Significance of Equality Law in the Workplace

SIGNIFICANCE OF EQUALITY LAW IN THE WORKPLACE
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Introduction
Previous eras, such as the colonisation period and the rise of feminism and globalisation, significantly shaped the current societies, organisations, and countries. Colonisation resulted in smuggling slaves from African and Asian continents into the United States and Europe. For many years, enslaved individuals fought for their freedom and inclusion in the political, economic, and social affairs of the countries they found themselves (Hubbard, 2014). The rise of feminism saw the advocacy of women's rights and the availability of opportunities and equal rights for all genders (Zheng, 2003). On the other hand, globalisation has paved the way for population diversification in organisations and countries (Rowntree, 2017). A diversified population comprises individuals of different sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, political ideologies, genders, and religions. The differences in these aspects result in their classifications as either a superior or a minority. Such categories lead to the discrimination and unfair treatment of the minority and the prioritisation of prominent groups.
Workplaces comprise areas where inequality on the merits of gender, race, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and ethnic status are most prevalent. To ensure equal opportunities and rights for all in the workplace, the UK government implemented the Equality Act 2010. The Act provides a discrimination law that promotes an equal and fair society and protects people from unfair treatment. This study assesses the scope of Equality Law and its significance in the workplace.
Equality Law
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination in society and the workplace. Discrimination entails the unfair treatment of an individual(s) because of who they are and what they represent. It protects people against discrimination from employers, healthcare providers (such as hospitals), organisations and businesses that provide essential goods and services (utility stores and banks), educational institutions (colleges), public agencies (government and local authorities), transport service providers, and an individual or agency one buy or rents property from. The Act stipulates nine protected characteristics in which unfair treatment on these aspects equals discrimination for which the perpetrator is liable. The protected attributes in employment include age, gender, disability, gender reassignment, civil partnership or marriage, religion or belief, maternity and pregnancy, race, and sexual orientation.
Furthermore, the Act protects an individual closely affiliated with another in the protected category (referred to as discrimination by association) and if one is mistreated after complaining about discrimination. Previously, before 2010, there existed anti-discrimination laws such as the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Sexual Orientation Regulations 2007, Equal Pay Act 1970, Employment Equality- Age and Religion, 2003, and the Race Relations Act 1976. These laws were then replaced by the Equality Act, which is a single law covering all the protected characteristics (Hepple, 2010). After coming into force, the Equality Act 2010 protects against indirect and direct discrimination, victimisation, and harassment in the workplace.
Significance of Equality Law in the Workplace
The Equality Law is a vital tool for any workplace. Organisations should respect and protect the principles of dignity, fairness, diversity, and respect for all staff members despite their differences in physical traits and opinions. Therefore, championing equality should be the core focus of every company. Since its implementation in 2010, various organisations across Britain have adopted the Equality Law. The Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP), in collaboration with the International Centre for Public and Social Policy (ICPSP), was tasked with evaluating the Equality Act across various British Organisations. A survey of 1,811 respondents from multiple organisations was conducted. The research concluded that there is widespread engagement with various equality legislations, especially in the form of written policies. These guidelines included the nine protected characteristics and provided appropriate measures on how to solve issues of pay, promotion, recruitment, retirement and redundancy, training, work allocation, maternity and paternity cases, and any other workplace issues where physical traits and personal opinions differ (Perren et al., 2010).
The Equality Law guarantees diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Hence, it is a crucial aspect of good people management. The law creates a working culture and environment where people of different genders, ages, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, physical traits (disabilities or pregnancies), and political beliefs can work together. Additionally, diverse groups are empowered to attain their full potential, feel safe in their workplaces, and have a sense of belonging. With globalisation, diversity is key to the success of any organisation. A diversified population requires a diversified market where individuals can get whatever they need regardless of national origin, culture, or religious beliefs. This market gap can only be attained by diversification and inclusion in the workplace's decision-making processes, where the views of all individuals are considered before the final decision is made.
Vodafone Group Corporation recognises and celebrates diversity. The company does not tolerate any form of discrimination based on age, gender, disability, cultural background, gender identity, belief, and sexual orientation. It believes that the promises and opportunities for a better and successful digital future should be accessible to all. Therefore, the enterprise is committed to ensuring that the ...