As rhetoric hardens in the political and media spheres, there is an unsurprising increase in the number of workers who are facing discrimination or microaggressions based on their protected characteristics.
It is the duty of HR teams to take a proactive approach to combatting insensitivity in the workplace to ensure that workplace culture remains inclusive and approachable for all members of society.
As such, it is important to understand the scale of the problem and how it can be addressed.
What is causing a rise in discrimination?
While the negative experiences in the workplace can be traced to broader societal issues around inclusivity, it seems notable that workplaces approach Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in a variety of different ways.
Some organisations lead the way with codifying DEI best practices and ensuring that the workplace is a safe professional environment where all can succeed on a meritocratic basis.
Meanwhile, there are far too many businesses that either neglect DEI entirely or are content to leave employees to individually work through training videos with little awareness of how much content is being absorbed.
This has resulted in an increase in claims made to the Employment Tribunal, where issues of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination make up more than a quarter of claims.
Where businesses see DEI initiatives as compliance checklists, it is little wonder that employees end up suffering.
How can HR teams improve DEI practices?
The Equality Act 2010 defines the following as the nine protected characteristics:
It is not legally permissible to discriminate against someone based on any of these characteristics, save for very specific circumstances where it is related to the work conducted.
As such, HR teams should be aware of whether employees have any of the protected characteristics, but also ensure that the work environment is conducive to supporting equality.
What might seem like harmless jokes or banter could be examples of microaggressions if they involve disparaging someone, real or imagined, based on a protected characteristic.
HR teams should endeavour to communicate effectively with all employees and management that dignity, confidentiality and respect must be maintained regarding protected characteristics at all times.
It may be necessary for HR teams to seek external support and guidance when ensuring workplace cultures are adapted to be more inclusive and they should feel confident challenging anyone, regardless of seniority, about inappropriate behaviour or comments.
DEI initiatives ultimately benefit companies as they allow a more diverse range of staff to engage in business practices and share unique insights and perspectives.
As such, HR teams need to foster an inclusive environment to ensure that your business does not end up facing a claim from the Employment Tribunal for discrimination.
