How important is equality, diversity and inclusion in life?

Not just in the workplace but college, school, society and social situations.  In the public domain recently we have had a number of examples of inequality, unacceptable behaviour, sexist attitudes and use of unacceptable language.

We have heard about male arrogance around sex, demeaning women on emails, abuse of position, power and posting inappropriate statements on social media websites.

The horrendous posting about Steven Sutton; Jeremy Clarkson allegedly using inappropriate language language and trying to explain away his action; we have had the John Terry outburst and the banana throwing incident at the AC Milan and Atlanta game, the Suarez and Evra incident and so on. I could cite many more, but there are  far too many to mention. When will this all end?

A much more serious question is when will high profile employers start to take the UK equality laws seriously? When will they embrace diversity and recognise that diversity makes good business sense? 

It is unfair that people are treated poorly based on race, sexuality, disability, etc. Not only is it unfair but it is illegal.

Managers, please train your staff, embrace diversity, value people for who they are and manage diversity.

Nelson Mandela - free at last

In memory of Nelson Mandela

He made us proud

He made us free

Nelson Mandela

A great man was he

God rest his soul

God lay him to rest

Always watching over him

Knowing he was one of the best

He rescued South Africa and made so many free 

He made a difference for you and for me 

He united the crowds; he removed the barriers 

He truly was one of the worlds respected warriors

Nelson Mandela free at last 

Alyson Malach

STEM Practitioners Event - January 23rd 2014

Equality and Diversity UK Ltd will be holding an exclusive roundtable event for STEM practitioners around building equality into STEM SOW/Lesson plans sharing good EDI practice and the role of subject leaders on the 23rd January. 

The event will be held in Manchester. For more details or to request a place, please email alyson@malach.co.uk

ASDA to offer "Nativity Leave"

Asda will offer ‘Nativity leave’ this year to allow staff to attend their children’s festive school play.

Following research from the supermarkets latest Mumdex report, working parents are worried about missing out on their child’s key milestones because of work commitments.

The research, which includes responses from 5,500 Asda mothers, reveals that one in three working mothers believe the annual Nativity play is one of the top things they cannot miss.

Hayley Tatum, Asda’s Executive People Director, says: “There’s no doubt working mums have a lot on their plate at this time of year and we don’t want our colleagues to miss out on the things that are really important to them this Christmas.

“Technology might help to take the pressure off busy working parents on a daily basis, but we know that it’s just not the same watching your child’s milestone moments back on a smartphone.

“‘Nativity Leave’ gives parents the opportunity to take time off for the school Christmas play or simply for some much needed family time outside of normal holidays.”

She added that this scheme would give Asda staff planned, unpaid discretionary time off to attend their child’s school play or to take off time outside normal contracted holidays.

Furthermore, the staff have two options: the ‘me time’ flexible working scheme, which offers unpaid, planned time off outside of holidays, or if they do not want to lose pay they can do a shift swap.

Asda said that ‘Nativity leave’ would not just apply to people with children  and would allow people to take time off to do their Christmas shopping, see friends, or for any other purpose, they do not need to give a specific reason.

Men taking over half of top HR roles

Men taking over half of top HR roles despite making up only a third of profession

Males are taking more than half of all top HR jobs despite representing only a third of the HR profession new research has indicated.

The findings from Harvey Nash found 53% of Chief, Vice President and Director roles were filled by men despite women making up 63% of the profession, an over-representation of 43%.

The company, which surveyed 900 HR professionals across eight countries, also found that men were 50% more likely to aspire to the role of CHRO.

Lisa Wormald, Director - HR division, Harvey Nash, comments: “Given how well represented women are in HR, you could be forgiven for thinking that gender diversity is not an issue. What this research shows is that there is hidden challenge in promoting female senior HR talent.

“From my own experience of recruiting senior HR professionals it is very clear that women are equally capable as men in performing their role. However when it comes to their career, men tend to be more confident and driven about ‘throwing their hat into the ring’ for senior opportunities. If women want to take more of the top roles in HR they need more of that male ‘naked ambition’.”

The progression of women from entry level to senior positions in HR does not compare favourably with other departments. For example, in IT, whilst only one in ten employees is female, the ratio remains the same from entry level through to CIO / Head of IT according to Harvey Nash's CIO Survey 2013 and Harvey Nash's Technology Survey 2014. This suggests that although there are less women entering the IT profession, a good proportion of them manage to climb the career ladder successfully, something that their peers in the HR industry appear to be struggling with.

The survey also found that employee engagement was the highest priority for HR professionals in 2014 with most planning to involve high performing individuals in succession planning and provide mentoring from senior leaders.

Part Time Professionals

The 2013 Power Part Time List has been announced today, revealing 50 of the most influential and successful part-time professionals.

The list, compiled by Timewise Foundation, includes successful individuals who challenge the notion that part-time work only suits those in junior roles and provide inspiration for others.

It also found that part-time bosses believe they do a better job than their full-time counterparts.

The list includes Andrea Wareham, Director of People, Prêt a Manger (Europe) who is one of 8 directors on Pret’s Group Board. She manages a £5.5m budget and is in charge of  HR, recruitment and training operations across the UK, US, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

She says: “Clear thinking and the ability to see the bigger picture are crucial at strategic level.

“I find my working pattern gives me the space I need to achieve that. Part-time can help you to develop better leadership skills, too – as you delegate more, your team will grow to meet their new responsibilities."

Timewise Foundation co-founder Karen Mattison MBE comments: “These individuals are the face of modern work. In sharing their stories, we prove there is more than one path to success. Trailblazing employers who explore new ways of working, such as those listed in the 2013 Power Part Time list are leading the way, and amongst the very first benefit from some very clear and tangible business benefits – including the ability to attract and retain the best talent.”

Black History Month

Black History Month

 

Believe me when I say,

Black people have contributed to this country in a very significant way.

They have been around a very long time,

fighting for King and Queen, right there on the front line.

 

They have worked in hospitals,

and driven the country’s buses.

But despite these contributions,

we are often asked what all the fuss is.

 

Why do we bother with Black History Month each year?

is a call I regularly hear.

A good response I have often heard

consists of these coherent words.

 

Because a people without history makes them invisible,

hard to see their contributions to the UK.

It erases their existence and their experience,

making discrimination seem right and OK.

We need the awakening consciousness of our history as our guiding tutor,

providing our children with a brighter future.

 

We need to remember that history belongs to the world;

we need the contributions of Black people to be unfurl’d.

Egyptians were black; the Pharaohs built pyramids to the sky.

We can’t collude with this massive lie.

 

The myth that Black people are recent arrivals,

the untruths that they just came to England to preserve their survival.

There is a gap, you see, in the education system.

Therefore, Black history month provides the opportunity for people to listen.

It promotes equality and tackles unlawful discrimination.

It provides us all with forgotten information.

 

It reminds us that black people have been here since the 16^th C;

It allows black young people to feel proud and to feel free.

Free to tell the stories of their forefathers’ hard graft;

it puts a marker down for the future. And the past.

It helps Black young people to clearly identify

and to help them see beyond the historical lies.

The fact is Black people are successful,

they are creative and strong.

Black History Month provides them with an annual platform

to be seen. And to belong

 

So all of you that shout loudly that Black History month is a ‘waste of time’.

need to see that it’s an opportunity for people of colour to stand out and to shine

It is a time to right the inequalities of the past;

to big up the contributions of Black people, at long last.

EVERY day is a Black History Day.

A month does not show the progress in its entire array

However, a month does take the contributions of Black people from the shade,

from underneath the rocks, where forgotten memories are laid.

The month shows unity where before, this was forbidden.

It finally showcases the contributions where before, they were hidden

 

And it writes our history where before, it was untold

It leaves a legacy for our young people. To have and to hold

 

Alyson Malach

The menopause – the last workplace taboo?

The menopause – the last workplace taboo?

Approximately half of the UK workforce (47%) is made up of women aged 50 years or older. With around two-thirds of women aged 50 to 59 in employment, these women will be experiencing the menopause or have been through it. The menopause is part of the aging process. It is not a medical disease and it can have a significant impact on psychological well-being, physical health, cognition and social implications on the working lives of women.

Many managers are unaware of the many physical symptoms of the menopause which might affect a woman’s well-being at work. Menopausal symptoms most likely to affect women include hot flushes (70% of women suffer from them for one year, 30% for five years and 5% – 10% for 10 to 15 years), palpitations, night sweats and sleep disturbance, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability and mood disturbance. These working women may also have to care for frail and aging parents, look after their own family, experience changes in health and changes in their relationships.

The Working through the Change study conducted by the TUC (2003) surveyed 500 safety representatives on menopausal issues. Symptoms attributed to the menopause made worse by work were hot flushes, headaches and tiredness. Workplace temperature and poor ventilation also made symptoms worse. Employers should have a duty of care to reduce the stigma and embarrassment when women are in the company of work colleagues. By supporting working women experiencing the menopause employers can reduce absenteeism, maximise productivity and make the workplace environment as comfortable as possible.

Women are now working longer and we are in a new world of work incorporating the fourth generation. Up until recently the menopause has been regarded as a private matter and women have felt unable to discuss menopausal issues. Research suggests that many women in the workplace find it extremely difficult to discuss menopausal issues with their line manager or supervisor. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, tiredness and anxiety may have a significant impact on occupational health for some employees.

Top ten tips for employers to enhance organisational culture within the work place

To help develop a rich and diverse working culture within the workplace here are ten top tips to help employers cultivate good working practice:

1.    Raising awareness of the menopause in an occupational setting through health promotion programmes and awareness training for managers.

2.    Organising social support within the work place. This could include information packs, mentoring schemes and lunch time support.

3.    Offer flexible working hours, job sharing, and opportunities to work from home. Many women experience tiredness.

4.    The temperature of the work environment can be an issue, especially in refined spaces. Fans and temperature controls could be implemented.

5.    A rest room where women can relax, just to have some space.

6.    Cold drinking water – many organisations do not provide this.

7.    Prioritise work life balance and maintain firm boundaries in working life and non-working life. Adopt buffer zones so that women feel in control more effectively. Many menopausal women experience feelings of ‘not coping’. If work becomes an issue encourage a specific time each day so that worries can be written down and then discarded.

8.    Remain hopeful and optimistic – women experiencing the menopause often go through different types of emotions such as anxiety and depression. Remember these feelings do subside. Encourage women to discuss how they feel as these feelings are very normal.

9.    Become a supportive manager, women are more likely to discuss menopausal issues with somebody they feel able to talk to. This also encourages organisational loyalty and less absenteeism which can only be a good thing for all companies.

These tips are based on research undertaken by Amanda Griffiths of Nottingham University: Women’s Experience of Working through the Menopause [PDF].

Posted on April 22, 2013 on LinedIn by Angela Thorogood

(insight and tips from Age Immaterial)

 

 

Access to Work

Access to Work offers a range of services & financial grants devoted to retaining people with mental or physical illnesses within their workplace. The full service extends to all health conditions & disabilities for youth in work experience and persons in paid employment, including Mental Health Support services.

Provided by Remploy for the DWP, they deliver a 6 month advice & support service for employees suffering from either the full effects or symptoms of mental health worries. Each case is managed on an individual basis and the scheme can be applied for either by the individual themselves or a 3^rd party. It is important to note that the support is only available to those already in employment. Once in contact with Remploy, the process will begin by creating a tailor-made approach to coping with the stresses and strains that can make a place of employment a daily struggle. This really highlights the personal level of support offered. Remploy’s website contains a number of case studies to emphasise the personalised element to their services: each one is different & each one showcases a difficult barrier to overcome.

Both the application and the whole 6 month service is entirely free of charge which largely resolves any previous barriers encountered by employees looking for help.

Remploy are aware that many mental illnesses are a by-product of a physical health problem. Despite their remit lying strictly within the mental health realms, if an employee’s physical health problems are still causing an issue with their daily work load then Remploy will put them in contact with the correct health facilities. There really are many ways Access to Work can help and with the service being free, it is worth finding out how Remploy and the DWP can assist your organisations.

There is a wealth of online information about Access to Work on the Remploy Mental Health Support Service and the DWP websites. As mentioned previously, every case is assessed on an individual basis so if you want to know whether Remploy can help employee(s) you may have in mind, just contact them for a more specific proposal.

This relatively unknown scheme really can change someone’s working life and make the difference between them staying in employment or falling onto incapacity benefit

 

Managing diversity and prevent hate crimes and racism

The social fallout from the ongoing global economic crisis must not become an excuse to allow racism and prejudice to go unchecked.

Racism and discrimination have continued and in some places even increased, despite laws prohibiting them. It is a sad truth that violence, discrimination and hate crimes directed against ethnic minorities and migrants remain a daily reality throughout the UK. But people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions/beliefs bring a diversity to our societies that we know to be a driver not only for social change, but also for economic growth. This is an abundance of untapped potential that we would be ill-advised to ignore.”

The skills and talents of members of diverse groups in our societies – whether they are citizens of the countries in which they live or more recent migrants – need to be acknowledged, and furthermore to be better utilised.

A proactive approach that appreciates diversity while furthering inclusion would help to reduce racial discrimination and increase security, as well as helping to boost growth.

Periods of severe economic downturn can result in greater social exclusion, which often leads to a search for scapegoats – and it is then groups and individuals from diverse backgrounds are often the first to suffer.

In the countries most affected by the consequences of the economic crisis, there has been an increase in the appeal of extremist parties that are rooted in a profound hostility to ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

We all need to think about how we manage diversity and challenge inequalities within our society.

Managing diverse teams

It is fun and exciting to work in a diverse working environment. There is so much to learn, understand and grasp. A whole new world of possibilities, different points of view, wisdom and experience is open to each one of us who are willing to receive it with an open mind.

 

Go into the work environment with a focus on behaving, interacting and working in a professional manner, while respecting people in the way they want to be respected.

 

People come into professional work environments with three to seven different language backgrounds, with English as the common language. Chances are that miscommunication, the inability to translate words correctly into English, and the wrong context of tone and language can cause unnecessary barriers and tensions.

 

In these situations where there are diverse issues, never take sides based on your own personal understanding. Always clarify what was meant, expected or discussed. In many cases, it is very easy to misunderstand, blow a simple matter out of proportion and make it an inequality issue. 

 

What are the problems that you are likely to face in a diverse environment?

 

The challenges you are likely to face will be human interaction issues. Some of these include fear, personal feelings, beliefs and emotions related to past programming, anger and misconceptions based on our political and personal histories and experiences. 

 

People are bound to be in conflict regardless of what their personal characteristic/ background is because each person has a different personality, experiences, expectations, leadership style, communication style and values:

 

1. People of different diverse cultures, religions/beliefs and  backgrounds also greet each other at various times of the day. This allows them acknowledge each other’s presence and humanness. If you do not greet people in the way they wished to be greeted, then they feel hurt and withdrawn. 

 

2.  One of the common challenges facing employers is that people are not catered for at work functions in terms of what they can, can’t and sometimes eat according to their dietary, religious or personal beliefs. This makes them feel left out and not valued.  

Remember that we are working with human beings with feelings. Learning how to adjust our behaviour to be more inclusive also improves professional interactions tremendously. 

 

 

New and different ways to solve challenges in diverse working environments

 

1. Create an environment that allows you to listen thoughtfully and resolve potential issues amicably without it becoming a personal issue
2. Learn communication skills that will assist you to adjust your personality type, learning style, body language, eye-contact and tone of voice to suit the person you are interacting with to achieve better results.  
3. Greet people in their own languages as appropriate. It’s fun and incredible how you warm their hearts and improve your working relationships. 
4. When you have work functions, be aware of religious or traditional backgrounds and adjust the dates and catering accordingly. Otherwise, people feel isolated and rejected. 
5. Don’t judge entire groups of people based on your limited knowledge of other peoples’ experiences. Research, question, experiment, visit and find out as much as you can about diversity and difference in groups and individuals so that you can connect at a deeper level. 
6. Steer clear of stereotyping. Rather speak to a person directly and ask the relevant/appropriate question with the intention of really learning. 
7. Interact on a social basis. This breaks a lot of fear, builds relationships, removes gossiping and allows you to connect with the person as a human being who is valued for their personal qualities, skills and intelligence. 
8. Above all, respect the person in front of you and treat them as a person, not a colour, nationality, age or religion.

Equality and Diversity in the work place: We all recognise the importance, but do we really need training in Equality and Diversity?

Equality and Diversity in the work place: We all recognise the importance, but do we really need training in Equality and Diversity?

The answer from me is yes, we do need training. The reason is that we all come from different backgrounds, have different sets of values and many of us only mix with people who are like us. The employer has a responsibility for staff and customers and therefore needs to ensure that staff have up to date training and skills. Skills are not just linked to the job in hand but include people skills, diversity management, managing own behaviour and prejudices.

In my work, I often come across people in organisations who are aware of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) but do not have an understanding or any experience. Sometime people witness inequalities but don't recognise them as such; they are unable to identify discriminatory behaviour or language that is unacceptable, sometime telling me that this is just banter – it is what is used in their circles and has been for years!

Would we expect people who join our workforce to be skilled in their area of work? If the answer is yes, then we should also expect that they have not just awareness, but an understanding of the impact of good equality practice on business. They should also be aware of the significant cost to businesses of poor equality practice. Training should not be about the “do’s” and “don’ts”; it should be about the business, moral and legal case (notice legal came last!) for promoting, fostering and advancing equality and diversity.

Demographics play a significant part in all of this. In the next 5-10 years we will see a significant shift in demographics in the UK population (we are already seeing this) where women and black and minority ethnic people will be the majority workforce. Older people will also have a stake in the workforce.  Training our staff about EDI is crucial. Training them simply about legislation and laws won’t do. We need to ensure that everyone understands the business benefits, the moral responsibilities and the legal responsibilities employers hold for ensuring that staff and customers are safeguarded from discrimination based on any of the protected characteristics (as well as know their rights).

If we have to ask this question it may be that we need to personally reflect on where we stand on this issue and consider how we can embrace EDI agendas because we know it makes good business sense.

Relecting on 9/11

As the  the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, I am reminded of the day I last celebrated my birthday on 9/11. The events of that day were rolled out on TV and in the media in such a way that I no longer celebrate my birthday on 9/11. What is there to celebrate? I now celebrate it on my mother's birthday which is 9/15 
I have snapshots in my mind of a day to look forward to, racing home from work to celebrate my birthday with the family and friend only to learn of the horror of 9/11  listening to the radio and then witnessing the fallout on national TV.
This was a day where I felt terror and dispair and my heart and blessings went out to the families who had lost their loved ones. These past and present snapshots remind me it is essential that  educators in school and colleges take into account that while our mental snapshots of 9/11 are our own, for some of our students these snapshots have been handed down to them in an album created by others.
Yet despite the fact that these snapshots were not taken by our students, we must realise they are affecting the conclusions students draw about 9/11. We must encourage our students to develop multiple perspectives about 9/11 and draw their own conclusions.

Threats to the Equality Act 2010

In April 2011 the Government launched the Red Tape Challenge, a website which invites members of the public to comment on statutory rules and regulations. In the first two months the Government asked simply whether the Equality Act 2010 (primary legislation of 239 pages) should be scrapped or retained. Of the nearly 6000 responses 96% said do not scrap the Act.

Then the Secretary of State for Equalities announced that the Government did not intend to repeal the Act. This approach, especially when taken with the proposed changes to the role of the EHRC (consultation on the reform of the EHRC closed on 15/6/11) suggests that the Government are considering a significant watering down of both the Equality Act 2006 (which sets out the EHRC’s duties, powers and remit) and the Equality Act 2010. Should this happen, rights to race equality will be significantly reduced.

The Runnymede Trust is concerned about the increasingly frequent classification of discrimination protection as unimportant and a ‘burden on business’, rather than as a basic right. If the Government believes that the obligation to treat people in a non-discriminatory way can be trumped by the demands of business to maximize profits, then it undermines the foundation of our democracy and risks its legitimacy to govern.

The Runnymede Trust Recommendations:

·         The Government should ensure that any person who considers they have suffered discrimination, harassment, victimization or other conduct prohibited under the Equality Act 2010 is able to receive free and `timely skilled advice on their rights and assistance in seeking legal redress.

·         The Government should adopt appropriate provisions to prohibit multiple discrimination and retain the important protection of employees against harassment by a third party.

·         The Government should provide more effective leadership on equality in the private sector, by at minimum not referring to rights to equality and non-discrimination as ‘burdens on business’ and ‘unnecessary red tape’.

Diversity issues in the learning environment

Diversity issues in the learning environment may arise because of differences between learners.

Learners may belong to diverse genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, religions and political beliefs.

However, the success of any organisation depends on how these diverse learners work together to achieve a common goal so leaders should foster a respectful and understanding culture in the learning community.

There can be many issues in the learning environment which can be best dealt with through training and seminars

Diversity Calendar

A diversity calendar can be incredibly useful to an organisation as it provides information about the annual cultural celebrations of people from different ethnic and cultural groups.
It enables those who oversee workplace training sessions to keep track of events and festivities of diverse groups and plan a schedule accordingly.
Another benefit is to show respect to people from different cultures by raising awareness about days which are important to them.

Building equality into the curriculum

A curriculum which addresses issues of citizenship, equality, and diversity and includes all learners as equal participants is a vital part of improving the quality of teaching and learning  in  education.

When considering diversity and inclusion in education it is often tempting to consider the areas that are covered by legislation, such as: 'race'; disability; sexual orientation; religion or belief; age and gender identity. However, learners have multiple identities and all learners have aspects of their personal lives that will impact upon the classroom context (such as having to act as a carer for a relative or partner, or having to work extra hours to earn additional money).

An inclusive curriculum not only addresses groups of learners who are covered by legislation, but also allows flexibility to accommodate issues that can potentially be faced by a much larger group of learners. One of the main ways that citizenship, equality, and diversity can be embedded in the curriculum is through incorporating these issues into the content of the course.

This is easier for some subjects than others, but there is scope in all subjects to make the curriculum content more reflective of diversity and more thoughtful about issues of citizenship. However, it is important to avoid being tokenistic.Equality,Diversity and Inclusion should be embedded into the mainstream curriculum, rather than being singled-out as separate from the main curriculum.

The Importance of Equality and Diversity Training

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training is an important commodity of the business world. No matter what kind of business you are in, this is an agenda for change and improvement. Businesses need to see the agenda as an improvement agenda as opposed to Political Correctness gone mad. Businesses should be running with the idea of PC – but when we say PC, we mean Professional Competence and confidence and practicing commonsense.

Too often, managers and staff avoid exploring this agenda and when there is an issue of inequality or discrimination they shy away from it by being reactive and looking all the time for quick fixes. We all know that quick fixes and knee jerk reactions rarely work on complex equality and diversity problems.

There is a need for organisations to review their structures, policies and procedure to ensure that they impact on all areas of the business and that staff have not only awareness, but an understanding about equality, diversity and inclusion.

If we are going to change the culture of an organisation, it is crucial that every effort is made to raise staff awareness, knowledge and understanding about what an equality organisation looks like and how staff are expected to behave in terms of professionalism. The agenda is not about being politically correct, but about demonstrating professional competence, confidence and common sense - PC with a difference.

Cultural change involves a sustained effort and a prolonged commitment by all concerned. While delivering EDI training to organisations, I have often heard from a minority of staff vitriolic comments, offensive language and some totally inappropriate views where staff don’t see the issues from other people’s point of view.

What is revealing about this is that most of the time staff précis their comments with, “ I am not racist, homophobic, sexist, but....”.  Comments are often harsh and shocking and I believe revealing about issues the organsiations are not addressing.

This tells me that in some organisations, when it comes to issues of race or any of the protected characteristics, the first time there is an open debate about equality and diversity is in the training session. It is sad that staff feel unable to explore issues of EDI as part of their day to day practice. This is surely an agenda for staff meetings and team discussions. If EDI is not on the agenda, how do we progress the issues?  If staff feel unable to discuss issues of race, sexuality, age etc., the issues are driven underground and you will find staff attending training rolling their eyes, tutting and firmly folding their arms when these issues are raised rather than openly discussing and exploring the issues from different viewpoints.

How can the culture of an organisation be changed if there is not the opportunity for people to share their experiences of inequality, or if the organisation fails to offer real and worthwhile opportunities to challenge myths, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination and misconceptions?

Training should provide opportunities for staff and senior managers to debate issues and policies/procedures; these polices together offering opportunities for solutions as well as identifying problems

Businesses need to explore with staff their views, needs and issues. They need to consider the future, what will the work force look like in five years time, who will our customers be, etc.

This is an important question because in 2010, only 20 per cent of the UK's full-time workforce comprised white, non-disabled men under 45. Over the coming years, the workforce is set to become even more diverse, reflecting trends towards an ageing population, greater ethnic diversity and more women taking up positions in paid work.

How will you manage?