Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in Society, and Organisations (ED&I) (Distinction Criteria) - Desklib

This article discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion in society and organizations, with a focus on gender pay discrimination at Tesco. The article provides methods for managing discrimination and resources for addressing inequality in the workplace. The Gender Pay Gap Regulations, 2017 is presented as a law that supports the rights of women in the workplace. The article concludes with recommendations for raising the minimum wage and discussing salaries with colleagues.

Diversity & Inclusion in
Society, and
Organisations (ED&I)
(Distinction Criteria)

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ASSESSMENT 1.............................................................................................................................1
PART ONE..................................................................................................................................1
Outlines the problem and they in the organisation......................................................................1
PART TWO.................................................................................................................................2
ASSESSMENT 2.............................................................................................................................3
Resource Memo...........................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Diversity and inclusion are interconnected concepts (Banfield 2018). The term diversity is
related to representing or making up the company, while inclusion is associated to how well
contributions, perspectives along with presence of distinct groups of individuals are values as
well as integrated into the environment. For the assessment, selected company is Tesco which is
a leading company that experienced largest gender discrimination at workplace.
The project is prepared in two assessments, in which Assessment 1 is about experience of
the company in managing charges of discrimination. On other hand, Assessment 2 is a resource
memo that includes personal experience of inequality or discrimination that is faced at
workplace.
ASSESSMENT 1
PART ONE
Outlines the problem and they in the organisation
Discrimination at workplace is said to an act of devising unjustified distinctions among
people that are based on classes, groups or some other categories to which they belong or
perceived to belong (Danowitz, Hanappi Egger and Mensi-Klarbach, 2012). In a company,
discrimination takes place or an individual is discriminated against due to their disability, origin,
age, race, religion, culture, language and other grounds. Gender discrimination is violation of
civil right which takes in multiple forms among people who perform same working at an
organisation.
Tesco is a popular multinational grocery together with general merchandise who
experienced largest gender pay discrimination that resulted in probable compensation bill of
approximate £4 Billion (Tesco faces equal pay claims of £4 billion in terms of gender
discrimination, 2018). Number of shop workers of Tesco taking part in legal challenge for
securing equal pay that resulted in paying out huge amount. Leigh Day, a law firm has filed
further 900 claims at employment tribunal on behalf of various shop assistants. Three quarters of
the claimants are women who earn around £3 an hour that is less than male employees of the
company who perform similar roles. It is also analysed that female employees of the company
are getting paid lesser even when performing better than male workforce. In context to the
gender discrimination, Leigh Day has taken initiation of legal action against Tesco.
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In context to the situation, Egalitarianism theory is one of the theory which promote
equality at workplace. As per Egalitarianism theory, all people are equal as they are created by
God and deserve equal opportunities as well as rights. The theory puts focus towards equality
addition to equal treatment across religion, economic status, gender and other aspects (Kumra,
Manfredi and Vickers 2012). It focuses more on income inequality along with distributions. With
application of Egalitarianism theory, managers of Tesco have started treated and paying equal
pay to its people no matter of their gender, beliefs and age. Further, Tesco is a company which
has been always a place for human resources to get on career, regardless of their education,
gender or background. The company work hard to ensure that all of its people are paid equally
together with fairly for the jobs they perform.
For the purpose of managing the problem of gender pay discrimination or dealing with the
complexity of the situation, some of methods that are used by Tesco are as outlined:
 Removing biases: In past durations, men and women cluster in distinct groups of working
(Beardwell and Thompson, 2014). For dealing with situation of gender pay
discrimination, Tesco has undertaken a decision of removing biases through hiring men
and women for same working at same compensation. Moreover, at its stores, managers
provide equal opportunities of education that results in elimination of gender pay
discrimination.
 Being transparent and getting women on Board: In Tesco, a clear action plan is adopted
on steps that are taken as employer for closing gender pay inequality with clear milestone
and targets. The superiors communicate all information openly together with honestly
with all workforce. Furthermore, greater representation of Women on Boards of Director
is also a technique adopted by Tesco to deal with the situation. The company supports
women employees into more senior roles.
PART TWO
In Tesco, gender pay discrimination has impacted image of the company in multiple manner.
To deal with the situation, managers of Tesco said that the company works very hard for
ensuring that all of its colleagues are paid equally and fairly for the jobs they are assigned and
they perform. To deal with the situation, Tesco could have created a discrimination free culture
wherein senior managers give each employee, including male and female for all kinds of
working, engage all workforce in internal communication, organising workshops related to
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gender equality at workplace and many more. Furthermore, the company could have conducted
an audit as well as made salaries transparent for ensuring that all of its people are paid equally
for the same roles.
The problem of gender pay discrimination at Tesco could have avoided through keeping
salaries of all employees, male and female transparent as it could allow each personnel to have
knowledge about how exactly their working is valued that can contribute in elimination of
discrimination and making the workplace more welcoming addition to equitable.
In the situation, uplifting decision of the Tesco was effective. In this, the company has
made an announced that for getting judgement confirming floor workers of shop, use of easier
legal test for comparing the jobs of female to male employees in distribution of salary. The
company announced that it rewards its people fairly for the jobs which they do as well as work
hard for ensuring that it offer pay and benefits on fair, sustainable and competitive manner
(Bratton and Gold, 2017).
The crisis represents management problem as it is responsibility of human resource
management of a company to look towards pay structure for its employees (Canas and Sondak,
2014). In Tesco, human resource management was responsible for looking towards the issue and
deal with it effectively.
ASSESSMENT 2
Resource Memo
What’s the story about?
At the place where I worked, I noticed the case of gender pay gap which is considered as
unethical in business environment as women do not feel equal to people they work with. I am at
the position of human resource manager in firm working in technology industry. The firm have
around thirty employees where ten are females and twenty are male. All of the senior positions
are taken by males as the director of my firm believes that it involves complex tasks which
women are incapable of carrying out. I worked in this firm for around two years now and my
promotions took place slower as compared to my male colleagues who also joins the company
on same time as me. Even the junior males hired after me gets almost similar salary as I get. I
choose to took the issue to upper management about the gender discrimination I am facing in the
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company. But to my surprise the panel found it absolutely normal as they reckons that I do not
do much contribution in company's growth and success. I felt mocked by my seniors and thought
my years of education as well as experience goes into drains. I also asked about the personal
experiences of other females working the firm and they all felt the same thing. They all were also
getting less pay for the same work as their male colleagues do and some also told that they were
asked ruthlessly to work extra hours after office. This way I understand properly that it is the
case of gender pay gap. But the director and upper management level did not realise that they
were indulging in unethical practices. Therefore, we all decided to take this case to commission
for justice so that the females who will join this firm in future would not have to face same
discrimination on basis of pay.
What lesson does it teach?
From the incident narrated above, it is evaluated that this is the case of gender discrimination in
terms of pay. It teaches me the lesson that I am equal to the people I work with and deserves
equal opportunities of promotions as my colleagues. As I considered myself an important asset to
firm, thus it made me realise that my companies should treat me with integrity and no less than
others. This incident of pay discrimination has resulted in affecting my well being as this was
unfair to me. Other females of my office takes this incident in the same light as me. They also
felt devalued by the organisation and thoughts of it as hindrance in growth of their career. This
whole incident has negatively impacted the organisation they now have to face legal lawsuit and
large amount of fines for not complying with laws made by government. Company also has to
pay financial compensation out laid by law to me and other females. Complaints made by me in
commission for justice has resulted in damaging firm's image and position in market. The lawsuit
reduces organisation rating in business market and leads to heavy losses in number of customers.
Evidences in form of laws, organisational guidelines and principles that can be used for
supporting or addressing the inequality issues raised in the story
To support such incidents of gender pay gap that I faced that my workplace, the government of
UK has introduced The Gender Pay Gap Regulations, 2017. This regulation is part of Equality
Act 2010 which strives to regulate all private and voluntary industry employers to publish their
data on gender pay gap. The data employers will be asked to involve in report will be
information about bonus pay, proportion of female and male staff at all levels of management
and mean wage gap which will reflect whole pay range in company. It is done by the legislation
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to do deep analysis of discrimination on basis of pay and create data driven plans to narrow the
gap. Noncompliance with this regulation will leads to unlawful act falling in enforcement powers
of Equality and Human Rights Commission and can also result in unlimited fines. Thus this act
will support my rights in my firm and will encourage my employers to notice my efforts in
company's growth. It will provide me and my fellow female co workers equal opportunities of
work irrespective of age, gender, race, section etc. This regulation will present sound framework
for companies to follow so that me and females who also faced similar discrimination do not
have to suffer more.
There was similar incident related to Gender Pay Gap that I witnessed on online news
written by Blackstock (2022) about Asda accused of exploiting female staff of shop in gender
pay gap row (Blackstock, 2022). With the step towards Equal Pay Act 1970 and the issue was
resolved through intervention of Supreme Court in which Asda mentioned that it pay to its
people on the basis of market rate in each unit regardless of gender. Moreover, Asda gave its
more than one lakh employees around £ 412 bonuses because new gender pays gap figure reveal
huge gaps.
Conclusion and recommendation
As per the presented situation, it is concluded that women are most victims of discrimination
that is Gender Pay Gap. It any company, different groups of women face or experiences distinct
gaps in pay. The situation revolves around average difference among remuneration for women
and men that are working at same job role. The decision of taking the case to the Commission of
Justice was appropriate. Also, adhering to Gender Pay Gap Regulation, 2017 could be a law that
support the inequality issue that is raised in the society.
It is recommended to all women of companies that they must raise voice for raising
minimum wage to that they get some assistance for supporting own families. Also, women are
recommended to discuss their salaries with other colleagues that are performing same job.
Paycheck Fairness Act is suggested for adherence as it reduces pay secrecy and give women
better techniques to deal with pay discrimination at workplace.
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CONCLUSION
From the mentioned assessments, it is concluded that diversity and inclusion are essential in
society and organisation. In a society, diversity and inclusion are essential for improving balance
of opinions addition to views in any kind of setting. At same time, within a company, diversity
and inclusion are more than programs, headcounts or policies as diverse as well as inclusive
organisations earn more commitment addition to deeper trust from employees.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Banfield P., 2018. Introduction to Human Resource Management, 3rd Ed, Oxford: Oxford
University Press
Beardwell J. and Thompson A. eds., 2014. Human Resource Management: A Contemporary
Approach, 7th Ed. Harlow: Pearson
Bratton J. and Gold J., 2017. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice, 6th Edition,
London: Palgrave
Canas, K. and Sondak, H., 2014. Opportunities and Challenges of Workplace Diversity, 3/E.
London: Pearson.
Danowitz, M A, Hanappi_Egger, E and Mensi-Klarbach, H., 2012. Diversity in Organizations:
Concepts and Practices, Basingstoke: Palgrave McMillan
Kumra, S, Manfredi, S and Vickers L., 2012. Managing equality and diversity: Theory and
Practice, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Online:
Blackstock. G. 2022. Asda accused of exploiting female shop staff in gender pay gap row.
[Online]. Available through: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/asda-
accused-exploiting-female-shop-26677191
Tesco faces equal pay claims of £4 billion in terms of gender discrimination. 2018. [Online].
Available through: < https://internationalfinance.com/tesco-aces-equal-pay-claims-of-4-
billion-in-terms-of-gender-discrimination/>
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