No men here?!?
There are currently nine protected characteristics as recognised in UK employment law. They are all equally valid and they are all protected in the same way. However, recently I have received a number of negative comments on social media for the makeup of my team.
People appear to have an issue with the fact that I currently have an all female team.
The business has been running for 17 years and in that time I have employed 6 men. The fact that I have no men in the current team should not be commented upon.
Diversity in the workplace can be achieved in many ways, through employing people with any of the protected characteristics, not just based on their gender.
The age of the team ranges from 21 – 6x (you don’t really expect me to give away a ladies age do you?).
Several of the team have medical issues which includes both hidden and visible disabilities.
The marital status of the team includes those not in a relationship, to those who are married, and those who are divorced.
There is a range of Nationalities including English, Spanish, Italian and Turkish.
There is a range of first languages and a range of religions including those with no religious beliefs or affiliations.
There are those of us with kids of all ages including grandchildren.
My business is not a box ticking business and yours should not be either.
Diversity is not just about the male vs female count around the table. People should be recruited for their talents and ability to do the job in the way the business owner wants it done. Cultural fit is important, but that does not depend on what gender the person you hire identifies as.
Diversity has a depth and richness to it.
Diversity has opportunity and creativity.
Diversity can bring conflict and challenges, but so can every single relationship.
A more diverse workforce can help avoid group think, can challenge assumptions and really help drive a business forward.
What do you need to do today to increase diversity in your workplace?
Rosh Hashannah
Like most of my weekly emails, today’s email was written at the weekend.
I’m not in the office today as it is Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year.
To those of you celebrating, the team and I wish you a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year and a good and meaningful fast next week.
For those of you employing Jewish staff, make sure that they feel included and encouraged (if they wish to do so) to share their traditions and food. If you have never had honey cake, you are missing out!!!
Like so many religions, food plays a really important role.
One way to enable everyone to come together (and enjoy that diversity I spoke of above) is to encourage people to bring in their favourite food and have a team lunch. Beware of allergies and religious restrictions, but encourage everyone to get involved, and ‘break bread’ together.
October Legal Update
Two keys bits of legislation for you to be aware of this month:
- The requirement for employers to ensure that all tips, gratuities and service charges are allocated fairly and transparently between the staff.
- The implementation of the Worker Protection Act which puts a legal obligation on all employers to PREVENT sexual harassment in their workplace before it even starts.
The first of these applies primarily to the hospitality industry, but the latter applies to every single workplace, even where there is only one employee.
I have been training on this topic since 2018 and although there was a minor change just before the law was confirmed in October 2023, we think Labour will amend this further to include all 3rd party sexual harassment as well.
This month also sees the release of more information in relation to Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill 2024. We know what they have said they want to do in the first 100 days, but there are unlikely to be any overnight implementations. That said, with the Unions breathing down their necks, be assured that things are about to become much tougher for employers of all sizes.
Contracts and handbooks will need to be updated as the biggest change to employment law in a generation has been touted.
We will of course keep you updated.
Until next week, have a great week
Donna
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