Friday 24 December 2010

Equality and diversity in the face of adversity - What happens?



What happens to equality and diversity in the face of adversity? -Tuesday 21 December 2010


Latest research suggesting that women, ethnic minority groups and disabled people are being hardest hit in the recession was under discussion at a major equality summit held at Queen Mary, University of London last week.

Some 35 scholars, charity bosses and activists from across the UK, Europe and the US attended to discuss how to keep equality and diversity standards and legislation from slipping down government agendas, as public spending cuts bite.

“Decisions by the present UK coalition demonstrate the kind of negative attitudes towards equality legislation that come to the fore in an economic downturn,” says Dr Hazel Conley, member of international research network Promoting Equality and Diversity through Economic Crisis (PEDEC), which organised the event.

“In December, Lynne Featherstone MP announced the Government’s decision to shelve part of the Equality Act 2010 that required large companies to publish the pay gap between their male and female employees.

“When not in office, Ms Featherstone argued that equal pay would not be achieved without further regulation, but now a Cabinet member she advocates a voluntary approach to pay reporting, which research suggests is ineffective, especially during recession.”

Guest speakers on the day included Professor Jill Rubery, of the University of Manchester; University of Cambridge’s Professor Simon Deakin; Dr Iyiola Solanke, of the University of Leeds, and Anne Phillips, Professor of Political and Gender Theory at LSE.

Key papers were delivered on issues such as the realities of gender equality in times of economic downturn; the ongoing struggle for work-life balance, particularly for women who make the greatest compromises to fit paid work around family; and whether tough financial choices will have to be made when it comes to tackling societal problems like poverty, inequality or discrimination.

“Women will bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to welfare cuts, with a negative knock on effect for them and their dependents, according to the gender audit of the July 2010 Budget," explains Professor Lizzie Barmes, co-member of PEDEC.

“Beyond this study, as women make up more of the public sector workforce they will be more heavily hit by the public sector pay freeze and the projected 600,000 public sector job losses.

"It is issues like this which need addressing to progress equality and diversity standards. Following on from this successful conference, our aim is to continue bringing together like-minded equality experts to showcase research that can help the formulation of new policies and strategies for tackling exclusion."

Source: Queen Mary, University of London
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Looking for Diversity / Equal Opportunities Training Equality Act Training Diversity Training? Then the website to visit is jml Training.com at http://www.jml-training.com/Diversity.htm
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Monday 20 December 2010

The Importance of Leadership Development Programs

Just came across this article on "Manage Your Business" website. "Importance of Leadership Development Programs"

Leadership development programs prove to be advantageous to companies as they maximize the output of the company’s entire workforce.

Leadership development programs particularly help trainees in providing an overview of the operational system of the company as well as train for the required skill needed by the company to increase their productivity. This training helps the trainees to become more efficient and productive leaders and managers.

Leadership training is based on the company and the leadership development training differs from one company to the other. It should be very industry specific, however with certain foundations that cross borders.

There are benefits that an organization can acquire from leadership development programs:

Improves confidence – Working on their skills will help the employees to get more confidence about their performance.
Increases employees stay time in the company – If the employee gets a perk from the organization, he/she feels they are a vital and respected member of the community which increases the chances of the employee staying for a longer time in the organization.
Increases productivity – Leadership development program helps in enhancing the skills of the employees, which further enhances the productivity of the employees assisting in employee retention, better customer service and lessened revenues spent for training of new personnel.
Provides employees with company’s vision in a tangible way by teaching them the skills that the company requires – Through the leadership development program the employees realize the skills being taught to them, they have a clear vision of what the company is expecting to work on and how to achieve success within the company.
Helps in training leaders and managers to generate new ideas and creativity in their work.

If your company / organisation is looking for a Leadership Development Programme, we at jml Training and Consultancy have been delivering these now for many years.
To enter our site to find out more follow this link
http://www.jml-training.com/

Sunday 19 December 2010

Successful organisations of the future, will be those that invest in their staff.

17th December 2010 - Mark Rose, Training Director of Creativedge Training & Development explains why successful organisations of the future, will be those that invest in their staff.


Organisations are going to find it more of a challenge to hold onto key members of staff as the perception of work and employment changes. By using training and development as a tool for retaining staff, organisations can also benefit from increased staff attendance, greater company loyalty, improved skills, innovation and production.


Organisations that invest in their staff also tend to be happier and more productive places to work and have far lower employee turnover. Staff also pay greater attention to individual needs in both clients and co-workers. Although training costs time and money, so does the lack of it - and usually far more!


Since 2002 Creativedge Training and Development has been working closely with Travis Perkins on its Senior Management Development Programme (SMDP). As the leading supplier to the UK building and construction industry, Travis Perkins has approximately 1200 stores and branches nationwide and employs approximately 16,000 members of staff across its seven brands.


The SMDP, designed and delivered by Creativedge , was established to develop experienced branch managers for future wider roles including key support roles and regional director appointments.


Brendan Melvin, Group Manager - Management Development at Travis Perkins says "Travis Perkins is actively preparing today's supervisors and managers to fill the key positions of tomorrow. The SMDP, one of many learning interventions, has achieved true group wide representation and support involving employees within Travis Perkins, Keyline, C.C.F., City Plumbing, Wickes and Benchmarx " The SMDP target group is a mix of those colleagues who are considered ready for the "next step up" including those for future regional & group roles."


The SMDP programme has already proved to be very successful since it launched in 2002. So far, Travis Perkins has appointed a Managing Director and 27 Regional Directors from this target group and 30 plus promotions for other regional & group roles, as well as larger grade branch and store roles.

By having ongoing training programmes for employees, organisations are better able to fill vacant positions by recruiting from within which is both cost-effective and practical for an organisation. Internal or current employees can make the best available candidates because they are already familiar with the company and already successful within the organisation.

Giving current employees more opportunities for advancement can be a win-win situation for everyone. Not only does it promote employee loyalty but more importantly, it reduces any risk from hiring externally. A failed external senior hire can be one of the most expensive costs a business can face, with the cost of lost productivity and lowered morale from employees who feel they have been 'bypassed' for promotion and have missed out on an opportunity to progress within the organisation.

However, training and development isn't just about 'one-offs' but rather a continuous journey so that employers and employees can keep up with the constant market changes.

A positive organisational culture only comes through a respect for and an investment in your people, not only in terms of financial rewards but by offering them the best working experience, one that offers security as well as progression and personal growth.

About Creativedge Training & Development- Creativedge specialises in high-performance management, leadership and personal development training and provides a unique range of creative, yet highly pragmatic development solutions that underpin employee engagement.

The Creativedge Portfolio of training solutions, offers enormous flexibility for developing people and includes Rapid Result® 90-minute bite-sized training sessions, an online resource centre, blended ILM qualifications, bespoke development programmes and personalised coaching, plus lots more. Source: Training Press Releases

If your company / organisation is looking for a Senior Management Development Programme (SMDP), we at jml Training and Consultancy have been delivering these now for many years.

Listed below are a few comments from participants at jml Training SMDP training:

Feedback from a Senior Managers Development Programme

'The biggest benefit has been the improvement in my IPS skills and the impact this has had on my team'

'It has provided me with the opportunity to reflect on my approach to work and I am making the time to relate the learning to further improve my work practice'

'I feel I have grown and positively changed during the course of the programme'

'I was most surprised by how much all the participants changed and blossomed over the duration of the programme'


'I find I am really listening to people now and my level of self awareness has increased'

'I feel so much more self-confident and feel I have much more presence'

'I now feel much more able and confident to work towards a win-win situation at work not a win-lose'

'I am most pleased that I attended the full programme despite work pressures, it was well worth juggling all the demands'

'I delegate much more now and can see an increase in the confidence and ability of my team to deliver'


Find out how jml Training can help your organisation develop in 2011 by visiting our website at http://www.jml-training.com/

Friday 10 December 2010

Young people are being coached to expand career opportunities


Younger people are accessing coaching to expand career opportunities, reports new ICF (International Coach Federation) study.


Professional coaching has found its place among the younger generation which is a promising sign for the growth of the industry and other industries that will now experience the benefits of coaching through these young, developing leaders.

The new ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study found that, overall, 25- to 34-year-olds are more aware of professional coaching, more aware of the ICF, more satisfied with their coaching experience, and more likely to recommend coaching to others than their older counterparts.

“The findings show that younger people are more receptive and attuned to coaching than we may have expected,” says ICF President and Master Certified Coach Giovanna D’Alessio. “This is promising not only for our industry in terms of growth and sustainability, but also for many other industries that could benefit from the coaching experiences, principles and culture that this younger generation may bring to organizations as they move up in their careers.”

The study indicates younger people see coaching as a viable resource to help them with their professional goals as they are faced with economic downturn and high unemployment rates early in their careers. According to the study, nearly half (46.5 percent) of people ages 25 to 34 selected "expand professional career opportunities” as their top reason for working with a professional coach, followed by “optimizing individual/team work performance” (41.6 percent) and “improve business management strategies” (41.6 percent). All other age groups analyzed (35–44, 45–54, 55-plus) chose optimizing individual/team work performance as their top motivation for partnering with a coach.

The 25- to 34-year-olds also reported a 92 percent level of satisfaction with an ICF Credentialed coach. Moreover, more than half (55 percent) stated they were “very satisfied.”

“To learn that younger people are more aware of the ICF and even more satisfied with coaching done by a coach who has been credentialed by the ICF reinforces the important role the ICF has in setting a global standard for coaches to ensure professionalism and to protect the public,” D’Alessio says.

The Global Consumer Awareness Study, which surveyed 15,000 individuals representing 20 countries, was conducted independently by the International Survey Unit of PwC. Learn more about this groundbreaking research at Coachfederation.org/works.

ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. Coaching is a distinct service and differs greatly from therapy, consulting, mentoring or training. Individuals who engage in a coaching relationship can expect to experience fresh perspectives on personal challenges and opportunities, enhanced thinking and decision-making skills, enhanced interpersonal effectiveness, and increased confidence in carrying out their chosen work and life roles.


The International Coach Federation is the leading global organization for coaches, with over 17,000 members in more than 100 countries, dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high ethical standards, providing independent certification, and building a worldwide network of credentialed coaches. The ICF is the only organization that awards a global credential which is currently held by more than 6,900 coaches worldwide. For more information about how coaching can help your employees, please visit the jml Training website at http://www.jml-training.com/coaching.htm

Source: ICF

Gráinne Suter of jml Training & Consultancy is a Member of The International Coach Federation

Historic fall in the pay gap between men and women

The gender pay gap has narrowed significantly in the last year as women’s pay packets increased relative to men, official figures have shown. Gap for full-time employees falls from 12.2 to 10.2 per cent.


Commenting on the historic fall in the pay gap between men and women announced in today's Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Charles Cotton, Adviser on Performance and Reward at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), said

"We should treat the findings with an element of caution. The smaller gap is a reflection of the state of the economy between April 2008 and April 2009, when many men were impacted by pay freezes and cuts. Between these dates, by contrast, women saw their pay rise relatively faster, as they are more likely to be covered by public sector deals or increases linked to the national minimum wage. The fear is that this gap could widen as the private sector starts to power ahead in 2011.

"That is not to say that employers are absolved from trying to reduce the pay gap. When significant amounts of investor or tax payer money is being spent on salary and wages it's important to ensure that pay reflects employee performance, behaviours and skills, rather than prejudice and bias."

Source: The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which is Europe's largest HR and development professional body with over 135,000 members, supporting and developing those responsible for the management and development of people within organisations

Equality & Human Rights Commission to assess the Spending Review’s compliance with Equality Law


The Equality and Human Rights Commission on the 25th November 2010 started a process to carry out a formal, independent assessment of the extent to which the Treasury has met its legal obligations to consider the impact on protected groups of decisions contained in the Spending Review.

The assessment is to be conducted under powers granted to the Commission under section 31 of the 2006 Equality Act.

Under the public sector equality duties, covering race, gender and disability, the Treasury, like all public bodies, has a legal duty to pay 'due regard' to equality and consider any disproportionate impact on protected groups when making decisions, including decisions about the budget. Where decisions are found to have a disproportionate impact on a particular group protected by the legislation, public bodies must consider what actions can be taken to avoid, mitigate or justify that impact.

The Commission’s role is to ensure that the Treasury has complied with its legal obligations; the start of this assessment should not be taken as an indication that the Treasury has not done so. The assessment is an opportunity for the Commission to continue its ongoing constructive work with the Treasury to evaluate what steps it has undertaken to comply with the legislation and identify any potential opportunities for improvement. This process will enable lessons to be learnt across Government to improve outcomes for protected groups by putting fairness and transparency at the heart of difficult decisions.

In practical terms, the assessment will be governed by terms of reference, which will be published shortly after consultation with HMT, as required by the 2006 Act. As the assessment unfolds, the Commission will have access to all the relevant information it needs to make a conclusive assessment. Once the assessment is complete, the Commission will report its findings and may make recommendations. If the assessment finds a breach, the Commission can serve a compliance notice, or enter into a binding agreement with the Treasury for it to take steps to avoid further breaches. If a public authority such as the Treasury fails to comply with a compliance notice or the binding agreement, the Commission can apply to a court for an order compelling them to comply.

The Commission aims to publish its final report next Summer

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Looking for Training Services regarding Equality - Equal Opportunities - The Equality Act 2010? Find out more at http://www.jml-training.com/

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As a result of public sector duties on race, disability and gender, policy makers have a legal obligation to pay 'due regard' to equality when exercising their functions, including making decisions in relation to spending and proposed budget cuts.

When 'due regard' is applied in practice, it means that they must assess the equality impact of proposed changes to policies, procedures or practices, such as decisions which result from a desire to make savings. This could include decisions such as reorganisations and relocations, redundancies and service reductions programmes. 'Equality Impact Assessments' are a useful means for policy makers to meet this obligation.

The law does not prevent government officials from making difficult decisions. Nor does it stop them from making decisions that may affect one group more than another. The law simply requires that such decisions are made in a fair, transparent and accountable way, considering the needs and the rights of different members of the community. Where decisions are found to have a disproportionate impact on a particular group, authorities must consider what actions can be taken to avoid or mitigate the unfair impact.


Source: The Equality and Human Rights Commission

Monday 29 November 2010

Disability equality forty years on featured on BBC


Forty years after the first Disability Act was introduced, a new BBC survey has shown that people with disabilities still face discrimination.

The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act proposed ideas such as help at home, the right to proper assessment of people's needs, and the idea that making the environment accessible to disabled people was the responsibility of local councils.

A new BBC survey has shown that 40% of people believe that people with disabilities turn down jobs, even when they are physically able to do them.

What needs to be done to end disability discrimination? by By Peter White the BBC Disability Affairs Correspondent appeared on the BBC website today. A week of BBC features looking at the issues facing people with disabilities. To see this story visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11857490

To find out more about The Equality Act 2010 and how jml Training can help your copmay follow this link http://www.jml-training.com/Equality_Act_2010.htm

Wednesday 24 November 2010

REC offers Equality Act 2010 tips for employers



Latest REC Legal bulletin focuses on Equality Act - 19th November 2010

The introduction of the Equality Act 2010 provides recruiters with a useful opportunity to look over their processes and procedures to make sure all is well. The recruitment process must be free from unlawful discrimination and since the recruitment will often start with a job adverts, it is crucial that recruiters are aware of the dos and don’ts when it comes to advertising client roles.

The REC’s new Legal bulletin takes an in-depth look at what the new provisions of the Act mean for both recruiters and clients, and how discrimination in adverts can be avoided.

Only in special circumstances can adverts now be worded to invite applications from female jobseekers and the bulletin lists these exceptions in detail.

The REC’s Legal Helpline currently deals with around 300 inquiries a week from members on a wide range of topics. In the current bulletin, Emily Neal, one of the helpline’s team of legal advisors, looks at some of the frequently asked questions and answers which have been received of late.

For example, how do you deal with temps who demand holiday pay for leave they have not taken during the year and what is the procedure if a candidate asks to see copies of documents and other information, such as references, which a recruitment agency holds on them.

The legal round-up includes a plan by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills to name and shame employers who fail to pay their workers the National Minimum Wage and new guidance which is now available from the UK Border Agency on preventing illegal working.

Source REC

More information about the REC - The Recruitment & Employment Confederation is the representative body for the UK’s £19.7 billion private recruitment and staffing industry with a membership of more than 8,000 corporate members (including recruitment companies and their branches) comprising agencies and businesses from across all sectors and 5,500 members of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP) made up of recruitment consultants and other industry professionals. All members must abide by an REC Code of Professional Practice.

More information about the Equality Act 2010 Visit jml Training Here

Monday 22 November 2010

Implications of the Equality Act for Letting agents accepting Landlord instructions


The November/December 2010 edition of "Agreement" magazine (the official magazine of ARLA The Association of Residential Letting Agents) has a very good two page feature on the Equality Act 2010

The Don't discriminate - Know the new rules has a page on employers needing to comply with the wider resoinsibilities in the new Equality Act and this is also repeated in "The Estate Agent" (the magazine of the NAEA - National Association of Estate Agents).


This covers the main issues - Disability discrimination, discrimination by association, Perceprion discrimination, pre-emplyment health checks and Dual discrimation etc - areas covered on the jml-training website at information_Employers

The other page asks "What are the implications of the Equality Act for letting agents when accepting instructions from landlords?"
Issues covered in the article focus on popular areas that many landlords want when they let their property out - Students - Pets - People on housing benefit. According to the article, if you declined to let a property to students, "there is no possibility of anyone challenging this on the basis that this discriminates on the grounds of age.


This is because Part 4 of the Equality Act 2010 which deals with lettings does not apply to the protected characteristics of age, or marriage and civil partnership. It is therefore not unlawful to discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, on the grounds of age when you let, sell or otherwise dispose of, premises.

Pets is an area that often comes up in the lettings business. Although more and more landlords now generally accept pets, because there are a lot more people renting these days and therefore more pet owners.


The article says "refusing to let properties to people with pets is more problematic, as it could clearly adversely affect tenants who have guide dogs or assistance dogs"

" It would be unlawful not to let to a blind person because they had a guide dog, unless you could justify it. The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful for person A to treat a disabled person (B) unfavourably because of something that is a result of B's disability unless A can show that the treatment was justified as a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim."
It is suggested that if landlord does not want pets then they could say "except assistance dogs". Of course many blocks of flats will not allow pets and this fact is written into the head lease.
Tenants on Housing Benefits Many landlords do not want to accept tenants whose rent or a large part of it is paid by the local authority in the form of housing benefit. First of all if the landlord has legal expenses / rent guarantee insurance the proper reference checks cannot be properly done by the insurance company. This means they might not issue cover in the event of a claim.
Then there is the "clawback rule" If a tenant has not be entitled to the housing benefit, then the local authority can claim this back from the landlord (or letting agent if it was paid to the agent) many months after the payment had been made. Some landlords and agents suggest the payment therefore has to be made to the tenant direct. However if the tenant decided not to pay it over to the landlord and spend it on something different, the landlord does not get the rent.


The ARLA Agreement "Legal Update" page says"For a landlord to stipulate no tenants on benefit is much less straightforward. The danger here is the possibility of a challenge on the grounds of indirectly discriminating against disabled people - the assumption being that someone on benefits is more likely to have a disability than someone not on benefit.



For a claim to succeed, there would have to be statistical proof that disabled people are significantly more likely to be on benefits than people who are not disabled.

The landlord or agent would then have to demonstrate that refusing to let to benefit claimants is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. That would be virtually impossible to prove, so there could be a breach of the Equality Act"
Solicitor Richard Jones argues that in view of the furore surrounding Local Housing Allowance, the landlord might be able to justify excluding housing benefit tenants. The landlord could say that he or she does not want to get involved with all the hassle and run the risk of arrears, as LHA is paid to the tenant.

Richard Jones is a Solicitor and Partner in Bury & Walkers LLP. He is the Senior Partner at the Leeds Office.

Richard Jones has had a long and varied career and has considerable experience of most areas of the law. Richard now concentrates on residential landlord and tenant matters. Richard’s particular speciality is acting for Landlords Associations representing landlords in the private rented sector.


Richard is the Secretary of the Residential Landlords Association. This Association is one of two landlords associations representing landlords throughout England and Wales. It is based in Sale in Manchester. This work involves campaigning on behalf of landlords particularly in relation to legislative and regulatory affairs. This work includes scrutinising legislation, responding to Government consultations, appearing before Parliamentary Select Committees, as well as considerable work with various local authorities. Richard is an acknowledged expert in this field nationally.


Source of this article: ARLA Agreement Magazine - Bury & Walkers - Philip Suter FNAEA MARLA


Looking for Equal Opportunities Training Equality Act Training Diversity Training? Then the website to visit is jml Training.com HERE

Friday 5 November 2010

Equal Pay Day 2010


Equal Pay Day 2010 marks the day of the year when women in effect stop getting paid because of the pay gap between women and men of 16.4 per cent. 40 years after the Equal Pay Act, an unprecedented coalition has come together to publish a new report identifying how to close the UK’s persistent gender pay gap once and for all.


The Fawcett Society, UNISON, the TUC and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have together produced ‘Equal Pay: Where Next?’, a report showcasing the latest thinking from business, unions, employers, policy makers, campaigners and more on how to close the pay gap between women and men once and for all, with key recommendations for government and others on tackling one of the largest inequalities still remaining between UK women and men. (1)

The reports advocates that action is needed in four key areas to have any real impact on the pay gap:


1) Debunking the myth that equal pay is bad for business, showing that, actually, equal pay ‘pays.’
2) Making equal pay law ‘fit for purpose’ – starting by implementing the 2010 Equality Act, with its measures to improve employer transparency on pay rates for women and men, in full.
3) Changing working practices to reflect the modern workforce and support families, for example, increasing flexible working and job shares.
4) Tackling outdated and stereotyped ideas about men and women’s roles – in particular through education.


Welcoming the report, Ceri Goddard, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, said:

“With job losses in the public sector and spending cuts already threatening women’s overall economic independence, robust action on equal pay is more not less important. Given the pay gap in the private sector is even wider than the public sector, it’s particularly key that government fully implement the Equality Act 2010. This will give them powers to require big business to measure and publish any gaps in their male and female pay rates if voluntary progress is not forthcoming. The Government must send a clear signal to all employers that unequal pay has no place in the 21st century workplace, whatever the economic context.”

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of Unison, said:

“It is an utter disgrace that women are still getting paid a significant amount less than men. The fear is that progress will be turned back, rather than built on, in the coming years. Drastic, ideologically motivated, public sector cuts are set to deal the biggest blow to women, who make more use of, and find more jobs in, the public sector. The government should be taking steps to give women their full protection – starting with overhauling the law. The time it takes for women to challenge unequal pay is a major hurdle. We have members who have sadly died in the time it takes to resolve an equal pay case. Allowing unions to take group action would also help more women challenge unfair pay.”

Sarah Veale CBE, Head of Equality and Employment Rights at the TUC, said:

“The recession forced many employers to rethink working practises in order to keep valuable staff. This flexibility needs to continue so that work can be remodelled to fit the skills of all workers, whatever their gender. The dearth of talented women in senior jobs and the endless gender pay gap is as much an economic failing as a social injustice.”


Source: The Fawcett Society: 2 November is Equal Pay Day.
The Fawcett Society is the UK’s leading campaign for equality between women and men. Where there's an inequality gap between women and men they are working to close it.

Looking for Equal Opportunities Training Equality Act Training Diversity Training? Then the website to visit is jml Training.com HERE

Staff cuts 'could leave public sector open to fraud' ILM news report





04 November 2010


Spending constraints and staff cuts in the wrong places could leave the public sector open to fraud, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has said.


Employees affected by redundancy, as well as suppliers faced with contract termination, could seek to maximise their benefits before leaving, potentially putting the public sector at risk of fraud, a report by the firm found.


The study, Navigating Your Way Through Stormy Waters, notes that the increased threat of scams will impact on various parts of the public sector at different times as the cuts take effect.


Ian Elliott, partner at PwC, said: "In good times, loss through fraud is less visible as delivery of services is still possible, even with a certain level of misappropriation. Things are tightening now and businesses everywhere are seeking to reduce loss through waste in all its forms."


The news comes just weeks after a study by Badenoch & Clark found that many public sector workers are worried that their skills will not be useful to private companies.


Looking for Equal Opportunities Training Equality Act Training Diversity Training? Then the website to visit is jml Training.com HERE


Gender pay gap


The Institute of Leadership and Management - ILM issued a news article earlier this week - 3rd November 2010 "Gender pay gap 'needs to be addressed'"


According to the organisation, women earn 16.4% less than their male counterparts.

Equal Pay Day, which took place yesterday (2 November), marked the day of the year when women stop getting paid because of the pay gap, it said.

Ceri Goddard, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said that with spending cuts and job losses already threatening women's economic independence, the need for equal pay is even more important.

"Given the pay gap in the private sector is even wider than the public sector, it's particularly key that government fully implement the Equality Act 2010," she added.

Her comments were echoed by Beverley Skeggs, a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, who said that women are less likely to be paid as well or promoted as quickly as men.


Looking for Equal Opportunities Training Equality Act Training Diversity Training? Then the website to visit is jml Training.com HERE

Thursday 21 October 2010

Race discrimination campaign stepped up by Unite


Unite the Union for Life today issued the following "News Release"

Unite races forward to tackle discrimination
21 October 2010

With concern mounting that the coalition cuts will give rise to greater social inequality, Unite – the UK’s biggest union – is stepping up efforts to deal with race inequality in UK workplaces.

Unite says that there is already a 15 per cent gap between the employment rates of black, Asian and ethnic minority workers and their white colleagues (see ONS - Disadvantaged groups in the labour market). And last year, nearly 6,000 race discrimination cases were heard by Employment Tribunals, with countless more being settled before that stage, reflecting the extent of race equality issues at work today (see Employment Tribunal and EAT statistics 2009-10). The union says that, using the provisions of the new Equality Act, union reps can make real improvements in the treatment for minority ethnic workers.

Collette Cork-Hurst, Unite national officer for equalities, said that, with black workers more likely to join a union than others, Unite is determined to improve workplace race equality for its members: Unfortunately, discrimination against black workers at work continues to blight today’s labour market. Black, Asian and ethnic minority workers find it harder to find decent employment and sadly, too many then encounter discrimination once at work.

“Black people and their families will be particularly hurt by the coalition cuts but Unite is determined they get the fairer treatment they deserve at work.

"October is Black History Month so while we celebrate the contributions black, Asian and ethnic minorities have made and continue to make to our society, it is also fitting that we continue to press forward on equality
.

"Unite’s ‘Race Forward’ campaign will help us take real action. We are determined that our union reps are equipped to take discrimination issues up with employers, if need be using the legal backing of the new Equality Act to ensure the decent treatment of our members.”

Unite’s ‘Race Forward’ action pack guides workplace union representatives through a five-point action plan on key employment issues facing black people such as racial discrimination in recruitment, promotion and pay, as well as dealing effectively with racial harassment and bullying.

Notes about the Unite News Release:

The Race Forward campaign concentrates on 8 key priority areas and the Action Pack with 5 action points for each area:

Closing the ethnic minority employment gap
Tackling the pay gap for black workers
Fighting for equality of opportunity in promotion
Dealing effectively with Racial Harassment, Discrimination and bullying
Promoting fairness for black women workers
Negotiating for Union Equality Reps
Ensuring fair treatment of migrant workers
Organising and recruiting black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAEM) workers into Unite the union
If your organisation is looking for Equality Training please visit the jml Training website/equality-act

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Equality Act Codes of Practice published

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published the statutory guidance that will help employers, lawyers and courts to interpret the Equality Act. Three Codes of Practice were laid before Parliament on the 12th October 2010.

The Codes address employment; services, public functions and associations; and equal pay. They cover each of those three areas in relation to the Equality Act, using case law to outline exactly what each clause of the legislation means, the EHRC said.

The Codes are designed to provide detailed guidance to organisations about what the Equality Act means. Courts and tribunals must take the Codes into account in cases involving areas they cover.

The Codes are drafts but will come into force when a Government minister issues an order to that effect. This will happen if there is no opposition to them in Parliament.

The Codes have been prepared in consultation with stakeholders. The codes remain in draft form until such time as they have laid before Parliament for forty days without objection and the Government makes the Order bringing them into force.

Code of Practice on Equal Pay

Code of Practice on Employment

Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations

If your organisation is looking for Training on the Equality Act 2010 - Click Here

Comprehensive Spending Review The CIPD responds


The CIPD issued a press release at 2.30 Wednesday 20th October 2010 saying - CIPD responds to Comprehensive Spending Review: Excellent people management will be crucial in determining whether public services can survive the cuts

The unprecedented scale of change set out in the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) cannot be delivered without a concerted and committed focus on supporting, bolstering and improving public sector management capability, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Although employee morale and engagement is bound to suffer in the face of this scale of cuts, the CIPD is urging those with responsibility for public sector management - up to and including ministers - not to lose sight of the possibilities and opportunities to genuinely engage and enthuse public sector workers about new ways of working and to secure buy-in to new means of service delivery.

Research published by the CIPD on Monday, exploring public attitudes to possible post-CSR industrial action in the public sector, highlighted that striking workers would quickly lose sympathy amongst the wider public. However, Mike Emmott, employee engagement adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) warns that ministers cannot afford to take solace in these findings if the end result is a demotivated and disengaged public sector workforce:

"Our research shows unions cannot rely on public sympathy to face down the Government's cuts through sustained strike action. But equally, ministers cannot rely on limited enthusiasm for strikes to deliver their vision of reformed, streamlined and diversified public service delivery. The reality is more complicated. Front-line commitment and industrial harmony can only be delivered by persuasive messages about why the cuts are needed, and an unswerving focus on excellent day to day management of the 'survivors'. Effective and sustained change will only happen in organisations where senior leaders show a sustained commitment to building staff engagement to ensure there is buy-in to change and new ways of working."

Warning that the way people are engaged and managed will be the critical factor in determining whether the scaled back public sector set out in the CSR is still capable of delivering on ministerial and public expectations, Mike Emmott, says:

"Proposals to improve the autonomy and empowerment of front-line service workers will fail if front-line managers are not equipped with the skills to support these behaviours. Radical plans such as employee-led public sector co-operatives and a step-change in co-ordination and collaboration between local public service providers can only succeed if there is a sustained focus on building management capability. Our research consistently shows a high degree of loyalty amongst public service workers to the services they seek to provide, and the people they provide them to. That loyalty cannot be taken for granted over the next five years. Instead, it will need to be carefully nurtured and harnessed by inspiring managers, focused wholeheartedly on their management responsibilities if the promise of wholesale changes to methods of service delivery is to be realised.

"As an example, the success of government plans to transfer health service commissioning powers from Primary Care Trusts to GP consortiums in the face of 45% cuts to management will hinge on whether GPs are equipped with the leadership and management skills that will be so important to their new roles. GPs will need to have leadership skills to take charge of service commissioning, as well as the people management skills to manage and motivate employees and partners in other services to work collaboratively and deliver for patients.

"How these changes are managed and the extent to which employees feel they are consulted and have a voice will also be fundamental to whether they understand and buy-in to new ways of working."

Source: CIPD / The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development who are Europe's largest HR and development professional body with over 135,000 members, supporting and developing those responsible for the management and development of people within organisations.


Tuesday 19 October 2010

New CIPD Survey

The CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) issued a Press Release yesterday, 18th October 2010 in which they said:

Striking public sector workers will quickly lose public sympathy if they cause disruption to essential services, says quarterly CIPD survey of employee attitudes

Nearly three quarters of employees (74%) agree that, in light of the tough times endured by private sector staff through the recession, striking public sector workers will quickly lose sympathy if they cause disruption to the general public.

This is one of the headline findings from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) latest quarterly Employee Outlook survey. The survey, based on a representative sample of 2,000 UK workers, shows six in ten public sector workers (59%) also believe they will lose support if they cause disruption to the public through strike action.

The survey suggests that, in advance of Wednesday's Comprehensive Spending Review announcement, the working public accepts the overall case for cuts. Almost two thirds of respondents (64%) agree with the statement that 'these are tough times and the deficit needs to be reduced through cuts to public spending', in contrast to 16% disagreeing. There is a marked difference in sectoral attitudes, with 69% of private sector staff agreeing with this statement compared to only 50% of those in the public sector.

Almost half of public sector workers (49%) agree with the statement 'workers have to do what's necessary to protect their jobs and if that disrupts public services, that's the price of living in a democratic society', compared to just 27% of those in the private sector.

Overall, just under half of respondents (48%) agree they are more concerned about the damage strikes would cause than about the impact of spending cuts, with 26% disagreeing. More than half (53%) of private sector respondents agree, compared to 36% of public sector staff.

The survey also shows:
• Half (49%) of employees agree that most people today are not willing to lose pay to go on strike, rising to 54% among public sector staff
• 36% of respondents agree unions provide essential protection for employees from bad management
• 43% of employees agree unions are 'good at pursuing their own political agendas rather than simply looking after the interests of their members'
• 28% of respondents agree unions are more relevant than ever during a time of recession and increased redundancies
• 37% of respondents agree that industrial action in essential services should be banned

Mike Emmott, CIPD Employee Relations Adviser, commented: "These findings show that it is not just the government that has to tread softly in terms of how spending cuts are implemented. The trade unions too must understand that many private sector employees have already suffered pay freezes or cuts, job losses and cuts to pension entitlement and will be sensitive to any rhetoric by union leaders threatening strike action which does not appear to appreciate the sacrifices already made by those in the private sector.

"However, the Government too must understand that it also has a key role to help prevent major public sector disputes though the language it uses and how information and messages are timed and communicated.

"The Comprehensive Spending Review announcement will create a lot of anxiety and uncertainty and it is essential that, as the details of job cuts and any changes to pay or pension provision are announced over the next few months, public sector employers are allowed the necessary time to communicate and consult on what changes are being planned, and just as crucially - why. People are much more likely to accept tough messages if they are given the right information at the right time and feel that their views have at least been heard and taken into account before decisions are made.

"When the private sector went through the recession there were many positive examples of how employers and unions worked together in partnership to keep people in jobs. Examples included making compromises over pay and increases in flexible working, as well as things like extended leave. Partnership working already flourishes in many parts of the public sector but the extent of the changes in the pipeline may well stretch this to the limit in some cases. However, effective partnership between unions and employers can make a powerful contribution to ensuring that the government's public sector reform agenda will be successful."

Other findings from the survey show:


• Union members are most likely to support strike action against a reduction in pay, with 8% saying they would strike regardless of whether all other remedies had failed and 41% saying they would strike only if all other remedies had failed
• In all 7% of union members say they would strike regardless of whether all other remedies had failed in protest at plans to reduce their pension entitlement while 35% say they would strike for this reason only if all other remedies had failed
• 5% of union members say they would strike regardless of whether all other remedies had failed in protest at plans to cut jobs while 33% say they would strike for this reason only if all other remedies had failed
• 3% of union members say they would strike regardless of whether all other remedies had failed in protest at plans to freeze pay while 26% say they would strike for this reason only if all other remedies had failed.

Motivating Europe’s Workforce



The Ken Blanchard Companies have just issued this News Release "Getting Engaged: A Masterclass in Motivating Europe’s Workforce"

It seems the vast majority of workers - and especially middle managers - have been getting more and more disengaged from their work during the recession. Surveys suggest performance management scores have fallen by 14%, a sharp drop that inevitably takes its toll on national productivity and profitability.

Scott Blanchard, Executive Vice President of The Ken Blanchard Companies and co-author of best selling books Leading at a Higher Level and Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest, will help organisations tackle this engagement deficit at a seminar on the issue in Frankfurt on December 9th.

"People who are disengaged might not actually quit, as they still show up for work every day, but they are sabotaging their organisations nonetheless," says Scott Blanchard. "When people join companies they're excited about their jobs and willing to work hard. Then over time motivation wanes, often because of poor relationships with their managers."

"In Germany alone, only 13% of employees are actively focused on their jobs, and 20% are completely disengaged ," he adds. "These are shocking statistics that must be tackled. I want to show businesses how to identify, invest in and motivate their high potential employees, so they stay on board and make active contributions."

Scott Blanchard will be joined by Gordon Pitman, Global Development Manager for AkzoNobel, who is rolling out a leadership management programme in more than 30 countries and 15 languages; and Ben Tiggellaar, the acclaimed author, entrepreneur and management guru, who will reveal how to discover and unleash your personal potential. Scott's father, 'One Minute Manager' Ken Blanchard will also make a video presentation.

The Engagement seminar will be held at Le Méridien Park Hotel in Frankfurt on Thursday 9th December. The cost is €150 Euros per person if booked before 31st October 2010, and €195 Euros thereafter. The seminar will be conducted in English.

The Ken Blanchard Companies provides leadership training programmes such as Situational Leadership® II - the world's most-widely taught leadership programme - executive coaching, change management consulting, and team-building solutions in more than 30 countries worldwide. The company was founded in 1979 by the best-selling business writer and co-author of The One Minute Manager®.

Want to get your Management team Motivated? Take a look at the selection of in-house courses available from jml Training. If we have not course displayed on the list, contact us and we can talk to you about how we can help. More Information HERE

Friday 15 October 2010

Microsoft to be IT Training Awards Sponsor In February 2011



The IITT announced on the 14th October 2010 that Microsoft is the latest sponsor of the IT Training Awards, which are set to be held at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel, London on 3rd February 2011.

With 2011 marking the ceremony's 14th anniversary, the IT Training Awards recognise outstanding examples of high standards, best practice, innovation and excellence in Learning and Development.

Next year's ceremony will see Microsoft sponsor the award for 'Learning Technologies Solution of the Year' and according to Microsoft's Partner Channel Training Manager, Garry Corcoran, the Awards are pivotal in driving learning innovation. He said: "Microsoft Learning is excited to be supporting the IITT through the annual IT Training Awards. Engaging learning practitioners in developing innovative content and delivery methods is a requirement of us all to ensure that learners are provided with learning that is easy to access and as effective as it should be. These awards recognise the effort that goes into engaging with business and learners to identify and develop the most appropriate formats that provide learners an opportunity to interact with their learning and to be able to use that new knowledge effectively."

Microsoft is amongst a host of leading names supporting next year's ceremony. Colin Steed, Chief Executive, IITT, said: "Microsoft's involvement in the IT Training Awards is testament to the ceremony's success in recent years. The Awards are now firmly established as the benchmark for excellence throughout the IT training industry.

"Having been involved with the awards for a number of years it's always pleasing to see the quality of entries improve year on year, and this year is no exception. The judges will have great difficulty in picking the winners which makes for an exciting ceremony."

The IT Training Awards are free to enter and successful entrants will have their award stylishly presented at the Dorchester Hotel, London, in front of over 450 top industry professionals. The deadline for entries is Friday 29th October.

More information about the Institute of IT Training

The Institute of IT Training hosts the annual IT Training Awards to recognise outstanding examples of high standards, best practice, innovation and excellence within IT training.

The awards are presented at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London, at the Institute's prestigious Awards Dinner, held in the first Thursday of February each year.

The awards are now firmly established as the benchmark for excellence throughout the IT training industry. So if you are proud of your achievements and would like to win the recognition you deserve within the IT training profession, submit your entry and put your team in the spotlight at the IT training industry's night of the

The Institute of IT Training is a self-governing, not-for-profit professional body for training professionals. It was established in 1995 and since then has grown on an annual basis. In February 2010 the Institute completed a management buyout from membership and research organisation, the National Computing Centre and is now a self-governing body.

Today, the organisation has circa 3,500 individual members and 400 accredited corporate members.

Through a range of membership, certification, accreditation, events and bespoke consultancy services, the Institute focuses on enhancing and recognising the skills and professional status of individuals and organisations engaged in training activities, and assessing the quality of training services.

Is your company looking for Leadership and Team Building Training - Management Development Training - Coaching - Equality Act - Managing Projects Successfully? and a lot more...Then you need to look at our courses at http://www.jml-training.com/Training_courses.htm and if there is not a course there that you need, you only have to Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Thursday 14 October 2010

Opel/Vauxhall and Raytheon win International German Training Award


13-Oct-2010 Raytheon Professional Services LLC (RPS), a subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), has received the Bronze International German Training Award from the Association of German Sales Promoters, Trainers, Consultants and Coaches (BDVT). RPS won the prize for the retail sales consultant curriculum it designed, deployed and delivers on behalf of Opel/Vauxhall in Europe. The BDVT International German Training Award recognizes the best in innovative, cutting-edge training initiatives.

"The sales curriculum is an important element of the training services offered to the Opel/Vauxhall dealerships in Europe," said Opel/ Vauxhall Europe Training Manager Benoit Presle. "It is designed to improve the performance of sales consultants and support implementation of Opel/Vauxhall's European sales strategy. The program also helps our retail network successfully address the challenges of the current automotive market."

The sales curriculum is delivered in 34 countries and 22 languages across Europe. "In the highly competitive world of automotive retailing, it is imperative to provide sales consultants with high-quality, engaging training that leverages the cost efficiencies of a centralized solution," said RPS Account Director Neil Johnson.

More information: General Motors is one of the world's largest automakers. In Europe its vehicles are sold in more than 40 markets. It operates 10 vehicle production and assembly facilities in seven countries and employs about 50,000 people. Opel/Vauxhall is General Motors' leading brand in Europe.

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.

jml Training - International Training Here

Wednesday 13 October 2010

EHRC: Work towards equal pay halts



Continuing with the Equality Act theme on the jml Training blog, we have today come acroos the following article on the "Women in technology" website.



EHRC: Work towards equal pay has 'halted'
13/10/2010
Work among businesses and the government to close the gender pay gap "appears to be grinding to a halt", the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has concluded.

It has published a new report, titled How fair is Britain?, compiling evidence on discrimination and disadvantage in the UK.

Among its findings, it revealed that long-standing inequalities such as equal pay between men and women have not yet been resolved.

This comes as the Equal Pay Act marks its 40th anniversary and while the new Equality Act is still in its first month.

Pay gap widens with age

According to the EHRC's figures, the average pay gap between the sexes in 2009 was 16.4 per cent, while women over 40 years earn 27 per cent less than their male counterparts.

However, the report did find that in some areas the gender divide is lessening, most notably in managerial and professional roles, although women are more likely to be employed in the public sector (40 per cent of women compared to 15 per cent of men).

One in three managerial roles in the UK is occupied by women, the report found.

Trevor Phillips, chair of the EHRC, commented: "This review holds up the mirror to fairness in Britain. It is the most complete picture of its kind ever compiled.

"It shows that we are a people who have moved light years in our attitudes to all kinds of human difference, and in our desire to be a truly fair society, but that we are still a country where our achievements haven't yet caught up with our aspirations."

He added that in the 21st century there is still a danger of "a society divided by the barriers of inequality and injustice".

Factors affecting the pay gap

What the report does stress, however, is that there are factors that contribute to the pay gap, including "lower pay in sectors where women are more likely to choose careers, the effect of career breaks and limited opportunities in part-time work".

"The level of earnings penalty is strongly mediated by levels of education but is not eliminated, even for the best-qualified women," it added.

This has led Tracy Corrigan, assistant editor of the Daily Telegraph, to suggest that lower pay is down to the choices women make and could now reflect the right level when periods away from work are considered.

Ms Corrigan suggested that a smaller gender pay gap still exists because women "aren't very good at asking for money".

In an article for the newspaper, she commented: "In my experience, men are much better at negotiating their pay, partly because they are healthily unembarrassed about asking for more, and partly because they tend to overestimate how much they are worth."

womenintechnology has a dedicated careers advice service for women, graduates and experienced professionals looking for technology and IT jobs.

See more of their Equal Opportunities articles and news reports HERE

Looking for Equal Opportunities Training? Find out more HERE

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Green Marketing at The Riviera Business Club


The autumn / winter season is now in full swing at the The Riviera Business Club -RBC south of France.


On the 30th September they held a meeting at Saint Peters Chapel, Top floor, Port de la Sante,in the picturesque village of Villefranche-sur Mer east of Nice.The subject was "Facebook as on-line marketing tool" presented by Nick Thain. Nick is one of the hottest Facebook marketeers in the UK and shared some of his insights how to be effective with your company on Facebook.

Next meeting on the agenda is "Green Marketing" on Thursday 21st October at Banque Populaire Côte d'Azur, 457 Promenade des Anglais, Main Building Arénas, Nice Aeroport.

If you have a Green Marketing strategy, attitude and behaviour, it will position you not only better in the market, but your customer's loyalty will grow as well. Petra Steinke will present recent examples how Green Marketing can work for your business AND how to use this in your PR communication.


Petra Steinke has 15 years multicultural experience in Journalism, Public Relations, Sales and Marketing. Her experience with corporations in media, publishing, consumer goods and pharmacy, positions her to execute in a wide variety of industry sectors. With unique experiences that cover international markets such as German, Italian, Austrian, French and North American Markets, her detailed skills at developing the right PR campaign is incomparable.

Petra is founder of NEWSBROKER® Public Relations provides international PR services. Since 2005, NEWSBROKER® specializes as a pioneer in the promotion of sustainable lifestyles and the success of eco-friendly enterprise.

Entrance fee for Members: 30 € euro. Non members: 40 € euro

Then on Tuesday November 9th 2010 the meeting is "Rachel Elnaugh is coming to town!"

This is a co-hosted event with the EPWN, the European Professional Women's Network. They are proud to welcome Rachel Elnaugh: Entrepeneur, Writer & Author, Business Speaker, Consultant & Mentor. 'Inspiring, motivating and helper entrepeneurs achieve business success. This evening is hosted by SKEMA Business School in Sophia Antipolis business park.

Rachel Elnaugh is the entrepreneur who created the market leading experiences brand Red Letter Days at age 24 - which grew from nothing, on a shoestring budget, into a £multi-million turnover household name. Red Letter Days' fall into administration in 2005, after the over-expansion of the business in 2002, gained much media exposure and Rachel wrote about her experiences of adversity in business in her 2007 book "Business Nightmares". The book has since become the handbook for business survival for many struggling entrepreneurs.

Rachel won an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002 and she was shortlisted for the 2001 Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year Award along with Barbara Cassani, Jo Malone, Sly Bailey and Chey Garland.

Rachel's appearance as a "Dragon" on the first two series of BBCTV's Dragons' Den in 2005 secured her celebrity entrepreneur status, which has resulted in over 300 engagements as a speaker and celebrity guest in the Enterprise Sector over the past five years.

Rachel Elnaugh is currently

Non-Executive Chairman of market leading children's mural company Walltastic, which she has helped take from front room start-up to a £1million + turnover company, now exporting to 28 countries
Non-Executive Director for the social enterprise The Small Business Company CIC, which empowers disadvantaged youths through enterprise
Non-Executive Director of Sustainable Bakewell CIC, which drives awareness and initiates projects connected to sustainable living in Bakewell and the Peak District

If you are in business in the south of France and want to meet international colleagues for very imforative meetings then you should consider joining the Riviera Business Club.

Originally The British Chamber of Commerce which was started in 1994 by a group of young British business people wishing to promote exchange with their French counterparts. Although "British", the Chamber sought to encourage not only British and French companies and sole traders - already well represented in the area, but also other nationalities present on the Côte d'Azur who can join and take advantage of the business facilities and contacts they can offer.

jml Training and Consultancy are members of the Riviera Buisinnes Club.

For more information go to their website at http://www.bccriviera.com/ or see the summary page Here





Employers need support to adapt to Equality Act



Press Information from The Employers' Forum on Disability "Employers need support to adapt to Equality Act, EHRC report reinforces"

A report out today (11 October 2010) from the Equality and Human Rights Commission reinforces how the statutory Codes of Practice for the Equality Act are needed to support employers in employing disabled people and serving disabled customers.

The EHRC's How Fair is Britain report is the first major study of its kind into the state of Britain's equality landscape. It brings together all available evidence about equality issues into one review.

The report shows that:

•Disabled men are substantially less likely to be in employment than in the past.
•Disabled people are twice as likely to report harassment in the workplace as non-disabled people.
•Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are substantially less likely to achieve 5 GCSE A-Cs as children without SEN.

Susan Scott-Parker, Chief Executive of Employers' Forum on Disability, said: "The statistics in this report make sobering reading. In many ways, they reinforce what we already know: the way the law is applied needs to make it easier for employers to get it right when employing disabled people.

"Otherwise, legal and regulatory frameworks will not address the causes of the inequality outlined in this report. Employers see the role of EHRC as being to ensure the quality of the law, and that is applied credibly and consistently

"Employers are still getting used to the very recent change in equality law. We look forward to the swift publication by EHRC and the Government Equalities Office of the Equality Act's statutory Codes of Practice on employment and access to goods, facilities and services.

"These Codes will support employers in employing disabled people and serving disabled customers. That is what will make a practical difference to the experience of disabled people.

More information about Employers' Forum on Disability

Employers' Forum on Disability is the employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects employers and service providers. With over 400 members, EFD represents organisations that employ around 20 per cent of the UK workforce.Since its establishment in 1991, EFD has worked closely with government and other stakeholders, sharing best practice to make it easier to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers

See also: EFD says Employers need help with Equality Act

The Equality Act 2010 - Are you compliant? Find out here how jml Training can help your organisation

EFD says Employers need help with Equality Act


The HR Review has today reported on the fact

The Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD) has called on the government to do more to help businesses adapt to the provisions contained within the recent Equality Act to ensure that more disabled people find work.

Responding to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's How Fair is Britain report, EFD chief executive Susan Scott-Parker suggested that companies are struggling to come to terms with the legislation and need additional assistance.

"The way the law is applied needs to make it easier for employers to get it right when employing disabled people," she explained. "Employers are still getting used to the very recent change in equality law."

Ms Scott-Parker added that the impending publication of statutory codes of practice relating to the Equality Act should help to clear up some of the confusion and reduce discrimination in the workplace.

Earlier this month, Brethertons employment solicitor Michelle Morgan warned that businesses may experience teething problems in the early stages of the Equality Act's introduction.

Source:HR Review


The Equality Act 2010 - Are you compliant? Find out here how jml Training can help your organisation

Monday 11 October 2010

How fair is Britain? Equality Commission launches landmark report


11th October 2010

Commission launches landmark report: 'How fair is Britain?'

A landmark report released today by the Commission paints a picture of a largely tolerant and open-minded society, in which some equality gaps have closed over the past generation.

But ‘How fair Is Britain?’, the most comprehensive compilation of evidence on discrimination and disadvantage ever compiled in Britain, also shows that other long-standing inequalities remain undiminished; and that new social and economic fault-lines are emerging as Britain becomes older and more ethnically and religiously diverse. The Review also identifies recession, public service reform, management of migration and technological change as major risk factors in progress towards a fairer society.

The first in a series of reports laid before Parliament every three years, ‘How fair is Britain?’ draws on a range of major datasets and surveys, as well as the Commission's own research reports, to build a portrait of Britain in 2010. The 700-page report provides the independent evidence and benchmarks for reviewing the state of social justice.

And it identifies five critical ‘gateways to opportunity’ which the Commission says can make the difference between success and failure in life: Health and Well-being: Education and Inclusion; Work and Wealth; Safety and Security; and Autonomy and Voice

The Commission's findings cover all seven areas of formal discrimination set out in law: age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and transgender status. For the first time, it analyses the gaps in treatment and achievement of these seven social groupings beyond solely economic outcomes - by including factors such as personal autonomy and political influence (‘voice’) alongside education, health, standard of living and personal safety.

The three yearly assessment in the Review, mandated by the Equality Act 2006 will:

provide an evidence base to ensure that action to tackle inequality and ensure fairness is properly targeted
ensure that scarce resources are used in order to protect the vulnerable and disadvantaged from the worst effects of recession, deficit reduction and public service reform
set objective benchmarks to assess the ‘fairness factor’ in public policy


The report finds that over recent years, public attitudes have become much more tolerant of diversity, and much less tolerant of discrimination. This can be seen in relation to most of the major equality characteristics, including race, gender and sexual orientation.

Opposition to working for an ethnic minority boss or inter-ethnic marriages has dropped; stereotypical views about the roles that men and women should play in family and society have become less prevalent. And perhaps the most dramatic change is in relation to LGB people: a gap of less than 20 years separated the parliamentary debates about Section 28 and civil partnership.

Evidence suggests that the public is strongly in favour of the generic principles of equality, dignity and respect for all. This consensus was reflected by each of the main political parties, which went into the 2010 General Election with some form of explicit commitment to equality.

However, the Review also highlights areas of anxiety. There is evidence that the public thinks that both racial and religious prejudice are on the increase, though this may reflect heightened sensitivities. British people are broadly positive about the economic contribution of many immigrants, but the ‘immigration paradox’ remains: about three quarters of the public say that they are concerned about the scale of immigration at a national level - but about the same proportion feels that immigration is not a problem for their own communities.

The Review also highlights significant gaps in knowledge and data about particular groups - for example, transgender people - and the impact on our ability to tell whether the ideals of equality and fairness are being translated into a practical change for the better in these people’s real lives.

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said:

“This Review holds up the mirror to fairness in Britain. It is the most complete picture of its kind ever compiled. It shows that we are a people who have moved light years in our attitudes to all kinds of human difference, and in our desire to be a truly fair society - but that we are still a country where our achievements haven't yet caught up with our aspirations.

“Sixty years on from the Beveridge report and the creation of the welfare state, his five giants of squalor, disease, ignorance, want and idleness have been cut down to size, though they still stalk the land.

“But in the 21st century we face a fresh challenge - the danger of a society divided by the barriers of inequality and injustice. For some, the gateways to opportunity appear permanently closed, no matter how hard they try; whilst others seems to have been issued with an ‘access all areas’ pass at birth. Recession, demographic change and new technology all threaten to deepen the fault lines between insiders and outsiders.

“Our Review has identified the five ‘great gateways’ to opportunity that could open the way to millions.”

The ‘gateways’ identified in the report are

1. Health and Well-being:

Men and women from the highest social class can expect to live up to seven years longer, on average, than those from lower socio-economic groups (based on life expectancy at birth).
Black Caribbean and Pakistani babies are twice as likely to die in their first year as Bangladeshi or White British babies.


2. Education and Inclusion:

Girls achieve better results than boys at age five in England, and at age 16 in England, Scotland and Wales, and in every ethnic group. In 2009 female university students outnumbered men by a ratio of roughly 4:3. Women are also more likely than men to get first-class or upper second-class degrees.

Girls and women tend to be concentrated in some courses which tend to lead to relatively poorly-rewarded jobs.
Forty-four per cent of Black, Indian and Pakistani students are at ‘new’ universities compared to 35 per cent of others. Eight per cent of Black students are at Russell Group institutions, compared to 24 per cent of White students.

Seventeen per cent of children with special educational needs get five good GCSEs including English and Maths, compared to 61 per cent of children without identified special needs.
At age five, 35 per cent of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals achieved a good level of development, compared to 55 per cent of pupils not eligible for free school meals.

Apart from Gypsy and Traveller children, the performance of White British boys on free school meals at GCSE is the lowest of any group defined by gender, free school meals status and ethnic group; by contrast the highest performing group at sixteen are Chinese girls, with those on free school meals outranking every other group except better-off Chinese girls.


3. Work and Wealth:

The mean gender pay gap for women and men working full-time in 2009 was 16.4 per cent; and progress today appears to be grinding to a halt. Women aged 40 earn on average 27 per cent less than men of the same age. Women with degrees are estimated to face only a four per cent loss in lifetime earnings as a result of motherhood, while mothers with no qualifications face a 58 per cent loss.

By the age of 22-24, figures suggest that 44 per cent of Black people are not in education, employment or training, compared to fewer than 25 per cent of White people. One in four Bangladeshi and Pakistani women work, compared with nearly three in four White British women, and only 47 per cent of Muslim men and 24 per cent of Muslim women are employed.
Pakistani and Bangladeshi men’s earnings fall 13 per cent and 21 per cent below what might be expected, and Black African Christian and Chinese men experience pay penalties of 13 per cent and 11 per cent.

Fifty per cent of disabled adults are in work, compared to 79 per cent of non-disabled adults.


4. Safety and Security:

Two-thirds of lesbian, gay and transgender secondary students report that they have been victims of often severe bullying (17 per cent of those bullied reported having received death threats). Homophobic bullying also seems to be more common in faith schools.
Domestic violence is associated with a higher rate of repeat-victimisation than any other kind of violent or acquisitive crime: in 2009/10, 76 per cent of all incidents of domestic violence in England and Wales were repeat offences.

The number of women prisoners has nearly doubled since 1995 in England and Wales, and since 2000 in Scotland.

On average, five times more Black people than White people are imprisoned in England and Wales and there is now greater disproportionality in the number of Black people in prisons in Britain than in the USA.

5. Autonomy and Voice:

One in eight people in England provide unpaid care to adults.
One in four women and nearly one in five men in their fifties are carers.
The number of people aged 65 and over with care and support needs is estimated to rise by 87 per cent between 2001 and 2051.
It is projected that due to the increasing age of the population, nearly 1.3 million disabled older people will require informal care by 2041 up by around 90 per cent.
175,000 people under 18 have caring responsibilities and a disproportionate number of young carers are from certain ethnic minority backgrounds (including Bangladeshi, Black African, Black Caribbean and Pakistani backgrounds).
Women represent less than a quarter of Westminster MPs and barely three in 10 councillors in England. Four per cent of Westminster MPs are from an ethnic minority background.

Source: Equality and Human Rights Commission

More information about Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006, which took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission. It is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights. The Commission enforces equality legislation on age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status, and encourages compliance with the Human Rights Act. It also gives advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals .


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