7 Tips for Workplace Equality and Diversity

Workplace discrimination remains a major concern for UK businesses. To help, we’ve collated tips on promoting equality and diversity in your organisation.

Key takeaways

• It is vital for companies to recognise and prevent unconscious bias. Acknowledge it exists and can impact decisions. Use tools like the Implicit Association Test, and provide training to help employees and managers identify and counteract bias, especially around protected characteristics.
• Adopt fair, objective processes. Ensure recruitment, promotion, and development decisions are based on clear, objective criteria, not assumptions. Use diverse panels and structured evaluations to minimise groupthink and make workplace opportunities equitable.
• Create an inclusive culture through dialogue and proactive policies. Encourage open conversations via employee forums or feedback mechanisms, backed by strong DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies. Promote awareness-raising events, inclusive language, and practices that support mental health, accessibility and a respectful environment.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are legally responsible for protecting their workers against workplace harassment, discrimination and bullying. However, it’s still a major concern across all industries.

Key equality and diversity statistics

Across occupations in the UK, the median gender pay gap is 14.3% in favour of men, with 85% of occupations that employ over 50,000 full-time workers having a gender pay gap.

Nearly half of UK adults feel they’ve been discriminated against in the workplace or when applying for a job. Research shows that ageism is the most common form of discrimination, with one in five UK adults having experienced ageism at some point in their careers.

It seems gender, age and race prejudice are still commonplace in UK businesses. However, when challenged, it does result in substantial fines.

Official numbers show  287,977 harassment offences recorded by police in England and Wales in 2023/24, compared with 262,195 in the previous year.

Despite an improvement in homophobia and biphobia in the workplace, a 2024 report by TUC shows over half of respondents in the survey had experienced some form of harassment in the past five years. Moreover, a quarter weren't comfortable being open at work.

What are trends in discrimination tribunals?

According to an investigation into workplace discrimination, the most common forms of discrimination brought to UK employment tribunals are ageism, appearance bias, gender and race.

Employment law experts suggest workplace stress is driving these up, with individuals more willing to bring claims related to mental health issues caused by discrimination.

Clearly, workplace discrimination should never be tolerated. And with an increased focus on equality brought about by the #metoo and #timesup movements, organisations should do all they can to promote equality.

"We should be willing to consider placing as much importance on protecting people’s safety and their well-being at work as we do on their data and on preventing money laundering through businesses."

How can you promote workplace diversity and inclusion? 

Companies must be proactive in providing general equality training and specific courses focusing on particular areas like sexual harassment. Moreover, certain bodies also have a specific Public Sector Equality Duty.

Below, we outline ways you can promote workplace diversity and inclusion.

1. Identify and prevent unconscious bias

Everyone has unconscious biases – you need to recognised and acknowledge them before they can be effectively avoided.

Take an Implicit Association Test (IAT) to become aware of your own biases. Pay particular attention to those relating to the nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage, pregnancy, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation) as this is discrimination.

2. Create/update equality, diversity and inclusion policies

 Everyone should be treated fairly in all day-to-day activities and work-related decisions (recruitment, training, promotion, allocating work, pay, etc.), and you should embrace people's differences. Indeed, research shows more diverse workforces can give you a competitive edge.  

 Diversity and Inclusion expert Verna Myers put it best: "Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance".

3. Mind your language

Check that your communications are free of discriminatory and sexist language. Even if unintentional, careless or sloppy language and stereotyping can create a perception of inequality and make people feel vulnerable. Don't forget to update corporate forms and documents regarding prefixes and pronouns..

4. Use objective criteria

When recruiting, training and promoting, have clear, objective criteria to ensure you make decisions based on merit and aren't influenced by bias. Encourage group decision-making or conduct audits if concerns are raised about a particular team, manager or business unit.

5. Be proactive

Don't slavishly follow the rules if you think they’re wrong, create unintentional bias or lead to some groups being treated less favourably than others. Instead, try to change them. If no one steps up to alter the status quo, these unconscious biases will continue to dictate workplaces. With that in mind, employers should empower employees to call out discriminatory behaviour or practices. 

"There's a new glass ceiling and it has remained unseen, but it seems Generation Z have better eyesight - they can see it [inequality] and they want to smash it."

6. Get advice if needed

Your HR, legal or compliance departments can offer sound advice on how to avoid unconscious bias or discrimination when making complex decisions, such as terminating contracts or making people redundant, to ensure the rules are followed correctly.

7. Watch out for indirect discrimination

Make sure your company policies don't inadvertently disadvantage certain groups. For example, a requirement to be 'clean-cut' could discriminate against anyone who wears their hair long for religious reasons.

Conversely, don't pretend you haven’t noticed harassment by a predatory manager because "it's just banter" or "he doesn't mean anything by it".

8.  Ensure transgender inclusion 

Protect those undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment (also applies to gender-fluid and non-binary workers) by:

• Replacing gendered language

   

• Providing pronoun and vocabulary guidance

   

• Adapting your working environment (toilets, showers, uniforms, etc.)

   

• Remembering that everyone is an individual – no one-size-fits-all

   

• Being considerate of gender identity in HR processes

   

• Updating your harassment and anti-bullying policies

   

• Reviewing absence and grievance policies

   

• Safeguarding gender identity data

   

• Minimising data retention

   

• Training employees

   

• Referring to Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) guidance, such as ‘Supporting trans employees in the workplace’

   

• Seeking advice and support from external organisations such asStonewall, Mermaids and METRO Charity.

In short, workplace equality isn't just about implementing procedures to stop discrimination – that's the easy bit. You must also actively promote equality and inclusion, ensuring people can focus on what matters most – making your company the best it can be.

Workplace equality and diversity: FAQs

What’s the difference between equality and diversity?

Equality means ensuring people have impartial access to opportunities and are treated fairly, while diversity refers to different characteristics, backgrounds and experiences.

What’s an inclusive workplace?

One where people feel respected, valued and able to participate fairly, regardless of their background or personal characteristics. Inclusion involves creating an environment where differences are recognised and supported.

Is equality and diversity training a legal requirement?

There isn’t a general requirement for every UK employer to provide equality and diversity training. However, they have legal duties relating to discrimination and harassment, and training can help staff understand their responsibilities and support compliance.

Want to learn more about Equality and Compliance?

Our Essentials Library contains e-learning content designed to help organisations meet fundamental compliance requirements. For focused training, our DEI Training Hub offers a complete solution for your compliance programme, including CPD-certified modules. Courses include:

• Equality and Diversity for Managers Training Course

   

• Equality and Diversity in the Workplace Training Course

   

• Harassment in the Workplace Training Course

   

• Unconscious Bias Training Course

Our e-learning courses are designed to engage employees, including our microlearning library, which supports knowledge retention.

Our Compliance Portal also features a range of tools to digitise and automate your compliance learning. These include our:

• Learning Management System (LMS)

• Policy Hub

• Compliance Registers

• Compliance Surveys

• Compliance Declarations

• Aida by Skillcast

If you’d like to access leading insights and compliance tips, browse our free resources by topic to find guides, modules, compliance bites and more.