Management Skills: Managing Diversity at Work

Course Overview

Claims involving discrimination, harassment and bullying are escalating in both scale and number. This workshop examines the legal case for diversity and clearly explains the applicable legal definitions.

Responsibilities and liabilities of the organisation as a whole and of the individual are highlighted. It also covers the compelling business cases. This workshop is interactive and participative. Extensive use is made of real cases.

Given the number of high profile cases, the fact that compensation in this area is unlimited and that we have even more legislation now (sexual orientation, religion and belief as well as age) all employers need to be aware of what the law is in practical terms and how to move towards the elimination of discrimination in the workplace.

The programme will include an overview of the law, and some sample policies (covering equality as well as complaint management). Will look at actions to be taken during recruitment and selection to get the best candidate lawfully and consider the merits of competency based interviewing. Detail how to deal with complaints from receipt through to investigation and hearings and what happens at an Employment Tribunal if it gets this far. It will cover all forms of discrimination including sex, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, equal pay, disability, age, TU membership, offenders, part-time and fixed-term workers etc and will consider all stages of the employment lifecycle from recruitment through to termination.

This one-day workshop will assist you in understanding what diversity is and how best to manage diverse groups of staff. An ideal programme for HR as well as line managers.

Audience

• Supervisors
• Managers
• HR or personnel
• Those running small to medium sized businesses

Skills Gained

Attending this course will give you:

• A reduced risk of claims against the organisation relating to diversity issues
• Clear evidence to encourage the commitment of any organisation to diversity issues
• An understanding of your own personal liability in claims of discrimination, harassment and bullying
• An understanding of the strong business case for taking diversity seriously
• Important and practical knowledge of essential employment law in the discrimination area that every people manager should know
• An understanding of how to practically incorporate such obligations into the way you manage your people and HR processes at work
• Improved knowledge of discrimination and diversity definitions

Course Outline

Introduction

• The day, the trainer and the delegates
• What is diversity as opposed to equal opportunity and why can the issues that arise not be ignored
• What is the legal vs the business case
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of a diverse workforce

An overview of the law, including

• Basic rights for all employees
• Discrimination legislation and its application
• Definitions i.e. direct v indirect discrimination, harassement, bullying, victimisation, positive action, post employment discrimination etc.
• Differences and similarities between the legislation
• Race, sex, religion and belief, sexual orientation, age discrimination
• Other forms of discrimination at work i.e. trade union related, criminal convictions and a-typical workers such as fixed-term and part-time workers
• The concept of equal pay
• Understanding disability issues

Understanding prejudice and stereotyping

• What are they?
• How are they linked
• How can they be avoided
• What organisations can do to promoting an inclusive culture

Managing recruitment and selection lawfully

• From advertisement through to short listing and offers of employment
• Essential paperwork and records
• How to avoid direct and indirect discrimination
• Interviewing
• Referencing

Complaint management

• The essential steps
• Sample policy and procedure
• Key issues to be aware of
• Managing grievances at work - the statutory processes now required
• Best practice investigations

What happens if we end up with a claim?

• How does the tribunal work?
• How would I defend a claim?
• How much could someone win?
• Who is liable?

Identify diversity issues in your organisation that need to be addressed

• Are we diverse and inclusive?
• Are there under represented areas?
• Is discrimiantion and diversity at work an area we educate staff in?
• Action planning for the future?
• Implementing diversity in your work place
• Planning your key next steps

Management Skills: Managing Diversity at Work / CM028617