Benefits Of Anti-Discrimination: 8 Advantages

Discrimination is the practice that makes differences between individuals that disadvantage some and advantage others. Anti-discrimination measures refer to the measures against discrimination. Employers must promote non-discrimination in the workplace. Employers of all sizes are subject to the requirement. 

Employers who employ at least 30 people regularly must have a plan to promote non-discrimination. The success of the anti-discrimination measures must also be discussed with the personnel or their representatives. Positive discrimination against employee groups at risk of discrimination can also help to promote non-discrimination in the workplace.

Employers must take appropriate and situation-specific measures to ensure that people with disabilities are treated fairly. Discrimination occurs when this obligation is not met. 19% of them believe that hiring disabled employees would only lead to an increase in costs in the form of installation of facilities for the disabled. If an employer refuses to implement reasonable accommodation measures, the person with a disability must be given the reasons for the decision in writing upon request and without delay.

1. It Reduces Liability 

By preventing discrimination in the workplace, the organization's potential liability is reduced for accusations of unfair employment practices. The fees involved in defending such cases are very high. Fees paid for legal counsel for defending the company's employment actions along with the settlement costs can be damaging to the organization. They must comply with the federal laws regarding anti-discrimination, which is vital for eliminating discrimination in the workplace. Development of human resource practices and solutions for the sustenance of diversity in the workplace are also good solutions for eliminating discrimination.

2. It Decreases Staff Turnover 

Discrimination at the workplace and conflicts arising from discriminatory employment practices will dishearten and demoralize the employees. Employees who face discrimination will ultimately quit the organization and look for a job elsewhere. About 36% of transgender employees have quit their job due to transphobic discrimination. 

There are various tangible and intangible costs relating to turnover, like increased cost per hire and lost productivity. This leads to many unfilled job vacancies. Regardless of the reason an employee leaves the organization, the turnover costs are high. Therefore, by undertaking anti-discriminatory measures, the organization can reduce employee turnover and will thus, save upon such costs.

3. It Improves Employee Engagement 

Discrimination at the workplace will reduce employee engagement and morale. Most employees describe employee engagement as an enthusiastic approach to the job and duties, whereas others describe it as a genuine interest in their contribution to organizational goals. If the management does not look after discrimination, it will have damaging effects on the workforce. It leads to poor productivity and less employee engagement. 

Many bad experiences might be affecting the 61% of Gen-Z employees who feel their firm would be more engaged and productive if it were actively involved in addressing today's significant societal concerns. By undertaking anti-discrimination measures, the organization can sustain a hardworking and productive workforce where the employees understand that the employers value their opinions, expertise, and talent. 

4. It Reduces Recruitment Challenges

Having a reputation that does not do anything towards fighting against discriminatory employment practices will destroy the ability of the company to recruit good employees. Even if the company tries to capture high-quality candidates, they will lose them as they would quit the organization because of discrimination at the workplace. 

5. Education Helps Prevent Workplace Misconduct 

Employees may not be fully aware of what counts as workplace discrimination. It is unlawful to subject employees to discrimination based on age, nationality, gender, race, sexual orientation, sex, breastfeeding, pregnancy, marital status, age, gender identity, etc. An effective anti-discrimination policy will prohibit discrimination based on any grounds. It clarifies to all that offensive comments, jokes, bullying, inappropriate touching, etc., will not be tolerated by the organization and that strict action will be taken against the offenders. 

Educating employees and management about this is essential to eradicate workplace discrimination. It is the first line of defense for the organization from expensive lawsuits. Adopting anti-discriminatory policies and giving formal training will give the impression that the company takes these matters with the utmost seriousness and is fully committed to eradicating such behavior in the workplace.

6. Formal Reporting Procedures Can Help To Prevent Illegal Activity From Becoming A Bigger Problem.

Employers must implement reporting systems and complaint structures in addition to educating employees about discrimination. Employees who do not know how to report an issue are unable to do so, and as a result, the behavior will persist and worsen. This is why employees must understand what to do and who to contact if they require assistance. 

When an issue is identified early, the employer has time to intervene, administer any required discipline, and monitor the situation to prevent it from worsening. Furthermore, an employer who implements effective reporting procedures might later defend against a lawsuit by demonstrating that the employee failed to use the procedures in place.

7. Employers Have An Affirmative Defence Thanks To Policies And Training.

Anti-discrimination rules and training are beneficial to a productive workplace. They can also provide a solid affirmative defense for the employer if an employee decides to file a lawsuit against the company and its management. The court outlined five elements to consider when determining whether the employer was negligent in neglecting to implement an anti-harassment policy:

(i) formal policies prohibiting workplace harassment; 

(ii) formal and informal complaint structures for employees;

(iii) anti-harassment training, which must be mandatory for supervisors and managers and available to all employees of the organization;

Having and correctly executing strong anti-discrimination policies is one of the things that can help the management achieve equality in the organization. Attorneys who specialize in industries can assist businesses with the creation and implementation of such policies.

8. Actions to prevent discrimination

(i) Include EEO statements and use inclusive language in job postings.

(ii) Establish formal job-related criteria for team members to be hired, promoted, and rewarded.

(iii) Adjust compensation and benefits based on job title, seniority, qualifications, and performance, rather than protected traits.

(iv) Meet the needs of people with disabilities.

(v) Managers should be required to retain detailed records of their decisions on team members and job candidates.

(vi) Additional strategies to prevent discrimination will be considered as well, such as:

(vii) Using bias-reducing hiring methods such as structured interviews and blind hiring programs.

(viii) Organizing diversity, communication, and conflict resolution training to increase collaboration among personnel from various backgrounds.

(ix) Create an all-encompassing human rights policy: Regardless of the company's size, creating such a policy is a wise move. Small firms are subject to the Code in the same way that large businesses are, and the financial consequences of a human rights complaint can be more devastating for smaller businesses

Conclusion

Eliminating prejudice from the workplace is a difficult task. Still, it can help the organization avoid going to court over former employees or come up with novel strategies to recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds. Creating an equal employment opportunity policy lays the groundwork for a company's vision and philosophy of mutual respect, but it is just the beginning. The employers must take strict action against the offenders when a case is reported and thoroughly understand that eliminating discrimination necessitates the organization's top level of leadership's constant support, which filters down to managers, supervisors, and employees.