Courses available:

Diversity in the workplace

The business case for diversity

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Extensive research from the UK and Europe proves the positive link between good diversity practices and business performance. More and more organisations are now embracing diversity not because of legislative pressures but because they understand it’s a business imperative.

Managing equality and diversity within the workplace correctly will result in your organisation being able to:

• better meet the needs of your customers / service users
• improve innovation and motivation amongst staff
• help you to become an ‘employer of choice’
• increase productivity and staff retention rates
• give you ‘competitive advantage’
• prevent legal action being taken against you.

This one day course has been designed to allow everyone in your organisation to understand what ‘equality and diversity’ means in a workplace context and WHY it’s a business necessity.

This course will enable delegates to increase their understanding about the different strands of diversity e.g. gender, religion, age, disability, ethnicity and sexual orientation through engaging discussions and group work as well as explore any misconceptions and prejudices relating to these strands head on. The course will make the link between good diversity practices and workplace harmony through looking at real life ‘case studies’. Delegates will also learn about equalities legislation to help ensure they are aware of their own personal responsibilities to help limit the scope for discrimination cases ever arising.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• understand how equality and diversity can benefit you and your organisation
• understand what a diversity positive organisation looks like
• understand organisational responsibilities
• increase awareness of cultural and religious competence
• recognise and promote best equality practice
• understand equalities legislation and your personal responsibilities.

COURSE CONTENT:

• The concept of equality and diversity
• Equalities Legislation
• Values, attitudes and behaviours
• Understanding stereotypes
• Cultural awareness
• Religious awareness
• Barriers to equality.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
There is something in this course for everyone irrespective of the role you have within your organisation. If you have never had any equality and diversity training before then this is a MUST. If you want to refresh your memory and keep up to date with the latest thinking around equality and diversity then this is a great course to attend. This course is also great for those who just want to feel more confident about what equality and diversity means in a workplace context.

Course leader Gamiel Yafai
Shahzad Hussain

With the growing recognition of the business benefits of good diversity practice in the workplace, the legal ramifications of getting it wrong and the challenges of competing in the open market, this training has been specifically developed for organisations and individuals who want to better understand the links between good diversity practices and business performance.

Getting diversity right within any organisation will improve innovation, help motivate existing employees, improve productivity and create an inclusive working environment which enhances both the employee and customer experience. Getting diversity RIGHT will help you to gain competitive advantage and may be an essential ingredient to ensure your on-going success.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Understand the business case for diversity – gaining competitive advantage
• Understand how diversity policies/ strategies can enhance business performance
• Identify potential threats to the organisation from an equality and diversity perspective
• Increase your understanding of equalities legislation and the financial consequences of getting it wrong
• Explore real life case studies around the business case
• Understand your personal and organisational responsibilities
• Better identify discrimination and its consequences
• Increase awareness of cultural competency.

COURSE CONTENT:
Practical sessions giving an overview of the growing need for organisations to embrace, manage and celebrate diversity in the workplace.

Modules covered:

• Understanding how diversity and equality can benefit you and your organisation
• The business case for diversity
• Understanding what an equal opportunity ‘exemplar’ employer means
• Identifying key areas of inequality within the UK
• Understanding our personal and organisational responsibilities
• Increase awareness of cultural competence
• Being able to recognise and promote best equality practice
• Recruiting a diverse workforce / future workforce
• Developing the employer brand amongst minority groups.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
All managers, including line managers who want to gain a better understanding of diversity and the business case. Those who wish to discover how to add value to their business through their people.

Gamiel Yafai runs Diversity Marketplace, a specialist Diversity and Equality Consultancy which provides innovative practical solutions to mainstreaming Equality and Diversity. Gamiel has worked with the Public Sector for the last 20 years and has been involved in a wide range of Diversity projects which include; sitting on the Diversity Taskforce for NHS Scotland; producing a Good Diversity Practice Reference Guide for the department of Health to promote good practice across the NHS in England and developing a Diversity Champions Network across all Health Boards in Scotland as well as designing bespoke Equality and Diversity training courses to ensure that staff and managers feel safe and secure in their work environment.

Vince Simpson is a Senior Associate of Diversity Marketplace and is an Equality and Diversity specialist. Vince has been supporting organisations to comply with Equalities legislation and mainstream diversity for more than 20 years. During this time Vince has developed an in-depth understanding of the challenges facing organisations from an equalities perspective and has supported organisations with their complex challenges through previous experiences and working as Deputy, then Acting Director of Race Equality Councils. Vince has also been responsible for developing and delivering equality and diversity training for a multitude of organisations.

Shahzad Hussain is a Diversity Director at Diversity Marketplace and has been working in equality and diversity for the last 6 years and specialises in Equality and Diversity Training and research. Shahzad has gained a wealth of knowledge and a unique insight into Equality and Diversity through his involvement in more than 20 Diversity research projects for varied organisations. Through conducting this in-depth research Shahzad is able to better understand the complex challenges that organisations are faced with in relation to Equality and Diversity and is in a position to draw on this experience when working on any equality and diversity related project.

Got a question?

Take a look at our frequently asked questions, call Samantha Zoratto on 020 8334 4525 or email gatehouse@chamberdunn.co.uk