Equality Law

Introduction

An understanding of the Equality Act 2010 is key to both optimising equality and inclusivity for all your employees and to saving your organisation from disputes resulting in the payout of unlimited compensation. Employers must ensure their diversity and inclusion policies are up-to-date with the provisions of the Act and they must understand their obligations towards employees with protected characteristics.

The programme content can be adapted to meet your specific organisational challenges and training needs. The course runs for approximately 6.5 hours and can be adapted for a briefing or half-day session.

This training programme will provide your organisation with effective strategies to improve workforce diversity and will demonstrate how diversity and inclusion policies should look.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the programme you will:

• Understand the implications of breaching the Equality Act
• Be aware of how to overcome underrepresentation in the workforce
• Have a sound understanding of current terminology, especially that which could be construed as offensive

Course Overview

Why equality matters to your business - how promoting a culture of acceptance, support and inclusivity can profit your company; how diverse environments help employees maximise their potential; is the cost-of-living crisis an exacerbator of inequality or opportunity; can we begin again post-Covid with new attitudes, roles and skills.

Tackling the grass-roots problems – Is ‘unconscious bias’ just a convenient excuse; challenging preconceptions about colleagues; tackling bias around stereotypes; correcting underrepresentation in the workplace.

Understanding offensive behaviours - the difference between direct and indirect discrimination; the difference between bullying and harassment; what exactly is victimisation; office banter or microaggression; terminology: what could be construed as offensive.

Legal implications for your organisation - the key points of the Equality Act 2010; do you understand the term ‘protected characteristics’; do you understand the term ‘dual discrimination’; are there any provisions of the Equality Act which have not yet been implemented; what if you breach the terms of the Act?; ‘Injury to feelings’ and ‘loss of earnings’: your organisation may be liable for unlimited compensation; what is the Human Rights Commission’s role in enforcing the Act?

Practical workplace strategies to improve equality in the workplace - creating a diverse workforce; ensuring inclusivity in remote working; building inclusivity through shared purpose; optimising equality for all employees; how to achieve fair representation and opportunity for all employees; how to begin difficult conversations.

Make an in-house enquiry 

Click here to fill in our enquiry form or to have a confidential discussion about your requirements, please contact Catherine Ouston our Head of In-house Training on 01983 861133 or email Teamtraining@bfi.co.uk