A new action strategy for integrated workplaces was launched in the equality Authority today by Conor Lenihan T.D., Minister for Integration. The action strategy has been developed by the Equality Authority, IBEC, Congress, the Construction Industry Federation, Chambers Ireland, the Small Firms Association and the Office of the Minister for Integration.
The action strategy aims to establish a support infrastructure to enable enterprises to effectively and appropriately manage cultural diversity in their workforce. New supports that will be established under the strategy include:
- IBECwill identify and promote models of good practice in workplace integration and will network and support employers to achieve workplace integration;
- Congress will support equality champions in the trade union sector to implement initiatives to enable members to advocate for integrated workplaces;
- Chambers Ireland will provide opportunities for companies to network locally and to develop initiatives to support the effective management of cultural diversity;
- the Construction Industry Federation will provide tailored training to its member companies on integrated workplaces;
- the Equality Authority will convene the partner organisations to ensure a coherent strategy emerges from these initiatives and will prepare a review of case law on the race ground under Employment Equality Acts to assist good practice.
Niall Crowley stated that “the creation of integrated workplaces is not a luxury for the economic good times, it is an urgent necessity for the economic bad times. Discrimination and disadvantage can end up being reinforced and copper fastened into the future when they are not vigorously challenged in times of economic downturn. Business investment in equality and diversity enhances labour productivity and workforce innovation and reduces employee turnover. These outcomes are critical for business survival in difficult economic circumstances”.
The initiatives which form part of the strategy are designed to support enterprises to take action to:
- enable Black and minority ethnic employees to adapt to workplace culture and practices;
- enable all employees to adapt and engage appropriately with a culturally diverse workforce;
- review workplace policies, procedures and practices and introduce change to ensure that they adequately take account of the practical implications of cultural and linguistic diversity.
Speaking at the launch, Niall Crowley, Chief Executive Officer of the Equality Authority highlighted that integrated workplaces are “workplaces that are free from discrimination, where cultural and linguistic difference are valued and are taken into account in workplace policies and practices where there is a proactive approach to achieving equality for Black and minority ethnic employees. In this context, the effective management of cultural diversity in the workplace requires change from employees from the majority groups and change in the manner in which organisations go about their business”.
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