Managing Diversity and Equal Opportunity - Essay Example

?Managing Diversity and Equal Opportunity Introduction It is believed by scholars that “if development is not engendered it is endangered”. All the management strategies and policies adopted in a nation would fail if all the norms are not gender neutral. It has been empirically observed that those nations that exhibit less inequality between men and women have higher income levels than the nations with high gender differences. A country in the modern world can only succeed if men and women work force participation rates are equal. The female literacy and economic empowerment is crucial not only for development but also for the children in the country. It is emphasized in the millennium development goals that child health and literacy levels in a nation show the quality of future population. Thus, at this epoch, management diversity with the provision of equal opportunity is a must to stimulate the economic growth of a country. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 The parliament of United Kingdom had passed another gender related Act in 1975. The name of this Act was Sex Discrimination Act. This Act attempted to eradicate the discriminations on the grounds of sex and marriage in United Kingdom. The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) was established under the regime of this Act in U.K. The major concern of this Act was to create equal opportunities for both men and women in the workplaces. It was believed by the government of U.K., that progress of the nation would be just impossible without the support of gender unbiased features in the economy (NCJRS, 1979). Equal Pay Act 1970 The parliament of United Kingdom (U.K.) in 1970 had established the Equal Pay Act that was related to gender issues in the economy. This Act primarily concentrated in reducing the unequal treatments between genders regarding factors like pay and employment opportunities. The Act was incorporated in the country after five years in 1975. The Act considered the factors like pensions, top wages, and leaves which are allotted equally to both the gender in the workplaces. However, the employers protecting their pay rights under the norms of this Act were supposed to consider that the work done by a competitor (whose salary the employers claims) should be same to the work executed by the employer. This Act made it sure that the salaries of two employees are same when the work load is alike. Differentials in pay would be gender neutral (EEOC, 2013). Case Studies Dr Bhal is an African black woman who lived in United Kingdom since she was 9 years old. This was the phase of time when the government of U.K. was demanding for equal opportunities for both men and women the country. So as a representative of the Commerce and Industry group in 1990, Dr Bhal was elected as one of the members of Council of Law Society in U.K. In 1993, she became the chairman of the EOC (Bailii, 2006). Dr Bhal had adopted active measures to improve the condition of women in U.K. Her work was appreciated by many officials in the U.K.’s government body. However, traces of her arrogance and rude behaviour were reported in 1998. Jean Johnson the director of the Human Resources claimed that Dr Bhal spoke to him very rudely over official calls (Xperthr, n.d.). The Director of Corporate Management also commented that Dr Bhals attitude in the business affairs were not good at all. It was very difficult to comment on the actual reason for such claims; it could take place due to gender discriminations or could also occur because Dr Bhal became egotistical in her attitude. Ultimately the Law Society made Dr Bhal resign on such grounds. Dr Bhal claimed that this was done because the Law Society was gender biased in U.K. and filed a case against the organization in this ground. Dr Bhal’s strong comments to the media claimed that the Law Society had inherent “fossilised bureaucracy” and was “full of champagne-sipping racists”. On one hand, the staffs claimed that Kamlesh Bhal’s attitude was shrewd and unprofessional. On the other hand, Dr Bhal has claimed that alpha males in the Law Society had plotted and manipulated such offences against her because she was a woman enjoying high political and economic powers, of which they were jealous. Genuine Occupational Qualification The genuine occupational qualification (GOQ) is a prerequisite that exists in the U.K. employment discrimination law. When the nature of a job selects one applicant over another only on the basis of gender related factor, then it becomes a concern of GOQ. The Employment Act in 2000 comprises of GOQ as a special case in it. If the employers in an organization discriminate among genders for suiting their job profile on grounds of entertainment, modelling, acting etc. then it becomes a case of GOQ. However, if an organization chooses male or female applicants on the grounds of stamina or strength, then it does not come under the regime of GOQ. There are indeed certain jobs that are more suitable for men because such job profiles require strength (CIPD, 2005). Genuine Occupational Requirements This Genuine Occupational Requirements (GOR) emphasizes that it is illegal on the ground of the employers to discriminate applicants during recruitment procedures without prior notice. If the employers clearly narrate the protected characteristics to be rejected, before recruitments are made, then it would be a case of GOR. At the time of recruitment if the applicants are unaware about the precise job requirements, then that pattern of enlistment is unlawful. Thus, GOR demands that the organizations must always consult with the lawyers before making announcements regarding new job (CIPD, 2005). Decency and Privacy The applicants during recruitment process provide certain confidential information’s to the employers of a company. It is a matter of great concern that personal information’s are not disclosed to others, outside the recruitment board. Decency Recruitments is a team that undertakes certain organizational and technical safeguards to avoid misuse, loss and alteration of the confidential information about the employers. Privacy of the applicants is of pivotal concern of Decency Recruitment body in an organization. The privacy statement in a company explains the method by virtue of which the Decency Recruitments collects and manages the data about employee personal information in a company. Pregnancy and Maternity Provisions in Working Although workplaces in the modern world should be gender impartial in nature, but still special allowances are necessary, when it comes to the female employees at the time of pregnancy. Ethics is one of the key features in business management. Thus, at the time of pregnancy or maternity, women must be allotted with special leaves from work. However, this is not followed in many companies. Often it is found that the sickness of pregnant women is compared to the ailing of a sick man. Women are often not provided paid maternity leaves. Sometimes it is also found that women are dismissed from jobs if they are unable to attend the workplace due to maternal sickness issues. Web v EMO Air Cargo (UK) Ltd (2) was a special labour law introduced long back in 1994 in the Euro Zone nations (NCBI, 1992). This law emphasized to positively discriminate women at the time of pregnancy. It was found that no opposite counter was experienced against such a rule. The law was given such a name because of the underlying case associated with it. Mrs. Stewart was an employee of the EMO Air Cargo Company, she was granted a leave at the time of her pregnancy but when Mrs Webb who replaced her job temporarily dismissed because even she had conceived then the company dismissed Mrs. Webb. Mrs Webb who lost her job, so she filed a case against the company and won it on grounds that concluded that pregnancy discrimination was a type of sex discrimination. The Employment Equality Regulations in 2006 in U.K. prohibits companies to discriminate over workers on grounds of age. This Act recommended to expand the span of employee retirement age from 65 years to at least 70 years and allowed workers to work beyond the retirement age. Thus, the success of a business largely depends on its vision towards gender equality (MLSI, 2011). Reference List Bailii, 2006. England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Decisions. [online] Available at [Accessed 4 September 2013]. CIPD, 2005. Recruitment, Discrimination and Adversity. [pdf] Available at [Accessed 4 September 2013]. EEOC, 2013. The Equal Pay Act of 1963. [online] Available at [Accessed 4 September 2013]. MLSI, 2011. Pregnancy and Equal Treatment in Employment and Vocational Training. [pdf] Available at [Accessed 4 September 2013]. NCBI, 1992. Lending for Health: responses. [pdf] Available at [Accessed 4 September 2013]. NCJRS, 1979. Role of Women in the Police Service - the Effects of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 - a Comparison of Respective Positions. Police Journal. 52(4), pp 336-343. Xperthr, n.d. Bahl v The Law Society and others. [online] Available at [Accessed 4 September 2013]. Read More