Why is equal opportunities policy important

Companies generally don't adopt EEO policies for the sole purpose of improving their reputation as industry leaders, but an EEO policy can affect the company's imprint based on its actions as they relate to corporate social responsibility.

Ruth Mayhew has been writing since the mids, and she has been an HR subject matter expert since Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry," and she has been cited in numerous publications, including journals and textbooks that focus on human resources management practices. Ruth resides in the nation's capital, Washington, D.

Share on Facebook. Recruitment Employers that have EEO policies typically are able to attract a more diverse pool of qualified applicants.

Workplace Conflict There may be fewer incidents of workplace conflict when an organization stands firm on its EEO policies and enforces guidelines for fair treatment in the workplace. Risk Management Fewer incidents of workplace conflict and fair employment practices mitigate the risk of formal complaints and litigation based on allegations of discriminatory treatment in hiring and employment practices. Morale EEO policies illustrate an organization's commitment to doing the right thing.

Reputation Organizations with EEO policies tend to be well regarded in their industries. The Commission has drafted a model Joint Declaration of Protection word doc. You may use this when drafting your own declaration and are free to make appropriate amendments to suit your own particular needs. An Equality Plan provides employers with a practical and manageable framework for coordinating all aspects of equality work undertaken within their organisation.

It can help when developing policies and procedures, reviewing working practices and when carrying out risk assessments. Read more about Equality Plans.

It is important to remember that being an equal opportunities employer is a process, not a one-off event, and it needs continuous commitment and work if it is to succeed.

How to become an Equal Opportunities Employer in 12 easy steps: 1. Declare that you are an equal opportunities employer and adopt employment policies which show your commitment to that principle see our Model Policies page.

Introduce an anti harassment and bullying policy and seek to promote a good and harmonious working environment. Recognise that some people have disabilities and that they may be disadvantaged by your policies, practices and procedures or by the physical features of your premises and commit to making reasonable adjustments to remove or minimise those disadvantages.

Ensure that your recruitment and selection procedures are fair and are founded on the principle of objectively selecting the best person for the job. Ensure that employment policies, practices and procedures reflect your commitment to equality. For example, working patterns should allow flexibility for those who have caring responsibilities and those with disabilities. Deal promptly and seriously with any complaints of discrimination and harassment or bullying that you may receive.

Lead by good example. Show that you take the commitments outlined in your equal opportunity policies seriously by consistently applying them yourself. This should be done not merely by yourself and your senior managers but by all your line managers. Seek the support of your workforce and their trade union representatives, in your efforts to promote equal opportunities.

This can make it easier to implement your policies in practice. Get your message across. Inform your managers and employees about how you expect them to behave and about the importance of complying with your employment policies. The Equality Act was introduced in the UK to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equal opportunities and promote good relations between people. The Act makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate against workers and puts an onus on businesses to prohibit prejudicial behaviour and make adjustments so that everyone has access to the same opportunities.

All workplaces must comply with the Act and must be seen to be actively promoting equality and diversity amongst employees. This means that you cannot discriminate against a person based on any of these particular traits. Take a look at the list of protected characteristics below and consider which of them apply to you and your colleagues:. Try this: test your knowledge of equality and diversity law with our quick quiz.

People should expect their workplace to be diverse and offer equal opportunities for everyone. But why is it so important that you include diversity in the core plan for your business?

Diversity helps you to develop. Diversity is changing the face of businesses. In the UK, the working population is aging and there is a rapidly increasing amount of women and ethnic minorities entering the workforce.

It aims to help you promote a fairer, more tolerant and more diverse working environment. Diversity helps you to reach more customers. Does your workforce reflect your customers and clients? Does the workforce match up with the demographic that you serve? Workplace diversity means that your staff members can relate to every one of your customers. If you have a range of people with a range of opinions then it makes it much easier to target a wider range of clients.

Diversity attracts workers. When building a diverse workforce you should look to hire people of different genders, ages and races etc.