Diversity Report Template V1

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ABSTRACT

This document aims to review the various policies on diversity and inclusion set by Salford Business Centre.

It provides a detailed evaluation on the context of how the institution upholds its value of accommodating

diversity and equipping the workplace features to the best of their ability to feature as a model area of work.

It also provides as to how the aspects of diversity and inclusion can benefit both the workspace as well as the

employees within. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive approach as to what additions and deductions

can be made in accordance to the established policies that makes the entirety of the diversity policy better.
Table of contents

1. Introduction.......................................................................................................3

2. Legislation.........................................................................................................3

2.1 Relevant legislation.................................................................................3

2.2 Key features of legislation.......................................................................3

2.3 Protected attributes..................................................................................3

3. Discrimination...................................................................................................3

3.1 Direct discrimination...............................................................................3

3.2 Indirect discrimination.............................................................................3

3.3 Adverse actions........................................................................................3

3.4 Allowable discrimination.........................................................................3

4. Age-based diversity...........................................................................................3

5. Gender diversity................................................................................................4

6. Parental support.................................................................................................4

7. Work/life balance..............................................................................................4

8. LGBTI community............................................................................................4

9. Disability...........................................................................................................4

10. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples..................................................5

11. Diversity strategies............................................................................................5

12. Bullying and harassment...................................................................................5

13.1 Definitions...............................................................................................5
 12.2 Grievance procedure................................................................................5

13. Recruitment and selection.................................................................................5

13.1 Recruiting employees..............................................................................5

13.2 Selecting employees................................................................................5

14. Training needs...................................................................................................6

15. Promoting diversity...........................................................................................6

15.1 Promoting diversity to staff.....................................................................6

15.2 Promoting diversity externally................................................................6

16. Conclusion.........................................................................................................6

17. Reference list.....................................................................................................6

18. Appendices........................................................................................................6
 1. Introduction

Diversity in a workforce translates to including staff members from differential aspects in relation

to caste, ethnicity, gender, experience, qualifications and many more. It is integrated into all major

organisations today as the inclusiveness factor in diversity is beneficial in terms of productivity and

competitiveness. Diversity in a professional front can be attributed towards an increase in creativity from

the employees, better decision making process, higher profit margin due to better productivity and

employee satisfaction. Apart from beneficial to the organisation, it is also an important aspect for the

employees as they get to widen their personal and professional experience as well as expand their

knowledge base. Diversity has also been termed as a major factor towards employee acceptance that

results in healthier working environment and significantly contributes towards employee retention.

Therefore the main purpose of this report is to review the workplace diversity policy of Salford College

and accordingly assess how the same impacts the workforce.

2. Legislation

The Salford College and Business Centre ensures that the policies stand well within the rights and

governance of the proposed legislation.

2.1 Relevant legislation

In the continent of Australia, it is considered illegal to conduct discriminatory action in the workplace

and the main legislation that overlooks the same is Equal Opportunity Act of 1984 along with the Racial

Vilification Act 1996. In terms of federal legislation, the workforce is also protected by Australian Human

Rights Commission Act 1986, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Australian Human Rights Commission

Act1986, the Age Discrimination Act 2004, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Sex Discrimination Act

1984 and the Fair Work Act 2004 (Arc.gov.au,2021).  

2.2 Key features of legislation

The key features of the legislation are as follows:

equally and discriminatory acts are liable to punishment.

 Racial Vilification Act of 1996: This particular legislation terms any act illegal that is intended to

instigate hate, vilification or ridicule of any group or race.

 Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986: This legislation protects the rights of the Australian

workforce and resolves complaints in terms of breaches and issues.

 Racial Discrimination Act 1975: This is both governed by the state and federal legislation and states that

the discrimination of the employees by the employers on the grounds of race is considered a federal

offence (Arc.gov.au,2021)..

 Age Discrimination Act 2004: This act terms that in a workplace it is against the law for an individual to

be discriminated on the grounds of age.

 Disability Discrimination Act 1992: This act terms that it is unlawful to discriminate disabled workforce

and can lead to lawful litigation upon doing so (Arc.gov.au,2021)..

 Sex Discrimination Act 1984: This act states that in a workforce it is unlawful to discriminate individuals

on the basis of sex and gender. Excluding them from work programs due to such bias may account for a

legal action.

 Fair Work Act 2004: This act protects the employee’s interests on all grounds and empowers them to free

themselves of discriminatory acts (Arc.gov.au,2021).

2.3 Protected attributes

Protected attributes is a term used for those specific traits and qualities which states that discrimination

on such grounds are not acceptable. It includes grounds such as age, gender, sex, disability, sexual

orientation, gender identity, employment and education.

.
3. Discrimination

The term discrimination can be defined as providing unjust and unfair treatment to an individual or a

section of people on the basis especially on the basis of caste, creed, gender, disability and ethnicity. In

regards to such aspects, Salford College has a very strict policy which might weigh heavily on the accused.

The institution fully omits itself towards following its non-discriminatory policy and assessing people purely

based on the merits of their task and behaviour.

3.1 Direct discrimination

Direct discrimination can be explained as an individual or a group being prejudiced by an individual

on the grounds of the former belonging to a certain gender, tribe, disabled or a section of the society

(Thomsen,2017). For instance, if in a workplace, a “woman” is due for a promotion due to exemplary work

but the same is offered to a much less qualified “man” than the same comes under direct discrimination on

the grounds of gender.

3.2 Indirect discrimination

Indirect discrimination occurs when a company’s policies and conditions are devised in such a way

that put a certain section or an individual at a disadvantage (Yu,2019). Additionally, not following the

company policy due ti that disadvantageous aspect may reflect poorly on the employees and can affect their

position in the workplace. For example, if a company brings about a new change in the policy saying that

each and every employee has to stay late until a certain target is completed then this may put new mothers

and familial people at a gross disadvantage. This may affect their children as well as their families but not

abiding by the same may not be acceptable at the office.

3.3 Adverse actions

Adverse actions is a form of discrimination exercised by the employer or by someone in a senior

position where the employee faces hurt or injury, direct discrimination, unlawful termination, position

deduction and uninvited attention. For instance, employee A is a hardworking and an honest employee but

however in an event, she had an argument over a certain task with her boss. Following that incident, the boss
tries to undermine employee A’s work on numerous occasion just to satisfy his hurt ego from the last

argument. The same will surely affect A’s performance report as well as her mental health.

3.4 Allowable discrimination

It is indeed a known fact that discrimination is a factor that falls into the negative category however

there are certain aspects of the same which can be considered as allowable or positive discrimination. Such a

form of discrimination is done so that the weaker and the minorities get an equal chance. In Salford too the

same is done to provide some assistance to employees with disabilities and difficulties as ramps are provided

for ease of access in case of wheelchair users, extended breaks and user friendly equipment is also provided

for the needful. Similarly parents with kids can also opt for part time work facilities.

3. Age-based diversity

Salford embraces age diversity policy and ensures that each of its age workforces is well accommodated

in accordance to their age. It has policies set in place to make the older as well as the younger age set:

 Salford provides age based training so that the older population can have guided training in newer

technological aspects.

 It reviews employee performance and accordingly relaxations are provided.

 Age aware HR policies and provisions are formulated

The same can be improved to an extent if monetary benefits are also provided to the older workforce in

terms of their experience and expertise.

4. Gender diversity

The Salford College and Business Centre has an all inclusive gender policy which ensures that the

entirety of the workforce is accommodated well and no form of discrimination is allowed on grounds of

gender.

The policy encompasses the following:

gender

 All programs are duly partaken on the basis of gender equality.

 Women after childbirth are provided some amount of relaxation

 The same is also extended on the paternal side

 Family friendly policies are framed

Some additional measures such as equal pay, leadership roles and policies against work life balance can be

added to improve the gender diversity policy.

6. Parental support

Salford ensures that parents are well covered within their policy and prepare flexible work patterns to

accommodate their family lives. In matters such as that, Salford has laid down policies that enable them a bit

of a relaxation in their roles:

 Part time workings can be arranged for parents returning to work after child-birth as the same is provided

on familial grounds.

 Provisions of paid parental leave is available and for that to be availed the concerned department head

and this particular feature which is critical to the parental workforce is a step towards accommodating the

best of diversity

 Provisions of unpaid parental leave is also available which is an optional choice for many

 Childcare provisions can be availed from the management so that an employee can focus his attention on

the work at hand

 Breast feeding support to new mothers is also provided by the institution which empowers the women

workforce and enhances their work performance.

 It is also to be noted that Salford does not inflict any wage penalty on women returning to work after a

child-birth.
7. Work/life balance

Salford understands the importance of having a perfect balance between work life and therefore it allows

its employees to have a balanced work/life balance.

 Provision for holidays are present

 Flexible shift timings can be arranged

 Parental policies also contribute towards balancing work and personal life.

 Day-care for children is also incorporated

Three strategies that can be implemented to improve work/life balance in Salford are:

 Provisions for half days can be provided

 Extended holiday leaves can be availed

 Early reliving of work can be sanctioned on some days

8. LGBTI community

Salford has dictated in its policy that it seeks to welcome and incorporate all forms of sexual

orientation and this encompasses the LGBTQI community. It tolerates no form of discrimination over such

categories and strict legal actions can be taken against those who go against the rules. It treats them with the

same amount of respect as it would any other individual of conventional sexual orientation.

The policy in regards to the same can be improved by incorporation of the following:

 Adoption assistance in regards to same sex couples (Elias et al.,2018)

 Benefits for sexual reassignment surgery

 The organisation’s LGBTQI policies should be well laid during the interview process for the members to

feel more welcome

9. Disability

As Salford believes in a diverse workforce, disable people also adds towards the diversity quotient of the

institution and therefore they do their best to accommodate the disabled population into their team.
 They provide them with the right tools and assistance to make their task easier

 Accessibility options are provided for their ease of navigation

Further, the same could be improved by incorporation of the below mentioned strategies:

 Skills training should be provided

 Team tasks should be allotted

 Multimodal learning should be encouraged

10. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Salford has special provisions of inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples so that they

too find it convenient to work in a place where their heritage is valued and non-discriminatory aspects are

followed. In order to accommodate the indigenous diversity, the institution has the following provisions in

place:

 Reservations are present to accommodate the said diversity

 Culturally appropriate work culture is followed

 Training programs on cultural diversity are also incorporated to make them feel welcome.

Additionally, the following programs can be used to make the inclusion better:

 In the workplace, cultural programs highlighting their traditions can be conducted so that their heritage is

highlighted and known by other co-workers

 Leaves can be granted on their special occasions

11. Diversity strategies

Diversity strategies are norms and policies drafted by the companies, firms and institutions so that all the

employees working in the said institution gets a fair treatment and does not fall as a victim to bias and

discrimination. Therefore strategies such as that are extremely important to be incorporated and these

include:

 Diversity training
 Incorporation of cultural events and

 Usage of inclusive language in the workplace

12. Bullying and harassment

Bullying and harassment are two of the negative aspects that should be avoided in a workplace at all

costs as it costs heavily in men, material and ethical aspects.

13.1 Definitions

Bullying in a workplace is a form of oppression from an individual towards another as it includes

coercing the employee into doing something out of his expertise and job profile or just pelting the same with

uninvited actions (McCormack et al, 2018). Similarly, sexual harassment is characterised by actions such as

unwelcome touch or unwelcome gestures from one individual towards the other. Such actions are not

tolerated by Salford College and may result in the accused having to suffer lawful litigation. Additionally,

employees who face such instances may find the below mentioned links to follow through for immediate

guidance and support:

[email protected].

12.1.1 Bullying

Salford does not entertain any form of bullying and the accused will be dealt with the most strict of

measures if found guilty of the same.

12.1.2 Sexual harassment

A crime as heinous as sexual harassment dealt with the utmost amount of severity in an institution as

prestigious as the Salford.

12.2 Grievance procedure

The current grievance procedure follows a three step system which includes defining the problem to

oneself and assessing it as to whether the same can be solved without expert involvement. If the assessment

is regarded as negative, then the same can be reported to the HR from where on suitable action will be taken.
The figurative chart can be found in Appendix 1. The same can be improved if the first two process of

reflection was to be eradicated so that a complaint is directly registered to the HR.

13. Recruitment and selection

In terms of recruitment and selection, Salford ensures that a wide variety of diversity is incorporated.

The institution offers two scholarship programs which cater towards young women and Aboriginal and

Torres Islanders.

13.1 Recruiting employees

Salford ensures that it meets a wide range of accommodating qualities while recruiting the employees

and diversity for the same can be met by opening positions which demands diversity based positions,

targeted scholarships and internships can be met, diverse referrals should be rewarded and unbiased

recruitment training should be provided for recruiters.

13.2 Selecting employees

In order to prevent discrimination and bias in the selection process the following strategies can be put to

use:

 A diverse group of interviewing board can be set for the process.

 Candidates should be chosen on meritorious basis

 Wide advertisement should be done

 Unconscious bias should be avoided at all costs

14. Training needs

In today’s time career progression is of the utmost importance and therefore it is crucial for the

management to offer various training programs and opportunities to learn and develop new skills. In a

diverse workplace as Salford, diversity training is of the utmost importance to uphold its core value of
inclusiveness. Along with that, training on age discrimination can also be carried out so that the employees

feel sensitive towards one another and do not express discriminatory actions. Mentoring system is also an

integral part of Salford and training on the same could prove to be beneficial in the area. It is also vital to

acknowledge that equal opportunity to everyone must be provided in terms of training.

Training Needs

Older Age Group Technological aspects training

15. Promoting diversity

Diversity promotion should be aptly carried out among the staff members so that it is embraced by

them and the same does not pose as a hindrance in productivity.

15.1 Promoting diversity to staff

The following strategies can be used to promote diversity among the staff:

 Collective workplace activities could be introduced.

 Diverse work teams should be created

 Personal evaluation of all should be exercised

 Questions and feedbacks should be encouraged

 Multiple religious and cultural aspects should be honoured and respected

 Employee’s voice should be heard

15.2 Promoting diversity externally

External diversity can be promoted through forums such as HR Inclusion forum and Telstra diversity

forum. The implementation of such forums can reflect very well on the Salford College diversity.
16. Conclusion

In summation, it is safe to say that Salford College has provided more than adequate policies to

accommodate diversity and doing so have helped greatly in employee satisfaction and employee retention.

The institution has placed amicable policies to ensure the smooth blending in of diversities and for the areas

that are a bit behind, apt suggestions have been placed. The policy on diversity ensures that all the

workplace groups are well taken care of and no hindrances come in the way of productivity. Additionally, it

also acts as a guide to what is to be done in case the same is not followed. Further, the report also educates

its readers as to the importance of diversity and how the same can be maintained and enhanced by strategies

such as cultural training, diversity training, workplace programs and inclusive decision making.

17. Reference list

Arc.gov.au,2021. Workplace Diversity Program. Australian Research Council.

Elias, N. M., Johnson, R. L., Ovando, D., & Ramirez, J. (2018). Improving transgender policy for a more

equitable workplace. Journal of Public Management & Social Policy, 24(2), The-purpose.

McCormack, D., Djurkovic, N., Nsubuga-Kyobe, A., & Casimir, G. (2018). Workplace bullying. Employee

Relations.

Retrieved from https://www.arc.gov.au/policies-strategies/policy/workplace-diversity-

program#:~:text=The%20following%20Commonwealth%20Acts%20provide,Equal%20Opportunity

%20Commission%20Act%201986

Sargeant, M. (2016). Age discrimination in employment. CRC Press.

Smith, Tim,2018. Salford Diversity Policy. Salford College and Business Centre.

Thomsen, F. K. (2017). Direct discrimination. The Routledge Handbook of the Ethics of Discrimination.

Yu, A. (2019). Direct discrimination and indirect discrimination: A distinction with a difference. WJ Legal

Stud., 9, 1.
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18. Appendix 1