1.1 Background to the Book
The purpose of this section is to introduce the reader to the main themes of the book. It seeks to outline the key context and concepts explored across the chapters and enable the reader to examine the importance of understanding âhidden â inequalities in the workplace.
The idea of producing the book arose from the authorsâ personal experiences in dealing with the implementation of diversity policies and organisational capacity to train and educate individuals. Many organisations have developed various strategies to diversify the workforce and establish an inclusive working environment. A number of organisational policies and procedures have been adopted to assist individuals in establishing consistent practice and addressing attitude-related issues. This is partly supported through various training and developmental activities with the aim to address diversity challenges and to somehow enhance peopleâs awareness of the need to recognise differences in the workplace. Although there is a growing academic literature on diversity and equality , discrimination and social-related stigmas , it is still a major organisational issue (CIPD 2012). Some organisations might offer instructional diversity training (awareness and enlightenment learning practices) to encourage individuals to challenge held assumptions and ultimately entrenched stereotypical beliefs (Kulik and Roberson 2008; Anderson 2004; Harris 2003). Other organisations might offer behavioural-based training to educate participants to take personalised and participatory action towards the development of behavioural-based skills and modify implicit and explicit biases in self-reported behaviour. Nevertheless, we still find it hard to deliver long-term changes in individual attitudes and behaviour within the workplace (Pendry et al. 2007; Celik et al. 2012). For example, a recent survey into sexism in the UK reveals that sexism in the workplace is increasing rather than decreasing, with 42% of 18â34-year-olds experiencing sexism compared to 26% of the baby-boom generation (CIPD 2012). This is critical as appropriate individual attitudes towards any organisational policy is a critical factor in achieving an inclusive working environment (Purcell and Hutchinson 2007).
At a personal level, we found it sometimes difficult to deal with the level of ignorance amongst individuals, but most importantly to understand existing management perceptions in addressing organisational diversity issues. We believe that addressing diversity and equality needs requires sufficient knowledge (both at individual and organisational level), effective leadership skills and appropriate assessment of the wider business environment. Some people might call this thinking ânaiveâ because theory is weaker than practice due to differences in the economic and organisational context. Nevertheless, there is now the expectation to address cultural intelligence failures and ensure diversity is part of the business model roots. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD 2012) argued that most British organisations have developed a strategy, policy or guidelines to address diversity needs; however, most covered the legally protected individual requirements. We do not blame them as addressing diversity issues is almost as diverse as the subject itself, and this has made the interpretation of findings and experience highly judgemental. The issue here is that there is a kind of a âfore-feedingâ attitude towards satisfying legal expectations and preventing discrimination in the workplace. As Sherbin and Rashid (2017) argued in the Harvard Business Review, âdiversity doesnât stick without inclusionâ as measuring diversity is easy, measuring feeling is dicey. This can be better explained by highlighting Ahonen et al. (2014, p. 278) argument that we are unable to break the âcycle of production of knowledge about diversityâ that does not relinquish the benefits of diversity and protect an individualâs different needs.
Of course, we do not agree that the legal framework is the one to blame. Decades of social and organisational science research point to a simple truth, âyou wonât get individuals on board by blaming and shaming them with rules and rededicationsâ (Dobbin and Kalev 2016). As educators, we felt the need to assess how to ease up on the control tactics and somehow take actions in understanding the behaviour and attitude of those people who have experienced discrimination and social exclusion . Thomas Rooseveltâs work was particularly influential as he argued that affirmative action is essential to manage diversity challenges by learning to understand and modify organisational and individual values . Therefore, we are very fortune as we have the ability to design curriculum interventions and activities aiming to educate individuals on how to manage effectively individual differences and address social stigmas in the workplace. Higher education can have a powerful effect upon improving future practices and developing appropriate management practices. This is not to assume that providing appropriate learning opportunities is one-size-fits-all solution to long-standing issues around diversity and equality . Nevertheless, we share some responsibility for the current organisational ineffectiveness on addressing âhidden â inequalities and inability to support individuals in transferring appropriate knowledge back in the workplace.
We also felt the need to share our âfrustrationâ with the academic and professional community. Apart from scholarly activities, we delivered a conference stream entitled â hidden inequalities in the workplace: dignity and well-beingâ in the 2016 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion conference, Cyprus. Surprisingly, we found that other academics and practitioners shared similar perceptions around the subject. A key theme emerged from contributors is that diversity is a stepping stone in modern organisations; however, organisational diversity practices reflect a more cosmetic rather than deep-rooted changes as to how diversity is supported by leaders. What is more positive is the fact that many individuals are very keen to discuss any challenges they face in the workplace and vent out their frustration with current thinking. This particular event acted as a motivation boost to produce this book. We recognise that organisational realities might be different in theory; nevertheless, personal development, resource allocation and skills capacity seem to contribute towards addressing workplace stigmas and discrimination , but most importantly in developing a progressive and productive workplace. Individual awareness is an important first step in enabling change to happen at both an individual and organisational level, with Celik et al. (2012) suggesting that establishment of awareness is followed by acceptance, adoption and adherence. Therefore, management of âhiddenâ inequalities should be seen as a necessity, where individuals should be involved in a process of examining the operational and behavioural realities, leading to durable and relevant diversity work-based solutions.
1.2 Aims and Objectives
The book aims to understand further how organisations manage inequalities and whether the current legislative framework provides sufficient tools to support individuals. The book is part of the âPalgrave Explorations in Workplace Stigmaâ series with the remit to action for organisations to accept and support employees with visible and non-visible needs and ensure that social stigmas are removed from the workplace. In line with the series ethos, the main objective of the book is to critically assess and evaluate any form of organisational practice and function that could reinforce âhiddenâ systematic and potential remediable differences amongst individuals in the workplace. There is now a wider debate that individual diversity (differences in background, education and knowledge) is critical to sustain and improve economic performance by bringing different skills, experience, ideas and perspectives (Jayne and Dipboye 2004). Therefore, this book aims to continue to grow and stimulate academic and professional scholarship on the topic of equality and diversity through the lens of multi-disciplinary, evidence-based research and practice. We aim to encourage critical reflection of current debate areas on âhiddenâ discrimination to support higher education students learning experience and provide useful learning resources to enrich knowledge on diversity and equality in business. To achieve that, we need to challenge current thinking and mobilise individual action towards developing positive working environments. As Lisa Burrell (2016) argued, âwe just canât handle diversityâ as cognitive roadblocks keep getting in the way. Therefore, it is important to enable people who have been affected to express their perception and provide insightful arguments as to how key processes by which equality and diversity are ascribed to people and systems might reinforce workplace âhiddenâ inequalities.
The hope is that the book provides students at various levels including undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with useful and positive learning resources around the subject. There are many diversity and equality books in the market; however, most of the publications focus on cultural diversity, legal requirements and formal discrimination cases in the workplace. The objective is to provide students with âreal caseâ scenarios and academic research needed to explain and assess current organisational realities. The book also provides organisations with opportunities to enrich knowledge on explaining and addressing âhiddenâ aspects of diversity and equality in the workplace. All contribut...