Managing Diversity and Equal Opportunities:
Description:
Managing Diversity and Equal Opportunities
The scenario:
The employee relations data of a large NHS Trust identified that their Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff along with women at certain grades were having a hard time getting through the internal interview processes to progress within the Trust.
The data also found that BAME staff did not get annual appraisals as much as white staff (even though appraisals are mandatory for all staff).
The Trust has a global reputation for its clinical excellence but there is disquiet on the Board that the senior roles (both clinician and non-clinician) are not representative. There is a sense that they are not tapping in to the diverse talents within the Trust.
As a public body the Trust has duties to eliminate discrimination and to promote equality and good relations between groups. The Board is keen that the equality principles are translated into practice throughout the Trust. They not only want to comply with the law but they want the Trust to be seen as a beacon of best practice in the NHS promoting equal opportunities for all.
The Assignment Task:
You are the HR Manager of the Trust. The HR Director of the Trust has tasked you to produce a report to address each area of the employee relations data that has been identified as an area of concern. Those areas are:
• The internal interview processes
• BAME annual appraisals
You will need to suggest possible solutions on how the Trust can tackle these areas within a five year time scale.
The HR Director is clear that your report should not only show how the Trust will comply with the legislation but how it intends to bring about change that utilizes
the potential strengths and talents of BAME and women staff that are being over looked within the Trust.
As the HR Manager you are well aware that Human Capital Theory tells you that it is important to focus on what people can do rather than who they are. Indeed you are reminded that, “discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, or any other marker is poor business regardless of one’s moral view “Gary Becker (1975) Human Capital: a theoretical & empirical analysis. Columbia University, New York.
GUIDANCE:
1. The 2000 word report should be in a business report format:
Executive Summary Introduction
Assignment discussion areas:
• Internal interview processes & appraisal Conclusions Recommendations
2. In your introduction, you should give a brief explanation of discrimination, equality, equal opportunity & diversity. This should be supported with relevant theoretical references. You should include the history of equality and diversity and consider the EU legislation alongside UK law and how this has led to changes in employment rights that may be relevant to the assignment.
3. In the assignment discussion areas: internal interview processes and appraisals you should critical evaluate inequality and discrimination and consider the Trusts’ aspirational aim to be a beacon of best practice in terms of equal opportunities within the NHS.
4. Within the assignment discussion areas. Your critical analysis should at least include the Equality Act 2010, Equality Scheme and Positive Action provision. In addition to providing the relevant acts it is important to consider the practical aspects of implementing best practice. Ensuring that your discussion acknowledges the limitations of implementing legislation.
5. You should use relevant theory to support your analysis, referring to any models of practice where appropriate. This should be properly referenced using Harvard referencing format.
6. You should identify the key conclusions from your analysis on each of the themes- internal interview processes and appraisals.