Wednesday 11 May 2011

EqUaL oPpS aNd DiVeRsItY...

Equality is being treated equally and being seen equally to others, it also compasses having equal rights to carry out a certain task or to be saying something.

‘State of being equal: rights, treatment, quantity, or value equal to all others in a specific group’
Diversity on the other hand means having the ability to understand that each individual is unique and showing acceptance and respect to individuals.

‘Diversity is a commitment to recognizing and appreciating the variety of characteristics that make individuals unique in an atmosphere that promotes and celebrates individual and collective achievement.’
Diversity is what influences an individual’s uniqueness, and how the individual’s unique attributes allow them to achieve their achievements.

Individuals are legally allowed to start part time work at the age of 13. In October 2001 when the new age legislation took place this must have been a very difficult hold back for employees to employ younger people or older people due to the stereotypes there are associated with the age groups. For example younger people are stereotyped not to work so well together and because of their age they do not have tend to have much experience. Another issue with having a younger individual working as part of your workforce with other older people there is going to be a communication barrier, as the culture and society norms will be very different of a 16 year old and a 50 year old as they were bought up in completely different times.
The following are the main stereotypes the younger crowd is associated with:

• Rowdy and very argumentative
• In experienced as this may be their first job
• The younger women less independent on the opposite sex
• Anti social
• Very much into their circle of friends in school/college
• Disruptive
• Capable in regards to it skills

These are some of the stereotypes that older people are associated with:

• Boring
• Anti social
• Have further experience
• Career minded people 9-5 workers
• Calm, and patient
• Excellent literacy

Organisations can attempt to change these attitudes by treating their entire workforce equally by sharing the levels of authority amongst all the staff regardless of what age they are. This would aid in the different age groups working together in more an effective way as one way or another they do have one thing in common... They are all part of the same organisation!!

The two organisations that I have chosen are British Airways and Homebase, having thoroughly studied British Airways website and spoken to my cousin who works as part of the recruitment team, it comes to knowledge that there is no way that British airways can discriminate their staff as in certain departments you have to be a certain age to work and also they have to have a mix of race etc in the workforce so they are able to deliver on an excellence level to their consumers without a communications barrier.
Homebase also uses equal opportunities when recruiting or advertising jobs, they enforce innovative practice also which encourages them to recruit and advertise job vacancies and work with their current employees to a fair level.
Overall equality is very important in any type of organisation regardless of what background, age, ethnicity, disability and individual has, it should never be used against them to discriminate them as an individual.

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