• What is Unconscious Bias in Recruitment?
• Am I Being Bullied at Work? 12 Signs of Bullying in the Workplace
• Unconscious Bias Online Training

The post Unconscious Bias Quiz appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Gender Dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria is when someone experiences distress because their gender identity differs from the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Gender dysphoria is a medical term recognised by the NHS. It is not a mental health condition, though it can lead to mental health problems due to the stress and anxiety it causes.

A person’s gender identity is not necessarily the same as their sex. The term ‘sex’ refers to whether you were born as a boy or girl – your sex assigned at birth. Gender identity, on the other hand, refers to how you perceive yourself, whether as male, female, non-binary or somewhere in the middle. Your gender identity may match up with your biological sex – e.g. you were born a girl and identify as female – but for many people, the two don’t align. In these instances, a person may be questioning their gender identity.

Gender questioning is the term used to describe when a child or young person is asking questions about their gender identity, whether internally or out loud. They may be curious about their physical attributes, questioning their belonging in society or exploring how they feel about being a boy or girl. For some children, these feelings can cause anxiety or distress and can sometimes lead to gender dysphoria.

As they get older, children with gender dysphoria will often have a strong desire to live their life according to their perceived gender identity, so they might change the way they look and act to match accordingly. This can start from a very young age, with children choosing to wear clothing or play with toys associated with the opposite gender. In school, they may ask to change their name, wear the opposite sex’s uniform or start using a different bathroom, with the expectation that teachers will treat them as their identified gender. This is sometimes called social transitioning and it can be a tricky area for everyone involved to navigate.

However, it’s important to note that diagnoses of gender dysphoria are relatively rare amongst children. Many children will role play as a different gender or choose to play with children of the opposite sex, and this is entirely normal and not indicative of gender issues. If this exploration continues into their teenage years, and the child begins to feel anxious, uncomfortable or distressed about the effects of puberty, then consider speaking to a GP.

Signs of Gender Dysphoria

Signs of gender dysphoria in children and young people can be complex and difficult for parents, carers and teachers to deal with. Children experiencing gender dysphoria may not have the words to describe their feelings, may be feeling very confused or embarrassed and may not know what to do next. This is where you, the parent or educational professional, can offer your support.

Note that the behaviours listed below do not necessarily indicate that a child has gender dysphoria. Many of these feelings, actions and behaviours are typical of childhood and part of growing up, and the child will outgrow them as they get older. These actions may indicate a problem when the child also has feelings of severe distress as a result.

Signs of gender dysphoria in young children may include:

• Strong interest in toys often associated with the opposite gender.
• Strong preference for wearing school uniform associated with the opposite gender.
• Only playing with children of the opposite gender.
• Feeling unhappy about their physical characteristics.
• Getting upset when being called him/her.
• Tantrums about or not wanting to be involved in activities that involve girls vs. boys.

Signs of gender dysphoria in teenagers and young adults may include:

• Acting in the gender role of their preferred gender identity.
• Conviction that they were born as the wrong gender.
• Wearing the school uniform of the opposite gender.
• Strong dislike of their physical characteristics and desire to be rid of them.
• Feeling lonely and isolated.
• Being bullied or harassed because of how they choose to present their gender.
• Becoming withdrawn from friendship groups.
• Strong discomfort during gendered activities or lessons, such as PE.
• Depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
• Taking risks, such as with drugs, sex and criminal activity.
• Self-harming behaviours or suicide attempts.

Want to Learn More?

Whilst gender dysphoria itself is not a mental illness, it often leads to children and teenagers experiencing depression and anxiety. Our Child Mental Health Training contains essential knowledge for educational professionals to help you understand more about supporting the children you teach.

How to Help Someone with Gender Dysphoria

As a parent or carer of a child showing signs of gender dysphoria, distress, depression or anxiety, it’s advised that you take them to see a GP who can help you and your child further. If the child’s behaviour and actions are causing you concern, then consider asking the child’s teacher to see whether they’ve got similar worries about the child.

The GP may then refer you and your child to a gender dysphoria clinic (GDC) where a specialist will assess your child, or they may refer you to your local Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) who can offer psychological support.

As a teacher or educational professional, you can help a child or young person with gender dysphoria by being supportive, respectful and inclusive. Gender dysphoria is a highly traumatic condition for a child to deal with, so it’s important that you treat them with care and with dignity, even if you find it difficult.

Current Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance (KCSIE) suggests that teachers should:

• Take a cautious approach and consider all of the child’s individual needs, in partnership with the child’s parents.
• Encourage parents and carers of gender questioning children to seek clinical help and advice.
• Ensure parents are not excluded from decisions taken by the school or college relating to requests for a child to socially transition. If a child requests a change, schools and colleges should make parents aware of the situation.
• Ensure the views of the child’s parents carry great weight and are properly considered. Parental consent is required in the vast majority of cases.
• Create a culture in school where children feel able to speak out or share their concerns with members of staff.
• Be respectful and tolerant and encourage this amongst other students, ensuring bullying is never tolerated.
• If a child requests a change to their uniform, pronouns or name, etc., consider how best to fulfil that duty towards the child, ensuring that any agreed course of action is in all of their best interests.
• Wait for a period of time before considering a request, to ensure it is a sustained and properly thought through decision. This is known as ‘watchful waiting’.
• Consider the impact on other pupils, including any safeguarding concerns.

The UK Government’s guidance for schools and colleges in relation to gender questioning children – currently in the consultation stage and due for release later in 2024 – provides schools and colleges with more detail on how to respond to specific requests regarding a child’s gender identity.

Our article on Supporting Transgender Students in Schools is also a useful source of information for teachers wanting to understand more about this subject.

Gender Dysphoria Support for Parents

A child’s gender dysphoria can affect the whole family, including parents, siblings and extended family members. For this reason, it’s important that parents know how to access relevant support in order to make the situation easier for everyone.

Gender dysphoria support for parents is a relatively new area, but help is out there in the form of support groups, websites, online forums and guidance. Teachers can take note of the following resources to then pass onto parents and carers of children who are struggling:

• Self-education through books, articles, videos and documentaries about gender can be a good place to start in helping parents understand what their child is going through. Consider learning about topics such as LGBTQ+ history, case studies from transgender people, language and pronouns and inclusivity in the classroom.
• Support groups can give parents a place to discuss their thoughts with other parents in the same situation. The Gender Dysphoria Support Network (GDSN) is an international group that supports families affected by gender dysphoria, including parents, siblings, adult children, spouses, friends and extended family members. The group has regular online meetings as well as a range of resources for parents to access.
• Contact a charity such as YoungMinds, Stonewall, Action for Children or FFLAG who offer countless resources and support opportunities for families of LGBTQ+ children.

If a child’s gender identity doesn’t match with their sex assigned at birth, they can experience serious distress, depression and anxiety – also known as gender dysphoria. Gender questioning children are an important consideration for educational professionals and KCSIE provides some essential guidance on how to handle it in the classroom. For parents, having a child with gender dysphoria can be difficult, so it’s vital that everyone involved accesses the support they need to handle this highly-sensitive topic.

Further Resources:

• LGBTQ+ Awareness Training
• Keeping Children Safe in Education: Key Changes
• Supporting Transgender Students in School: Guidance for Teachers
• How to Promote LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education in Schools
• What is Inclusive Practice?
• How to Help a Child with Depression

The post Gender Dysphoria in Children: Guidance for Parents and Teachers appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is the Worker Protection Act?

The UK’s Worker Protection Act is an amendment to the existing Equality Act 2010 and is in force from October 26th 2024.

The new Worker Protection Act states that all employers must take ‘reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees in the course of their employment’. This puts the onus on the employer – rather than the employee – to take action against inappropriate conduct in the workplace. It also gives workers more protection, rights and support should they experience sexual harassment when at work.

The term ‘harassment’ refers to any sort of behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person. The term ‘sexual harassment’ refers to any sort of unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has this effect.

If you want to learn more, our article on Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace explains more about what sexual harassment is, gives some examples of workplace sexual harassment and gives more details on employer responsibilities.

Employer Responsibilities: How Can Employers Take Reasonable Steps to Prevent Sexual Harassment?

The Worker Protection Act puts a responsibility on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. There is no single definition of what ‘reasonable steps’ means, however, so it’s up to each employer to determine what action needs to be taken in order to demonstrate they’ve taken appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment from occurring.

Despite there being no official guidance of what ‘reasonable steps’ are, there are five key actions that employers can do today to help show that they’ve taken reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace:

1. Conduct a sexual harassment risk assessment

It’s a good idea to take stock of where you currently are and carry out a risk assessment in your business. This means identifying any potential risk areas, reviewing past incidents of sexual harassment and evaluating how employees currently act and feel about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Consider carrying out a new staff attitude survey to collect feedback and find out what workers really think about existing measures, such as gender equality, workplace bullying and harassment reporting procedures. The information gathered in the risk assessment process will then enable you to address problem areas. Remember to keep written records of all your actions too, as you may need it as evidence that you’ve taken ‘reasonable steps’.

2. Review existing harassment policies

It’s essential that you take a look at your existing policies and procedures to check they’re up-to-date, relevant and suitable. Your business will likely already have a formal bullying and harassment policy, so check what it says and ensure it includes a section containing the definition of sexual harassment, examples of sexual harassment in the workplace and guidance for employees on what to do if they experience sexual harassment at work.

You may want to create a standalone sexual harassment policy – that’s separate to the main bullying and harassment policy – to show that you take the topic seriously and see it as worthy of having it’s own procedures and guidance. This policy can then go into more detail about the business’ expectations of employees, examples of unacceptable behaviours and details of the incident reporting procedure.

3. Educate the workforce about sexual harassment

In order to prevent sexual harassment from occurring, it’s vital that everyone understands what sexual harassment actually is. Employers should provide all members of staff with regular training so they can recognise inappropriate behaviours, prevent them from happening and understand what to do to address and report sexual harassment should it occur. Staff training is also a great opportunity to promote positive behaviours and encourage a culture of equality.

Online training courses you may find useful include Sexual Harassment Training Course For Managers and Supervisors, Sexual Harassment Training For Employees, Workplace Bullying & Harassment and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training.

4. Establish a ‘speak up’ culture and remove barriers to reporting harassment

Ensuring employees have an easy and efficient way to report sexual harassment is essential for improving staff wellbeing and psychological safety. Having a clear and simple reporting procedure in place is also a key ‘reasonable step’ towards preventing sexual harassment – remember to document your procedure should you need to prove this.

Establish a workplace culture where employees are encouraged to ‘speak up’ about sexual harassment, as this will give you more opportunities to detect unwanted behaviours or problem areas. For example, regular staff surveys, one-to-ones with line managers, a clear reporting procedure and group training sessions will empower workers to speak up about potential issues.

However, for staff to feel confident to speak up about sexual harassment, they need to see that the reporting procedure is free from barriers, otherwise they simply won’t bother reporting at all. This means ensuring employees can trust you’ll take their report seriously, you’ll take swift appropriate action once a report is made and staff are reassured that they won’t face repercussions for speaking up.

5. Set the tone from the top down

For employees to feel confident that you are taking all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, you need to walk the walk and talk the talk. This means setting the right example at all levels of the business, from senior management down to line managers and supervisors, by living the values you’ve established and behaving in the way you expect your employees to.

Everyone at all levels of the business should be trained in sexual harassment so they feel confident to challenge it and speak up about it. Managers and senior leaders should promote a culture of dignity and respect, set the tone for expected behaviour and challenge ingrained attitudes that are known to be problematic. If workers can see that senior management take sexual harassment seriously, then they’re much more likely to follow suit.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 puts a requirement on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment involves any sort of sexual conduct or behaviour that makes an employee feel uncomfortable whilst at work and it must be prevented, challenged and dealt with appropriately. To do this, employers need to put measures in place to empower workers to speak up about sexual harassment and recognise that their employer takes their concerns and report of harassment seriously.

Further Resources:

• Sexual Harassment Training For Employees
• Sexual Harassment Training Course For Managers and Supervisors
• Workplace Bullying & Harassment Training
• What is the Equality Act 2010 and Why is it Important?
• Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Employer Responsibilities

The post What the Worker Protection Act Means for You appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan?

A personal emergency evacuation plan – known as a PEEP – is an escape plan written for a specific individual who may need additional support to evacuate a building during an emergency, such as a fire.

Under UK fire safety legislation, all owners and managers of buildings and workplaces have a legal responsibility to ensure all occupants can escape safely and quickly in the event of a fire.

For some people, evacuating a building quickly or understanding fire evacuation procedures can be difficult due to a physical or mental impairment, so they require extra assistance from others. These people require a bespoke PEEP written just for them, whether permanent or temporary.

A permanent PEEP is created for someone with a lifelong disability or impairment, such as difficulties with sight, hearing, mobility or dexterity, a mental health condition or a neurodiverse condition that makes awareness of risk or interpretation of instructions difficult.

A temporary PEEP is created for someone with a short-term disability or impairment, such as a broken leg, someone recovering from surgery or a person in the later stages of pregnancy. Temporary PEEPS should be reviewed and updated whenever the person’s condition changes.

Why Might a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Be Needed?

If a person cannot evacuate a building unaided during a fire emergency, then they require a PEEP. This usually refers to people who have:

• A sight impairment, so perhaps cannot read emergency signage and information, are unable to identify exit routes or struggle to see fire safety hazards.
• A hearing impairment, so may struggle to hear fire and smoke alarms or be unable to clearly hear evacuation instructions from the fire warden.
• A mobility impairment, so are unable to use stairs, may not be able to move very quickly, are unable to walk unaided or need specialist equipment to be moved.
• A dexterity impairment, which affects strength or coordination, so may have difficulty opening fire doors, operating fire alarms or opening windows.
• A neurodiverse condition, such as autism, which can mean a lack of awareness of what alarms mean, inability to follow escape instructions, difficulty interpreting what’s happening or affect ability to recognise hazards.
• A mental health condition, certain conditions may cause difficulty in recognising or interpreting evacuation instructions.
• An injury or medical condition, such as a broken leg or the later stages of pregnancy, may make it difficult to move quickly or use stairs.

In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for any members of staff who may have difficulty escaping during a fire or other emergency. This includes creating a tailored PEEP for those who require one and which addresses each particular person’s individual needs.

Furthermore, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires employers to carry out a fire risk assessment to identify and manage fire hazards in the workplace and, as part of this, they must ensure all employees can evacuate safely in case of fire. The fire risk assessment must take into account people who need extra help to evacuate and, once identified, PEEPs must be created for these people.

Want to Learn More?

For owners, employers and managers of buildings and workplaces, a knowledge of fire hazards and fire safety procedures is essential, not only for legal compliance but also for the welfare of the people you are responsible for. Our range of online Fire Safety Courses, including Fire Warden, Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Safety For Care Homes will give you the knowledge you need to keep people safe.

How to Create a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan

The person in charge of the premises, whether an owner or employer, has overall responsibility for ensuring personal emergency evacuation plans are created but they can also give the responsibility to a nominated person. This could be a manager, supervisor or facilities officer, for example, who is identified as the responsible person for creating and reviewing PEEPs.

To create a personal emergency evacuation plan, the responsible person needs to fill out a form containing a range of standard questions about the person’s health condition and/or disability, any concerns the person has about evacuating and the support the person will need in the event of a fire. You can download a free PEEP template below.

The exact information recorded in the PEEP will depend on the person it’s being created for, the risks present and the building/s involved. It’s important that all PEEPs are created with the individual in mind and the information on it is tailored to them; never use a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

The main contents of a PEEP include:

• Details of the person’s health condition, impairment and/or disability.
• Whether it’s a permanent or temporary PEEP.
• How the person will reach a place of safety in an emergency.
• Whether the person understands the evacuation instructions.
• Any special equipment or procedures the person needs to help them escape.
• Whether the person is able to evacuate unaided or if they need assistance.
• Who the PEEP will be shared with.
• A signature from the person stating they agree to the contents of the PEEP.

Once a PEEP has been created, the safety arrangements within it must be physically checked to ensure they work as expected. Carry out a rehearsal of the evacuation, with the person the PEEP has been created for, to ensure that everything goes smoothly and there aren’t any unforeseen risks or problems. Once checked, the PEEP can then be marked as finalised.

The contents of the PEEP should also be reviewed regularly – at least annually and whenever the person’s condition changes, whether it gets better or worse. If changes to the PEEP are needed as a result of the review, then a new rehearsal of the plan should be done to ensure the changes are adequate and safe.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) Template

You can download a free personal emergency evacuation plan template at the link below – use this blank PEEP form as the basis for creating a bespoke PEEP, ensuring you fill out each section with information relevant and specific to the person it’s for.

A personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) is an essential legal requirement for employers and building owners, as everyone within the premises, no matter their health, impairment or disability, must be able to evacuate quickly and safely in the event of fire. Use our free downloadable PEEP template to help you get started.

Further Resources:

• Online Fire Safety Training
• Fire Safety Quiz
• What is the Equality Act 2010 and Why is it Important?

The post Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan: Free Template appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Intersectionality?

Intersectionality is the word used to describe a person’s unique combination of identities and how these impact their experience of discrimination. We all have more than one identity based on social categorisations – for example, you may identify as female but also as a Muslim and a person of colour. These overlapping identities give you a unique experience of the world.

The term ‘intersectionality’ was coined by American law professor, Kimberlé Crenshaw, in the context of social justice. Crenshaw stated that anti-racist movements in the US focused solely on Black men and feminist movements focused only on white women – neither took into account the challenges faced by a Black woman, for example, who would fall into both social categories.

Often, we look at discrimination in relation to the Equality Act 2010, which names nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. These characteristics are commonly seen as independent of one another, and workplace policies and practices only look to avoid discrimination and harassment based on one at a time.

In reality, it’s unlikely that anyone falls into just one category. We all have overlapping identities to some degree, which is why intersectionality in the workplace is an important part of your equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) practices. Intersectionality must be considered in order for your efforts to be effective and supportive for everyone.

Did you know…

The Worker Protection Act 2023 changes came into effect for all businesses in October 2024. The Act places a new legal obligation on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Our Sexual Harassment Training for Employees course helps businesses comply with their new responsibilities.

Why is Intersectionality Important?

Intersectionality is an important consideration in the workplace to ensure your EDI policies and practices are successful. Without considering intersectionality, policies are likely to be one-dimensional and won’t be truly reflective or supportive of your workforce.

 Here are eight other reasons why intersectionality is important for your business:

1. It improves overall health and wellbeing, as all colleagues are supported, included and valued in the workplace.
2. It raises awareness of discrimination, helps you meet the needs of everyone and teaches employees that everyone is an individual with different requirements.
3. It helps you to comply with the Equality Act, as intersectionality requires you to consider the protected characteristics, how these affect people and how discrimination can and should be prevented.
4. It promotes equality and diversity in the workplace, people’s differences are celebrated and creativity and productivity are increased as a result.
5. It helps to recruit the best talent. Valuing intersectionality and diversity at the earliest stages of recruitment give you a much wider pool of talent to choose from.
6. It’s a forward-thinking approach to HR and enables you to analyse your current EDI policies to see how they can be updated with intersectionality in mind.
7. It creates a positive brand image and shows to customers, clients, stakeholders and potential employees that you take diversity and inclusion seriously.
8. It ensures that all members of staff feel safe and supported at work and will create a sense of psychological safety and wellbeing if staff know that their individual needs are being considered.

Want to Learn More?

Having an understanding of people’s differences and the types of discrimination they may face is important knowledge for managers, leaders and HR professionals. Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and LGBTQ+ Awareness training courses will help you keep your knowledge up-to-date.

Examples of Intersectionality in the Workplace

Below are three examples of intersectionality in the workplace that demonstrate how one person, with multiple overlapping identities, may experience discrimination differently:

1. There’s an opportunity for a promotion and the candidates are an Asian woman and a white man. The hiring manager is also a white man and he chooses the male candidate for the position. In this situation, the woman is likely to face challenges related to not only her sex but also her race, even if it’s unconscious on behalf of the hiring manager.
2. A straight white woman and a gay Black woman are on the same work team. Despite both having the same gender identity and the same job role, the Black woman experiences microaggressions and ‘banter’ that the white woman does not because of her racial and sexual orientation identities.
3. A physically disabled gay man and his non-disabled peer both work in the same office. Even though they share the same sexual orientation, the non-disabled man has privileges that the other man does not, as he’s able to access the senior meeting room upstairs to join conversations that will help advance his career. Because of his disability, the other man faces indirect discrimination as he cannot easily join the same meetings.

How to Put Intersectionality into Practice in the Workplace

To put intersectionality into practice in the workplace, you’ll need to consider every employee, their individual characteristics, their particular needs and the specific challenges they may face. Avoid treating everyone exactly the same with a ‘blanket policy’, as this is unlikely to take intersectionality into consideration and may cause more harm than good.

A few ways to put intersectional practices in place include:

• Create clear policies on discrimination and harassment – ensure everyone knows what discrimination looks like and understands that it can look different to different people. Policies should be zero-tolerance, discrimination called out when it happens and punitive measures followed as described.
• Ensure employees are supported and represented at all levels – make diversity a priority in senior management and leadership to show you take it seriously and value people from all walks of life.
• Start from the top – inclusion practices must start at senior level so employees can see you value intersectionality and are leading by example.
• Create support networks for minority groups – such as an LGBTQ+ group, a female book club or a BAME coffee club, to give people the support they need. Encourage staff members to see the groups as overlapping networks that interact with each other, rather than standalone categories.
• Train all employees in equality, diversity and inclusion – training in inclusion and intersectionality helps everyone recognise what discrimination looks like, how to avoid it and how to call it out. Online training can be a quick and easy way to educate people.
• Carry out anonymous surveys to gather opinions – to gain an accurate picture of representation in your company, how staff feel about inclusion and changes they want to see, send out a regular employee survey. This will help you recognise where you can improve.
• Consider intersectionality in all policies, procedures and activities – intersectional thinking isn’t just related to your inclusion policy, but should also apply to recruitment, promotions, staff training, social events and professional development opportunities.

For your workplace to be truly supportive of all its staff members, you must consider intersectionality in all of your activities, policies and procedures. Everyone is different and will experience life differently, but adopting an intersectional approach in the workplace will help people to feel valued, included and psychologically safe whilst at work.

Further Resources:

• LGBT Awareness Quiz
• LGBT Awareness Training
• Am I Being Bullied at Work?
• How to Support Others to Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
• What To Do If You Suspect Mental Health Discrimination at Work
• How to Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

The post Intersectionality in the Workplace appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What Does Transgender Mean?

Giving a definition to the term ‘transgender’ can be tricky, as it can mean different things to different people. The dictionary definition of a person who identifies as transgender is someone whose gender identity doesn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth – however, it typically isn’t that straightforward.

For some people, being transgender or ‘trans’ means they want to undergo or have undergone surgery or medical intervention to change their appearance. For example, to add or remove breast tissue or alter the male/female hormone levels in their body. For others, their trans identity is expressed by the way they dress or behave, and isn’t dependent on their bodily appearance. For example, they might wear clothing associated with the opposite gender, use alternative pronouns or change their name.

For children and young people, having a trans identity can be an incredibly difficult part of growing up. Some children may be confident in their identity and outwardly show who they are, whereas others may be unsure, confused or questioning their trans identity. No matter which category they fall into, all students deserve to be treated with respect, and this is where teachers play an important role in supporting transgender students.

Transgender Guidance for Schools

Schools and other educational settings play a vital role in supporting all students, but in particular transgender students. The experiences a person has at school will shape them for life, so it’s essential that they are supported, valued and celebrated in these formative years. As a teacher, you want your students to thrive, no matter who they are.

How to Support Transgender Students

As a teacher, you can help support transgender students by doing any of the following actions. Which of these do you do already and where can you make improvements?

• Accept that trans pupils may exist in your school. This is often the first hurdle for many LGBTQ+ people who feel that their identity is being questioned, ignored or denied by society – and this attitude can be extremely damaging to their mental health. Instead, welcome and celebrate students’ differences, on an individual level and as a whole school, and be open to anything.
• If a student comes out as trans, then support their decision. Be positive about it, respond with kindness and listen to them carefully. Avoid being quick to judge, ask personal questions or deny their feelings. Instead, celebrate them for being true to themselves and look at what you can do to be more inclusive. It’s also important that you treat information like this with care and confidentiality – coming out as trans is a sensitive issue and deserves to be handled as such.
• Ensure your anti-bullying policy references trans and LGBTQ+ students specifically to show that bullying, harassment and discrimination based on gender identity or sexuality will not be tolerated. A zero-tolerance approach is essential and there should be no exceptions.
• Challenge transphobia in your school. If you hear someone – whether it’s another teacher or a student – using harmful language about another student’s gender identity, then challenge them, don’t just ignore it. Point out why their language or behaviour is transphobic and explain how it’s harmful. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
• Educate yourself about trans issues. If you’ve never come across a transgender person before, it can be difficult to understand or relate to what it means and to the struggles they face. To be supportive, however, it’s essential that you have this knowledge, so seek out articles online, read up about trans culture and do what you can to be an ally for those who need it. Stonewall – a UK LGBTQ+ charity – has many resources available for teachers that can help you learn more. Our LGBTQ+ Awareness Training Course can also give you a deeper understanding.
• Make talking about trans and LGBTQ+ issues part of the school RSHE curriculum and ensure you reference all sexualities and identities in conversations. Discussing the topic openly and positively will make everyone more accepting and can be incredibly comforting for any student who is quietly questioning their gender identity. When talking about gender or sexuality issues, remember to use inclusive language and never make generalisations or assumptions.
• Remain in open conversation with parents. As well as promoting diversity and inclusion amongst pupils, you should also extend this attitude towards their parents and guardians. Ensure your communications with family members are always inclusive and non-discriminatory, with the same zero-tolerance approach to transphobic behaviour and language. Furthermore, recent Government guidance states that parents should be informed if their child has expressed a wish to change their gender identity at school, so bear this in mind and always act in the best interests of the child in question.
• Introduce gender-neutral facilities at school. For example, instead of only having male and female bathrooms or changing rooms, create at least one facility that can be used by everyone. Whilst it can be important to have single-sex spaces, it’s also vital that trans students are able to use the facility in which they feel most comfortable. If your school decides to do this, then make sure all students are educated about it.
• Promote inclusivity everywhere. All students deserve to feel included and valued at school, no matter who they are and how they identify. Being included is powerful for trans students, especially if they’re not openly trans, because it shows them that they belong and gives them a valuable sense of psychological safety. Ensure that all lessons, activities and field trips are open to and include everyone.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest guidance and best practice for schools. As a teacher, you have a responsibility to safeguard children and ensure you’re following all procedures or guidelines laid down by the UK Government. This guidance is regularly reviewed, so ensure you’re familiar with the latest publications (such as the recently published consultation on gender-questioning children in schools).
• Create a school transgender policy. Having a clear-cut policy shows that you take the issue seriously and have procedures and best practices in place for everyone to follow. A transgender policy can answer a lot of questions for other members of staff as it gives them a central source of guidance for how to behave, how to meet the needs of transgender pupils and how to create and maintain a supportive environment.

Any of the above actions will help you to support transgender students in schools but the more of them you can do, the better. All students deserve to feel accepted, included and like they belong to their school, and teachers play a pivotal role in ensuring this. By celebrating students and their differences, you can make education a positive experience for trans students and have an extraordinary impact on the rest of their lives.

Further Resources

• How to Promote LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education in Schools
• What is Inclusive Practice?
• How to Promote Positive Mental Health in Schools
• How to Promote Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in the Classroom
• How to Create a Positive Learning Environment
• Gender Dysphoria in Children: Guidance for Parents and Teachers

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Within this article we will explain what the Equality Act 2010 is and why it was introduced. We’ll also outline different types of discrimination, the nine protected characteristics and the ways in which the Act aims to empower individuals.

What is the Equality Act 2010?

The Equality Act was put in place on 1 October 2010 to ensure people and their rights are lawfully protected from discrimination. Its purpose is to create a fairer society and one that further promotes equal opportunities for all. All workplaces must comply with the Equality Act by law and so it is important to understand what actions and treatment are seen as unfair, which characteristics are protected and ensure an inclusive, diverse, respectful and equal culture is promoted at all times. 

There were previously many anti-discrimination laws already in place, however, these are now covered under this one Act, making the information covered within this legal framework much easier to understand. Of the original 116 pieces of legislation now combined within this Act, some of the main ones include the:

• Equal Pay Act 1970.
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975.
• Race Relations Act 1976.
• Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.
• Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.

The update in legislation also allowed for better definition and an increase in lawful protection against discrimination in certain circumstances. The Act sets out the different ways a person or groups can be discriminated against, how the law protects against discrimination at work and which characteristics are protected under the Act. We will look at these particular characteristics in more detail in the next section.

Want to Learn More?

Not only is it a legal requirement, but it is also vital that we each play our part, both as individuals and as an employer, in promoting an equal, inclusive and just society for all. Why not take a look at our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training Course to increase your knowledge and gain further insights into the topic.

What are the Nine Protected Characteristics of the Equality Act?

Protection against discrimination is not just applicable to working environments – a person is also protected in education, as a consumer, when buying public services, when buying or renting a property and as a member or guest of a private club or association. As well as understanding where a person should be protected, the nine protected characteristics (previously known as grounds) provide clarification on who is protected under equality legislation.

Each of the characteristics are viewed equally; there is no one protected characteristic that could be considered more important than another. It is also important to remember that everyone experiences discrimination differently and for those who possess several of these characteristics, they may be at an increased risk of discrimination and unfair treatment.

The nine protected characteristics are:

• Age.
• Disability.
• Gender reassignment.
• Marriage and civil partnership.
• Pregnancy and maternity.
• Race.
• Religion or belief.
• Sex.
• Sexual orientation.

From the characteristics listed above, you may want to think about if you have ever been discriminated against yourself and for which characteristic? Or, have you ever treated someone unfairly because they possessed different characteristics to you? Sometimes we can be guilty of making snap judgments about someone, and the reasons for this often come from our background, society and culture, stereotypes, and the media’s influence. 

To learn more about how and why we can be influenced in this way, take a look at our Unconscious Bias Training Course. 

In the following section we will look at what forms discrimination can take and in what kind of circumstances it may be appropriate.

Why Was the Equality Act 2010 Introduced?

The Equality Act 2010 was introduced to create one single legal framework for protecting the rights of equal opportunity and against unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation based on someone’s personal, protected characteristics. 

The Act states that discrimination can come in any one of the following forms:

Direct discrimination – treating those with a protected characteristic differently to those without. This means treating them less favourably or unlawfully. 

Indirect discrimination – having rules, policies or procedures in place that inadvertently place someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage to everyone else.

Harassment – treating those with a protected characteristic in a way that is undignified and subjecting them to behaviour that creates an unpleasant and offensive environment. 

Victimisation – treating someone who complains about discrimination or harassment in an unfair way.

Associative discrimination – treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic of someone they are associated with, such as a family member or a partner.

Perceptive discrimination – treating someone unfavourably or unlawfully because it is assumed that they possess a protected characteristic. This applies whether the assumption about the person is true or not.

Discrimination in the Workplace

A person can be affected by discrimination in many ways at work, such as receiving unjustified differences in pay or unequal access to training and promotion opportunities. Understanding the ways discrimination can occur can help to prevent it.

Whilst all employees are legally protected from inequality in the workplace, there may be certain justifiable situations where discriminating against a person or groups of people can be lawful. For example, the reason behind discrimination in the following circumstances could be justified and therefore lawful:

• If a highly skilled job required a set number of years experience to ensure the appropriate health and safety standard was met, a woman who was unable to meet that criteria due to the time she required off when having children could, on the surface, appear to be indirect discrimination.

• A Sikh who was banned from wearing a kirpan (ceremonial dagger) whilst working in a high-security mental health facility could be seen to be discriminated against due to their religious beliefs. However, this again could be justified as wearing such an item could pose a serious risk to health and safety. 

• Finally, a job role that requires tests to determine a high level of fitness and strength, may employ a younger demographic of people based on their results. This could be seen as age-related discrimination, but the nature of the role may be able to justify such recruitment. 

In the majority of cases, however, discrimination is not lawful and all organisations should embrace and empower equality, diversity and inclusion and promote inclusive communication in the workplace. 

How Does the Equality Act Empower Individuals?

As with all legislations, the very nature of having legal protection can empower people to embrace their rights. In the case of the Equality Act, it can help give people the confidence to be their full selves, not accept unfair treatment and to feel more in control of their own lives and choices.

Knowing you cannot be refused, ill-treated or rejected because you possess certain characteristics can embolden people to see themselves as an equal, ask more questions, take on new challenges and seek out a wider range of opportunities. Having robust equality, diversity and inclusion policies in the workplace is an excellent way for a business to show its support for such individuals. 

It is important to remember that we can all too easily become disconnected from the meaning behind protected characteristics. When we talk of being treated equally and not discriminated against because of them, we should remember that these characteristics stand for who a person is, who they choose to love and what they believe in.

Everyone has the right to be true to themselves, live authentically and be free from judgement and penalty both in their personal and professional lives. The Equality Act aims to protect and empower individuals for these reasons. 

The impact of the Act can be far reaching and not only promotes dignified and anti-discriminatory practices within the workplace for those in employment, but it also encourages organisations to take positive action to actively seek out and employ qualified individuals who have certain protected characteristics. This kind of action is legal if it meets certain criteria, particularly in cases where there is underrepresentation within the business. 

This in itself empowers individuals, as it increases opportunities for employment and personal and professional development. In cases where training is offered to help those with a protected characteristic develop, this shows a proactive approach and positive action to empower them and to help them overcome any disadvantages they may face compared to other employees. 

We are all individuals and in modern society there is a greater need for more inclusive communications and diversity in our workplaces and within our communities. The Equality Act 2010 offers lawful protection against discrimination based on protected characteristics and aims to empower individuals and foster a more equal and fair society. We all have a part to play in making this a reality for all. 

Further Resources:

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Training
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policies in the Workplace: Free Template
• How to Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
• Equality & Diversity Quiz
• Cross Cultural Awareness Quiz

The post What is the Equality Act 2010 and Why is it Important? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace?

Whilst equality, diversity and inclusion are closely related, and often discussed as a single concept, it is useful to consider the individual terms and their meanings.

• Equality – means that everyone is treated the same, is treated fairly and has the same opportunities. Equity is slightly different from equality in that it recognises that each person has different circumstances. This means that varying types or levels of support might be required, depending on individual need, to take full advantage of equal opportunities. 
• Diversity – means recognising, respecting and welcoming everyone’s different backgrounds, identities and experiences. Promoting diversity celebrates people’s differences and uniqueness.
• Inclusion – means that everyone is encouraged to retain their uniqueness, they aren’t singled out for being different or expected to conform in any way, and have a sense of belonging and being valued.

Inclusion, importantly, goes a step further than diversity. For example, a company could claim to be ‘diverse’ based on the numbers of staff who meet a certain criteria. However, if an organisation is truly inclusive, then they ensure that every member of that diverse community feels valued and included. 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Examples

Keeping those key terms in mind, here are some examples of how these might apply in a workplace setting:

Equality/Equity – Making sure that company processes and procedures do not discriminate against any individual or group.  This runs throughout an individual’s employment journey and could include anything from the wording of job roles – for example, using ‘supervisor’, which carries no gender implications, rather than ‘foreman’ – to providing British Sign Language interpreters at whole-company presentations. 

Diversity – Actively welcoming differences in the workforce and valuing the contributions that come from those differences. For example, building awareness and celebrating those differences through things such as marking Pride Month or Menopause Awareness Week can help to promote an appreciation of diversity within your workplace. (However, care must be taken – awareness days, weeks or months can be powerful tools to help promote diversity but they should be part of a culture of inclusion – not an annual tick box activity.) If you are looking to learn more about menopause awareness, why not take a look at our article: How to Provide Menopause Support in the Workplace.

Inclusion – Ensuring that consideration is given to all aspects of the company culture to make sure everyone is included. For example, organising a team-building activity in the top floor VIP room at a bar for 4pm on a Friday evening could potentially exclude team members with particular religious beliefs, those with caring responsibilities, with physical disabilities or neurodivergent employees. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion should be embedded in the workplace, regardless of the size of the organisation. How that will look in practice will depend on the particular company. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to E,D&I in the workplace, but we will explore some key areas that should be considered when trying to improve E,D&I in your organisation.

Why is Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Important in the Workplace?

Whilst progress has been made towards equality, diversity and inclusion, we are still a long way from having a fully equitable and inclusive workplace, as illustrated by the following UK statistics:

• In England and Wales, 76% of white people were employed in 2021, compared with 67% of people from all other ethnic groups combined. (Gov.uk, 2022)
• 13.5% of white Irish workers were in ‘manager, director or senior official’ jobs – the type of occupations associated with higher socio-economic circumstances – compared with 4.6% of black workers. (Gov.uk, 2022)
• In April 2022, the gender pay gap was 8.3% in full time employees. The gender pay gap was higher in every English region than it was in Scotland and Northern Ireland. (ONS, 2022)
• Disabled workers move out of work at nearly twice the rate (8.8%) of non-disabled workers (4.9%). (Department for Work and Pensions, 2022)
• 16% of LGB+ workers feel psychologically unsafe in the workplace compared with 10% heterosexual workers. For trans workers, this figure is even higher at 18%. (CIPD, 2021)
• 40% of LGB+ workers and 55% of trans workers have experienced workplace conflict and harassment, compared with 29% of heterosexual, cisgender employees. (CIPD, 2021)

As well as the fundamental importance of ensuring that no one is disadvantaged or discriminated against in the workplace, and that everyone feels that they are valued and respected for themselves, there are legal requirements and business-related benefits surrounding promoting E,D&I in the workplace. 

Benefits of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

There are a huge range of benefits that come with working to improve and prioritise equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. These can include, as the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) notes, helping to:

• Improve the overall success of the business or organisation.
• Keep employees happy and motivated.
• Prevent serious or legal issues arising, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination.
• Better serve a diverse range of customers or clients.
• Improve ideas and problem-solving.
• Attract and retain good staff.

Although research is limited, a confirmed link has been shown between inclusion and successful knowledge sharing, innovation and creativity within teams (CIPD, 2019).

Looking to Learn More?

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training Course has been designed to help learners understand more about their responsibilities for promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It aims to help you promote a fairer, more tolerant and more inclusive working environment.

Equality Act 2010 and Protected Characteristics

The Equality Act brought together a range of anti-discriminatory laws, and covers all of Great Britain. It offers protection from discrimination, harassment and victimisation for nine specific personal characteristics – known as protected characteristics under the law.

The protected characteristics are:

• Age.
• Disability.
• Gender reassignment.
• Marriage and civil partnership.
• Pregnancy and maternity.
• Race.
• Religion or belief.
• Sex.
• Sexual orientation.

The Equality Act also protects those discriminated against through association or perception – for example, an employee discriminated against due to a partner’s religious belief or due to being perceived as LGBTQ+.

Under the Equality Act, employers also have a legal responsibility to provide reasonable adjustments for employees or potential employees with disabilities. This could range from organising a job interview on the ground floor for a candidate who is a wheelchair user to offering choice on how to attend team meetings to support neurodivergent employees.

You can test your knowledge of equality and diversity law with our quick quiz.

Intersectionality

The term intersectionality refers to possessing multiple characteristics, which often overlap.
Intersectionality is about having a mix of identities and how these might combine to create different types of discrimination or privilege, and it’s important to consider when looking to promote equality and inclusion for everyone. Those with intersectional identities can be more vulnerable to discrimination, and may experience discrimination differently.

How to Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

There is not a single strategy or simple checklist to work through to successfully build a truly inclusive workplace – it will depend on your organisation, how inclusive the company currently is and the workforce and customer base you serve, amongst other things.  

However, the following steps can help you on the journey towards improving equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace.

Know your starting point

Before considering how you can improve E,D&I, you need to get as clear a picture as possible of where you are now. This will need to draw on several sources in order to be comprehensive. 

In terms of diversity, regularly analysing recruitment and employee data can help to identify whether your workforce is representative of the community. However, there are limitations to data available, in terms of inclusivity, against which you might be able to benchmark. If you know, for example, that there is a marked imbalance in the age of the candidates you are attracting, you can begin to analyse why that might be and what possible measures could be taken to address that imbalance.

However, as inclusion is about whether people feel included, valued and able to thrive, you will need to gather information about how your workforce actually feel. This could include adding inclusion questions to regular anonymous staff surveys, discussions in mentor meetings or putting together focus groups to discuss particular issues, i.e. staff voice.

Create an inclusive workplace culture

This means that all aspects of work life include a consideration of inclusion. For instance, an organisation could ask themselves:

• Is our imagery inclusive? – Consider images around your place of work, on your website or in marketing material.
• Are a range of cultural events recognised across the company?
• Do we promote a consideration of inclusive language and are measures taken to promote inclusive communication? 
• Do managers and leaders model inclusive practices?
• Do social activities unintentionally exclude individuals or groups?
• Are there opportunities for everyone to express their opinions? This could be via intranet feedback forms, staff surveys, etc.
• Are flexible working arrangements in place that might help promote inclusion?

Develop an awareness of and avoid unconscious bias

You can only prevent unconscious bias when you are aware of it, so it’s important to explore this. Further information can be found in our article here.

Develop an equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Every workplace should have an E,D&I policy and apply it to every aspect of employment. However, it is important that any policies exist within a culture that truly values difference. Policies alone will not ensure inclusion, but they can signal and cement the commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. 

Consider where your organisation promotes this policy and what that signals to current and potential employees  – does it appear front and centre of your website or intranet or do you have to hunt for it? (Barkworth, 2022)

Further guidance regarding developing an equality, diversity and inclusion policy, along with a downloadable template, can be found in our article here.

Complete Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training

All employees, including those with management responsibilities, can benefit from Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training, allowing them to build their knowledge of the issues surrounding E,D & I and to reflect on how they can contribute towards promoting and improving inclusion in the workplace.

Continually review and evaluate

It is important that the effectiveness of any strategies to promote inclusion is regularly evaluated, in order to build on what has been successful and identify any areas for further improvement. This can be done in similar ways to assessing your starting point, but on an ongoing basis.

Case Study – Bupa Global & UK

International healthcare company Bupa Global & UK was ranked as the UK’s third most inclusive employer by Inclusive Companies on their 2021/22 index. 

Bupa has over 25,000 employees and serves over 5 million customers worldwide. It operates dental practices, care homes, retirement villages, health clinics and a hospital.

On achieving the third place ranking, Carlos Jaureguizar Ruiz-Jarabo, CEO at Bupa Global, India & UK, said “…It is essential that everyone feels welcome and that they are able to bring their whole selves to work every day. Having a diverse workforce is also important as it is reflective of our customers, who are from every community.”

Inclusive Companies highlighted the following important factors which have contributed towards Bupa’s progress within diversity and inclusion over the past few years:

• Active sponsorship of inclusion by two of Bupa’s Executive team members, raising its profile across Bupa globally. This includes supporting a new employee network and ensuring all aspects of D&I are regularly on the Executive team agenda.
• In 2020, the wider Executive Team proactively took the business-wide inclusion strategy and created bespoke inclusion plans for their specific business areas. 
• An internal sponsorship programme, Bupa Include, designed to support the career progression of underrepresented communities into more senior roles. 
• Executive and senior leaders regularly role model storytelling to celebrate diversity. They also proactively volunteer to host live storytelling sessions to be active allies of their people on subjects such as race, gender, faith, disability, family, sexuality and age. 

Full details can be found on the Inclusive Companies website here.

Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace helps to ensure that everyone is able to work in an environment where all aspects of their identities are recognised, respected and valued. It is important that all employees play their part in helping to create an inclusive workplace, where everyone is included, so that each individual and the entire organisation are able to thrive.

Further Resources:

• Managing Conflict in the Workplace: A Guide for Line Managers
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training
• How to Promote Equality and Diversity in Customer Service
• How to Promote Inclusive Communication in the Workplace
• Workplace Bullying and Harassment Quiz
• Equality & Diversity Quiz
• LGBT Awareness Quiz
• Defining the Different Types of Discrimination in Health and Social Care
• Disabled Access Requirements for Restaurants
• Disability Awareness Quiz
• How to Support Hidden Disabilities in the Workplace
• How to Help Others Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
• Unconscious Bias Quiz
• Importance of Respect in the Workplace
• Why Your Business Needs an Intersectional Approach to Discrimination
• How to Mark International Women’s Day in the Workplace
• Cross Cultural Awareness Quiz

The post How to Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Equality and diversity are covered by the Equality Act 2010 and require everyone to be treated fairly and with respect. Compliance with the law should be straightforward – a person’s age, sex, disability or race, for example, shouldn’t impact the level of customer service you provide them with. 

In this article, we’ll explain what is meant by customer diversity, along with examples and tips, and show why it is so important to the customer service you provide.

What is Customer Diversity?

Diversity is a term that encompasses a wide range of factors – people can be diverse in the way they look or where they come from, but also diverse in their abilities, beliefs and life experiences. In today’s world, where technology and travel enable business to be done all over the globe, it’s even more likely that you’ll come across a diverse customer base.

Equality and diversity are relevant to all customers and mean treating everyone equally and with respect. This means not making assumptions about, harassing or stereotyping people and not discriminating against people based on who they are.

In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 gives people legal protection against discrimination, harassment and victimisation based on their diversity. Under the law, there are nine specific personal characteristics, known as protected characteristics, that you cannot discriminate against. 

These are:

• Age.
• Disability.
• Gender reassignment.
• Marriage and civil partnership.
• Pregnancy and maternity.
• Race.
• Religion and belief.
• Sex.
• Sexual orientation.

The Equality Act gives equal weight to each of the nine protected characteristics, so no single characteristic is considered more significant than another. Furthermore, discrimination can be against either a single characteristic, or multiple characteristics.

Examples of Diverse Customer Needs

The nine protected characteristics show just how diverse people can be. You may experience customers with any one or more of these characteristics, and so should be aware of how to cater to their individual needs. 

For example, you may experience a customer that has a disability. By law, traders and service providers must ensure everyone can access and is able to use their goods and services in the same way, as far as possible. In terms of disability, there are ways that you could ensure everyone is included in your service, for example: 

• Provide written customer information and signage in alternative formats, such as Braille, large font and/or an easy-to-read format.
• Ensure you take the time to explain things slowly and clearly, without frustration, to customers who need extra support to understand.
• Have a ramp or lift available for easy access to your premises.
• Reserve parking spaces near the entrance of your premises for disabled customers.

Equally, you may experience a customer who is breastfeeding. It’s unlawful for a trader or service provider to treat anyone unfairly because of this. For example, you can’t refuse a table in a restaurant to someone who is breastfeeding, or ask them to go to the toilets. This would count as pregnancy and maternity discrimination. You must make sure that women you’re providing services to are allowed to breastfeed on your premises if they want to.

You may also encounter customers who wear clothes for a religious purpose – i.e., head coverings or body cover ups. It could be classed as indirect discrimination if, for example, your place of work doesn’t allow customers to cover their heads, meaning that people who cover their heads for religious reasons can’t enter. 

Indirect discrimination can, however, be lawful if the trader has a good reason for the policy. For example, if a rock-climbing centre states that customers must wear protective helmets or clothing if participating in the climbing. This could disadvantage people who wear religious clothing, but the policy can be justified as it only exists for health and safety reasons.

You also need to be careful around indirect discrimination, which means discriminating against someone without being aware that you’re doing so. For example, only allowing payment by an online service like PayPal may discriminate against older customers who don’t access the internet. This could be classed as age discrimination.

Need a Course?

To learn more, take a look at our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training course, which explains what the law expects of you in terms of preventing discrimination and harassment based on the nine protected characteristics.

Why is Equality & Diversity Important in Customer Service?

Embracing people’s diversity is important in customer service because it shows that your business truly reflects and welcomes the society we live in, and understands its needs. Appreciating people’s differences, treating all your customers equally and respecting each person’s uniqueness is vital if you want to retain clients and encourage repeat business.

Promoting equality and diversity in customer service brings many benefits for both your customers and your workforce. For example:

• It improves customer loyalty. Embracing equality and diversity shows to your customers that your company and your brand share the same values as they do. Being fair and equal with your diverse customers will improve their perception of your brand and encourage them to return.
• It shows that you respect your customers. Active listening, empathy and giving your customers time to give their views are powerful actions and show that you value your customers’ opinions, no matter who they are, which enhances the customer experience.
• Promoting diversity in the workplace is proven to attract top talent. If customers can see that you embrace equality and diversity, then they’re more likely to apply for a job role when one comes up, as they can see that you’re a fair and inclusive employer. Find out more about how equality and diversity improves the workplace in our article, here.

Need a Course?

Our Customer Service Skills training course is designed for anyone working in a customer service role who wishes to improve their service skills in order to ensure that customers have the best possible experience.

How to Support Equality & Diversity in Customer Service

If you work in a customer service role, then the following tips and advice will help you to support equality and diversity more actively and effectively.

Have an inclusive work culture

A work culture that supports and encourages equality and diversity starts with your workforce. By having staff that understand the importance of treating every customer (and colleague) with care and respect, you can create an environment that enables each individual to flourish, no matter their background or according to particular characteristics.

Have an equality, diversity and inclusion policy

An equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy is a written document that solidifies your commitment to promoting EDI in your workplace by setting out your obligations in areas such as recruitment, training, and pay.

Having an EDI policy in place indicates that you value every individual, that you are willing and prepared to fulfil their needs, and that you will stand by them and combat discrimination. EDI policies aim to uproot prejudice and discrimination.

For more information and a free, downloadable policy template, check out our article: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policies in the Workplace: Free Template.

Actively listen

Active listening is a simple but effective skill that everyone should have. It means you listen for meaning in what the person speaking to you is saying, rather than interrupting or waiting for a gap in the conversation to make your own point. 

Active listening also means you listen to someone without preconceived ideas, and that you use positive body language and facial expressions to show they have your full attention. This allows you to listen to customers with focused intent and build respect. Check out our article on improving active listening in communication to learn more.

Develop emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand and manage emotions. This is an important trait to have in order to sustain a connection with your customers and work towards positive solutions to their problems. It also enables you to recognise people’s emotions so you can help them with what they really need and communicate with them more effectively. 

Having emotional intelligence means that you show empathy, and are able to understand where someone is coming from, are sensitive to their needs and understand how they feel about a situation. It also helps you to understand how other people’s reactions differ from your own and value these differences.

Check out our article for more information: A Guide to Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace.

We hope you’ve found this article on how to promote equality and diversity in customer service both informative and helpful. If you have any further questions, or wish to find out more information on the topics covered in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at High Speed Training!

Further Resources

• Online Customer Service Training Course
• How Equality & Diversity Improves Your Workplace: Examining the Benefits
• What Defines Good Customer Service in Retail?
• Equality & Diversity Quiz
• Disabled Access Requirements for Restaurants
• How to Help Others Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
• How to Promote Inclusive Communication in the Workplace
• How to Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

The post How to Promote Equality and Diversity in Customer Service appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

This article will look at what dyspraxia is, what causes it, and how it can present itself. We will focus primarily on what the condition means for adults and look at its potential impact on a person’s working life – including suggestions for how employers could provide support when required. 

What is Dyspraxia in Adults?

Dyspraxia is a common disorder that affects movement and coordination. This means those with the condition may have difficulty with certain day-to-day tasks and activities such as particular sports, driving a vehicle, or preparing a meal. Some people can find it challenging to use their fine motor skills so may struggle with activities such as writing, tying shoelaces or using certain pieces of equipment – particularly with one hand – such as a stapler or can opener. 

Dyspraxia is often regarded as a hidden condition which is still poorly understood. It is one of several other disorders and conditions that involve processing and learning differences/difficulties. Many people see an overlap of characteristics from more than just one of these similar conditions without necessarily having multiple labels.

Other conditions include:

• Dyslexia.
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
• Asperger’s Syndrome.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

As dyspraxia can affect many areas of a person’s life, the manner in which they perform certain tasks, how they present themselves in social interactions, and their potential for having other specific learning differences, can mean people falsely assume those with the condition have a reduced intellect, which is certainly not the case. 

Neurodiversity is becoming increasingly embraced as a unique way of thinking that can also bring innovation and creativity. Dyspraxia, and the many other conditions that present with similar characteristics are completely apart from an individual’s level of intelligence as much as they are their race, socio-economic background, or culture. 

Recently, there has been an increased awareness around the similar sounding – apraxia. Ex-footballer Chris Kamara took part in an ITV documentary called ‘Chris Kamara: Lost for Words’ in which he discusses his apraxia diagnosis and his challenges with his speech, balance and coordination. He also discussed his condition with Steven Bartlett on his ‘Diary of a CEO’ podcast. 

Dyspraxia vs Apraxia

Dyspraxia of speech is also known as verbal dyspraxia or apraxia. There are several different types and their effects range beyond just speech, but both terms are related in the sense that apraxia is a type of dyspraxia. You will likely see these terms used interchangeably, but it is generally said that the main difference between the two is severity, with apraxia being the more severe. 

As with ‘dys’ and ‘praxia’, we can again break down apraxia with the ‘a’ coming from the Ancient Greek meaning for ‘without’. These meanings help to differentiate between the severity of the two, with dyspraxia referring to a difficulty in performing certain actions and apraxia as an inability to do so. 

Want to Learn More?

If you are interested in learning more about supporting school aged children both in and out of the classroom, why not take a look at our range of courses for Teaching and Education. We also offer a range of Business Essentials courses to help support those at all levels foster the most inclusive, supported and resilient working environment possible.

What Causes Dyspraxia?

The exact cause of dyspraxia is not known, but those born prematurely may be at an increased risk of developing it, as are men and those who have close relations with the condition. 

It is known that dyspraxia occurs when there is a disruption to how messages are passed between the brain and the body, but the cause of the disruption itself is not fully known, and there is likely no single reason why it occurs. It isn’t, however, thought to be a consequence of illness, injury or brain damage.

How Does Dyspraxia Affect Adults?

Signs of dyspraxia can be present from a young age but may not be recognised until a child reaches school age, or even into adulthood. The dyspraxia foundation states that between 2% and 5% of the adult population are estimated to be affected by the condition.  

Those with dyspraxia can display a variety of symptoms. Many of which will differ between individuals and may also change over time. The condition not only impacts coordination and movement, but there can also be social, emotional and processing difficulties too.

Dyspraxia may affect:

• Coordination, balance and movement.
• Writing, typing, drawing, and grasping small objects.
• How new skills are learnt and information is remembered.
• Daily tasks, such as dressing, fasting shoe laces or meal preparation.
• How a person functions in social situations.
• The way emotions are felt and dealt with.
• Time management, planning and organisation skills.

Sometimes, particularly when relatively mild, the characteristics of dyspraxia can be hard to identify, often various coping and avoidance strategies have been learned into adulthood and certain signs are simply put down as clumsiness, awkwardness or being disorganised. 

Some other indicating factors to be aware of are:

• Having a history of physical awkwardness as a child that is now ‘managed’ as an adult.
• Long pauses before answering questions.
• Avoidance of environments and situations where physical or social challenges will be noticed.
• An ability to do lots of writing or neat writing, but not both at once.
• Underachieving at work or study.
• Struggling to apply skills in new environments or in a busy setting.
• Tiring easily.
• Bumping into things.
• A habit of being late or missing appointments. 

It is important to be mindful of the impact conditions such as dyspraxia can have on an individual’s mental health. For many, a diagnosis may never be made or even sought and they may live with a lack of understanding as to why they feel out of step and face challenges in areas of their lives others around them seem to manage without difficulty. 

Even those with a diagnosis may feel frustrated with themselves and in certain situations. Mental health awareness is something that can benefit us all and those around us, regardless of our circumstances. 

Working with Dyspraxia

It should never be assumed that a person with dyspraxia will be unable to achieve in the workplace. There are many adults who have dyspraxia that have developed their own strategies for working effectively in a variety of settings. Living with the condition often promotes qualities in individuals that every employer wants in their workforce – determination, persistence, ingenuity, and a hard-working nature. 

Of course, for some people with dyspraxia, additional support may be required to help them reach their full potential. Employers have a duty to ensure they do not discriminate against an individual on the grounds of their disability and to provide reasonable adjustments to ensure they are not put at a significant disadvantage. 

As already mentioned, the benefit of neurodiversity comes from a different approach to thinking. In business, this can be a very valuable asset when it comes to developing new strategies and ways of working. 

Everyone is an individual, regardless of what diagnosis they may have, and it is important to remember that having a condition like dyspraxia should not mean missing out on opportunities. It should, instead, be viewed as an asset with the person having the potential of unique skills and attributes that should be encouraged and developed. 

There may be challenges to overcome and there may well be certain environments and professions more suited to an individual with the condition. Regardless of employment, however, they should be supported to thrive and reach their full potential, with consideration given to the types of adjustments that can be put in place to be of the greatest benefit.

Some possible adjustments an employer could make include:

• Making physical adjustments to the environment.
• Providing additional training if an individual finds particular areas challenging.
• Support professional development goals.
• Allocate tasks appropriately and consider task exchanges amongst team members.
• Sourcing specialist or modified equipment.
• Flexible working hours.

As with all working relationships, communication skills are essential. Take the time and make the opportunity to discuss any reasonable adjustments required and to understand how to support those with dyspraxia without rigid practice constraining them to an ineffective way of working. 

Dyspraxia can affect anyone, with the symptoms and their severity being individual to each person. Those living with the condition in either childhood or adulthood should be supported to both think and do in a way that is right for them, enabling them to reach their full potential in all areas of life. 

Further Resources:

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Training
• Coaching and Mentoring Training
• How to Help a Child with Dyspraxia in the Classroom
• Recognising the Signs of Dyslexia in Children
• How to Help a Child with Dyspraxia in the Classroom
• How to Avoid Dyslexia Discrimination in the Workplace

The post How Does Dyspraxia Affect Adults? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.