Valuing Diversity, Dignity and Respect

Overview

The new Equality Act is the most significant piece of equality legislation for many years. It makes it easier for employers and companies to understand their responsibilities by simplifying and streamlining the law.  It also sets a new standard for those who provide public services to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Organisations face the challenge of implementing an Equality and Diversity programme to ensure that they are not only complying with legislation, but also valuing diversity within the workforce.  Creating a culture in which diversity is valued and employees feel comfortable in expressing their' differences, will undoubtedly improve productivity and performance.

In Equilibrium's training in diversity is aimed at giving managers and employees at all levels an understanding of the key issues and individual responsibilities in promoting a positive approach to equal opportunities and diversity.

Key benefits of the course

• Creates awareness that diversity includes everyone in the organisation
• Highlights the advantages of diversity to an organisation - its impact on the business, productivity and performance
• Increases understanding of how diversity is essential to reducing any risk of legal challenges
• Raises awareness of individual prejudices and judgements and the impact this can have on others
• Builds confidence in handling diversity issues
• Highlights how to recognise and respond to inappropriate behaviour
• Focuses on how to treat people with dignity and respect and create a positive working environment 

Course Content

What is Diversity?
Develops a common understanding of the concept of diversity and how it differs from equal opportunities

The Value of Diversity in the workplace
Outlines the business case for diversity
 
Diversity Legislation Quiz
Examines roles and responsibilities in relation to the organisation’s diversity policy and practices and the key equality legislation, including the new Equality Act.

Dignity and Respect
Explains what constitutes inappropriate behaviour and how we can create a positive and inclusive working environment.

Diversity Dilemmas!
Explores positive and practical approaches to the prevention and handling of discrimination in the workplace and with service users.

Responding to Inappropriate Behaviour
To explore the role of staff and managers in responding to and dealing with inappropriate behaviour.

Manager’s and Team Self Assessment Questionnaire
To enable participants to assess and reflect on how far their behaviour supports diversity in the workplace and assess the next steps for action.

Evaluation
Summarise key learning points and re-visit individual learning objectives.

Course Format

Research shows that training in diversity is most effective when it is based on real life scenarios.  Our diversity programmes are highly participative and interactive focusing on practical issues participants encounter in their every day work. 

We adopt a supportive, pragmatic yet fun approach  – creating an atmosphere where issues can be openly shared, discussed and managed effectively to achieve positive outcomes.

Our training in diversity includes issues relating to working with diverse teams and customers and covers all the equality strands.

 

"The training was unanimously well received, and delivered in a fun, interactive but challenging manner. Delegates often commented on seeing the importance of Diversity and on having more confidence in challenging inappropriate behaviour. Delegates were challenged to think about their practices and left with a positive attitude about Diversity - feeling that it was important for everyone to attend this training. Virginia is very personable, professional and reliable, I could rest assured that she would effectively deal with any issues that arose competently and sensitively, who could get staff to think differently about the agenda without alienating them."

NHS Trust