Culture

The British workforce is increasingly multicultural and inclusive employers are working to tap into talent from a wide range of backgrounds providing unique insights and access to wider customer bases. However, the lines can and often do blur between culture and the nine characteristics officially protected under the Equality Act, so it's helpful to know where your responsibilities lie as an employer and how you can attract and retain a talented multicultural workforce. Inclusive Employers explains:

  • how to understand culture and where and how cultures may collide;
  • the extent to which culture is covered legally;
  • business benefits of a multicultural workforce;
  • the key to maintaining open dialogue and how to navigate conflicts when they arise;
  • best practice and useful links.

Here's a taste of what you'll read as a member on our website...

Culture | Cultural diversity, more than just a mix | Culture is the ultimate mix - a combination of race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, and more. If affects what we notice, how we interpret things and make decisions, and how we put ideas into action. Often culture is so deeply imbedded in how we perceive the world, we don't even notice it until face to face with a colleague approaching a similar situation in a completely different way. Cultural diversity is virtually unavoidable in business today, and having both employees and suppliers from a variety of backgrounds is important to stay competitive. With the right knowledge and resources, you can make sure you're reaping the benefits of cultural diversity in your business. | What the law says | Culture is not a legally protected personal characteristic under the Equality Act; however, it is in the best interests of employers to avoid discriminating against employees or candidates based on culture in order to maintain an inclusive, productive workplace environment and a positive company image. It is also important to keep in mind culture can be deeply intertwined with other characteristics that are protected under the Equality Act, such as religion or belief and race, so as an employer, you should approach cultural issues with open ears and sensitivity. For example, there are many factors that inform a Muslim woman's personal approach to modest clothing, one of which may be culture. Just because there are different cultural interpretations of a faith does not mean her right to wear a headscarf at work is not covered under the Equality Act.

As a member, you'd get access to the full contents and other benefits, including a supplementary policy documents and how-to guides, which make rights, responsibilities and legislation easy to understand and accessible for both HR teams and employees. They're free for members to download and available for non-members to purchase.

Members also enjoy free and reduced rate tickets to our events, including an introduction to inclusion and interactive sessions exploring inclusion and diversity, which can be tailored for in-house delivery. We'll keep you updated on the top news on inclusion each week, monthly case law briefings and are always available to answer legal queries through our helpline. 

If you'd like to learn more about membership, we invite you to read more on our site or to contact us at info@inclusiveemployers.co.uk or 020 7803 0689 to have a chat. If you're ready to join, you can do so right on our site by invoice or company credit card.

If you're already a member, log in to access full site contents, including our digital and downloadable resources.

Tags: 
culture
diversity
race
ethnicity
religion
nationality
Equality Act
multicultural
dialogue
clash