Windrush anniversary marks celebration of diversity and inclusivity
This year will mark 73 years since the SS Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex carrying the first Caribbean migrants to the UK to help rebuild Britain after the Second World War.
As the UK marked the fourth Windrush Day on June 22, it’s worth reflecting on many of the problems new arrivals faced, particularly race discrimination in the workplace.
But the arrivals opened a pathway for Commonwealth migrants to join the workforce over the next decades and offered new perspectives to inspire colleagues to see the workplace – and the world – through a different lens.
Developing innovation and creativity
A rich and diverse ethnicity within the workplace can have many beneficial effects. Diversity of thought has been shown to drive creativity and inspire innovation.
Every person, regardless of ethnicity or background, should be able to fulfil their potential at work. Employers who support equal progression and participation in the workplace, across ethnicities and cultures, will grow their talent pool and address skill shortages in the process.
For example, it has been reported that cosmetics giant L’Oréal attributes much of its success in emerging markets to its multicultural product development teams.
Race discrimination can be found with:
Direct discrimination: This happens when a person is treated less favourably on the grounds of their race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origin. and the comparator may be a specific or hypothetical individual.
Indirect discrimination: This is where a practice applies to all, but puts one particular group at more of a disadvantage.
Harassment: A person suffers in an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Victimisation: This is where someone is targeted because they have made a complaint about discrimination in the workplace.
It’s vitally important that employers and HR departments that discrimination of any form is not tolerated, while at the same time equality, diversity and inclusion can help:
- Make it more successful
- Keep employees happy and motivated
- Prevent serious or legal issues arising, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination
- Better serve a diverse range of customers
- Improve ideas and problem-solving
- Attract and keep good staff
Inclusion
An inclusive workplace means everyone feels valued at work. It lets all employees feel safe to come up with different ideas, raise issues and suggestions to managers, knowing this is encouraged and attempting to do things differently, with management approval.
Diversity
Diversity covers the range of people within the workforce, whether people of different ages, gender, different religions and ethnicities and disabilities.
To avoid bullying, harassment or discrimination, businesses should make sure:
- Managers and the workforce in general understand what is protected by discrimination law
- You make sure that is happening in your workplace
- You take action if that is not happening with training and mentoring.
For help and advice on diversity in the workplace and matters relating to employment law, contact our expert team at AGS HR Solutions today to discuss your requirements.
