five essential tips to promote diversity in the workplace:
1. Rethink the recruitment process
To create a diverse workforce, it is crucial to review your current recruitment process. This includes ensuring that job descriptions use inclusive language to attract a broad range of applicants. Additionally, expanding the network of recruitment sources to include organisations that focus on minority groups can help increase diversity.
2. Create an inclusive culture
Building an inclusive culture is essential for supporting diversity. Encourage open dialogue, respect for differences, and active listening among employees. Implement diversity and inclusion training programs that educate employees about unconscious biases and provide them with tools to mitigate these biases in decision-making processes. Why not set up a ‘diversity committee’, with representatives from different departments?
3. Create diverse teams
Diversity should extend to all levels of the organisation. By deliberately forming diverse teams with people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders, companies can promote innovation and creativity. Diverse teams bring varied insights and perspectives, leading to more well-rounded decision-making. If you’re currently planning for 2024 and beyond, why not add this to your briefing notes for your senior leadership teams?
4. Offer mentoring or sponsorship programs
To support the growth and development of underrepresented employees, establish mentoring or sponsorship programs. These programs can help individuals navigate the organisation, provide guidance and create opportunities for advancement.
5. Promote diversity in leadership roles
Building a diverse leadership team is a powerful way to demonstrate a commitment to diversity. Encourage underrepresented employees to pursue leadership roles and actively provide them with opportunities to gain leadership experience. By having diverse leaders at the top, organisations send a strong message about the value they place on EDI!
In Summary…
Promoting diversity in the workplace goes beyond mere compliance with legal or ethical requirements. Embracing diversity as an organisational value can lead to a more innovative, creative and successful company.
By implementing these five top tips, you can attract and retain top talent from diverse backgrounds, foster a culture of inclusion and reap the rewards of diversity in the workplace.
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For more advice and information about LGBT+ History Month, visit: https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/
For more advice about EDI, visit: https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/diversity-factsheet/