Diversity Revolution

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Smile..even when it’s not World Happy Day!

world happy day

Smile…it’s World Happy Day!

Smile. World Happy Day, is a reason to be cheerful despite what may be going on in some darker corners of the world.

To celebrate thousands of people will try to spread a little good cheer by sharing their views on Happy, a short movie examination of the emotion from Oscar nominated director Roko Belic.

The film is listed for screening at 600 venues across 60 countries on every continent.

Happiness does make life better, says Belic.

If you are happy, you are likely to live longer, enjoy better health, care for your environment and are less likely to involve yourself in crime.

Happy people also bring big benefits to their communities by helping others and finding more creative solutions to problems.

“Our goal is for people all around the world to come together, on the same day, start the conversation about happiness and begin to live happier, more fulfilling lives,” said Belic.

Action for Happiness, a movement passionate about creating a happier society is showing the film in the UK. The group has 20,000 members who take practical action to make happier communities, families, schools and workplaces.

Mark Williamson, director of Action for Happiness said: “Happy is a wonderful film that had people laughing out loud, moved to tears and spontaneously applauding when we screened it in London recently.

“World Happy Day is a unique global event where people in local communities all around the world will connect and be inspired to help build happier lives and communities.”

Groups affiliating with Action for Happiness are springing up all over the country, with activities, events and workshops aimed at making people feel better ranging from laughter clubs to meditation.

“Small things can cause big positive changes, so choose one of our 10 actions and make it happen,” says the group’s web site.

For more information about the Happy movie and Action for Happiness go to [link http://www.actionforhappiness.org/ ]

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A smile and kind words makes work a better place

A smile is all it takes to make the work place better, according to a new study.

Someone just being nice with a smile and a few kind words is enough to improve the way many people feel, says the Feel Good Factor Index published by PruHealth.

Although spending time with family and friends ranks highest, doing a kind deed for some else, job security and being recognised for achievements at work are all important for someone’s wellbeing.

The study reinforces the view that most people are at their happiest when they have the right work-life balance.

The survey asked more than 2,000 people what made them happy – top of the list was spending time with family and loved ones (56%), followed by sharing in their achievements (36%).

Someone being nice or smiling took third place (27%).

The other results were:

  • Taking a walk on a nice day (24%)
  • Getting a good night’s sleep (24%)
  • Doing something for someone else (17%)
  • Job and financial security (17%)
  • Time with pets (13%)
  • Nights out (13%)
  • Keeping fit (12%)
  • Finding a money saving deal (11%)

Dr Katie Tryon, health and wellbeing expert at PruHealth, said: “It would be great if everyone could smile at someone today and get the warm glow from knowing you’ve made someone happy.

“It’s really important for our physical and mental wellbeing to feel good, and as our index shows there are many inexpensive ways to get that feeling, including taking time out to go for a walk.”

The over 55s had the best outlook on life – with 62% opting for a ‘glass half full’ approach and only 12% confessing they were pessimists.

Many of the people surveyed admitted they succumbed to guilty pleasures, with one in four disclosing they enjoyed slobbing in front of a movie on the TV while munching a pile of chocolate.

The findings showed the biggest treat was time off work on holiday.

This article  is filed under: Gender,  Discrimination, Diversity, emotional intelligence, Leadership, Minorities, women, mothers faimly work-life balance
Do you want more than what Equality Training or Diversity Training Courses can deliver? See Diversity at Work in the workplace http://www.diversityleaders.org/our-services/training-a-events
For more content Diversity Leaders Magazine http://paper.li/diversitylead/1308375628 Key topics : Leadership, Discrimination, Diversity

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New discrimination help service

Extra help is on the way for people suffering discrimination in the form of a new government advice service.

The Equality Advisory and Support Service will give advice and support focussing on helping the vulnerable and disadvantaged to find early and informal solutions to their problems without recourse to legal action.

The free service will be open to everyone – and will include high accessibility standards especially for those with disabilities and for people who do not speak English.

Initial contact for advice on discrimination will be by the web or telephone.

Independent advocacy support will be offered to consumers who need legal help to issue a claim that cannot be resolved informally or through alternative dispute resolution. The government has also confirmed legal aid will continue for discrimination cases.

The decision by the Home Office’s Government Equality Office to run the support service follows lengthy consultation in 2010.

The consultation asked whether the government should fund a support service for discrimination victims and should the service be run by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The responses confirmed the service was needed but the EHRC should not be funded to run it.

“This was because of government’s commitment to ensuring access to justice and, in particular, to helping people to resolve their problems informally before the point a claim is made and even before it is necessary to access formal alternative dispute resolution,” said a spokesman.

“The review also concluded that the government should not fund the EHRC to deliver this service. Therefore, government has decided that it will commission a new service from a private sector or civil society organisation or a combination of both.

The service expects to handle around 40,000 telephone calls and 20,000 emails a year requesting various levels of advice.

No timescales have been announced for the opening of the service.

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Give your views on how equality is working

 

Equality and diversity managers have their chance to influence government policy as part of David Cameron’s red tape challenge to slimline bureaucracy.

The government is seeking views on how equality legislation is working – and what, if anything, can be changed to improve the law.

The Equality Act 2010 is umbrella legislation that replaced nine major statutes and around 100 sets of regulations aimed at making diversity management easier for business and public sector organisations.

Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: “The Equality Act is here to stay. Fairness and opportunity for all remain at the heart of government. But there is always more we can do to ensure that business is not being strangled by red tape.

Unnecessary rules

“This government is committed to economic prosperity and reducing unnecessary rules and regulations. We want to hear from individuals, businesses, public sector organisations and voluntary and community organisations about how the act is working in practice.

“We want to know whether the act could be simplified, better implemented, or if certain provisions should be dropped or amended, or whether it should be kept exactly as it is.”

For more about the red tape challenge and how to respond, go to http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index/

One major change was implemented by Home Secretary Theresa May when she scrapped gender pay reporting measures under section 78 of the act. The government is urging businesses to publish the data voluntarily instead.

Meanwhile, Director of People and Policy at BT, Caroline Waters, has taken up the post as equality champion tasked with mediating the easing of legislation between the government and industry.

Deadline for consultation

The clocking is also ticking on government consultation about reforming the Equality and Human Rights Commission, with the deadline for submissions is June 15, 2011.

The consultation and forms for response are available for download from http://www.equalities.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1789

EHCR has already published a short response – promising a more detailed document will follow.

The EHRC view is that the government is right to examine the early progress of the commission, but some of the current proposals for change may run counter to equality policy and a broader approach to deregulation and decentralisation.

Do you want more than what Diversity Training can deliver? See Diversity at Work http://www.diversityleaders.org/our-services/training-a-events

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BBC slammed for diversity failings

The BBC needs to switch on to the real world instead of portraying Christians as ‘derogatory stereotypes’ and marginalising older women.

This indictment of the broadcaster’s diversity policy is even more damning as the main critics are viewers and the BBC’s staff.

Many believe the organisation goes too far in representing minority views, with positive discrimination affecting recruitment and too much time spent concentrating on ‘tokenism’ and diversity ‘box ticking’.

The results of a diversity study carried out by the BBC were leaked by the Daily Mail. The report was compiled form a survey of 4,500 people.

The research repeatedly slammed the BBC over depictions of Christians on TV.

Derogatory stereotypes

Many respondents claimed the BBC was anti-Christian and poorly represented Christianity.

“Christians are specifically mentioned as being badly treated, with a suggestion that more minority religions are better represented despite Christianity being the most widely observed religion within Britain,” said a quote from the report.

Others said:

  • “As a Christian I find that the BBC’s representation of Christianity is mainly inaccurate, portraying incorrect, often derogatory stereotypes.”
  • “Seldom do we find a Christian portrayed in drama, and when we do, it is usually a “weak” person or a “bigot”

A recurring criticism was soap storylines lacked pro-Christian themes but often showed the faith in a poor light.

Doomed to fail

In many ways, the BBC is doomed to fail whatever minority group or religion is portrayed in programmes, as the content often generates complaints from other minorities or faiths.

The study also highlighted that many viewers were concerned at the treatment of older women, who were often shown as feeble and unable to lead a normal life.

Others moaned that the organisation is tainted politically as left-wing or too liberal..

A BBC spokesman said: “We have strict editorial guidelines on impartiality, including religious perspectives, and Christian programming forms the majority and the cornerstone of our religion and ethical output.”

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Dual discrimination rules scrapped in Budget

Dual discrimination rules scrapped in Budget

Scrapping dual discrimination rules was among a raft of measures to cut red tape for business announced in the 2011 Budget by Chancellor George Osborne.

The rules were introduced by the Equality Act 2010 but remained on the statute book waiting to start on April 6.

Dual discrimination regulations would have let people who felt they had a discrimination case under two ‘protected characteristics’ to launch a combined claim. The characteristics include race, religion, belief, gender and sexual orientation.

Groups and charities working with minority individuals slammed the move.

Richard Hawkes, chief executive of disability charity Scope said: “This Budget won’t help the government to deliver on its commitment to support disabled people. It is undermining the Equality Act by delaying the dual discrimination clauses. This shows questionable support of disabled people in employment and in everyday life.

Businesses get a free pass from new rules

“The Equality Act is hugely important to disabled people and has already been through a rigorous process to become legislation. Why are we hitting the pause button yet again when it comes to giving disabled people the protection and confidence they need to contribute to society?”

Consultation has also opened on the best way to remove the “unworkable” Equality Act 2010 requirement calling on employers to prevent harassment of their staff by third parties.

The Chancellor claims deregulation will save businesses around £350 million as firms with 10 or less employees were given a three-year moratorium on complying with new rules.

Alongside the Budget rule changes, the government has also indicated that a review of European Union regulations and directives considered ‘burdensome’ is under way.

This includes looking at EU proposals to give 20 weeks maternity leave and two week’s paternity leave on full pay that is likely to cost UK businesses around £2 billion a year.

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Spending cuts spark equality act challenges

Spending cuts spark equality act challenges

Council spending cuts that impact on minority or disadvantaged groups may face diversity law challenges from special-interest groups.

Lawyers from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) have already demanded equality assessment papers from councillors in Stoke-on-Trent in a row over scrapping a £13,600 a year subsidy.

The money helps the RNIB run a door-to-door Talking Books scheme for 173 blind and partially-sighted people in the Staffordshire city.

The council decided to stop the subsidy last year and the cash runs out on March 31, 2011.

RNIB legal policy officer Paul Hackney has written to the council urging a rethink and pointing out the charity believes the council has breached the Equality Act by failing to consult people using the 18,000-title audio book service.

From April 1,2011 the blind and partially sighted will have to pay £82 a year for the service or make do with deliveries of a reduced selection of audio books from the city’s Homelink library service.

The RNIB’s letter says: “For many Talking Books subscribers, Homelink will be inadequate.

“The Homelink service does not allow people to choose their own books, it will not offer enough titles, the format and quality of the recording will cause difficulties and the service will be unable to cope with demand.

“The council has failed to consult service users before withdrawing the service. The individual contact made with affected individuals was not consultation but merely informed them of the decision.

“We believe that blind and partially sighted people forced to access the council’s library services through the Homelink service are being placed at a substantial disadvantage.
If blind and partially sighted people wish to access a library service which more closely approximates the service offered to sighted readers they will have to pay for it.”

A Stoke City Council spokesman said: “Financial pressures have affected our support for the RNIB’s Talking Books service, but this decision wasn’t taken lightly and the equality impact of the decision was considered.”

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May signposts public sector diversity audit u-turn

May signpost public sector diversity audit u-turn

Equalities Minister Theresa May has backtracked on proposals to audit public sector workers on personal issues like sexuality, disability and religion.

She has published a written statement in Parliament suggesting the plan to ask around 27,000 public sector organisations, including schools, police and councils is under revision.

Although she has not stated so outright, the £28.6 million cost of the audit in times of government austerity and cuts may have something to with her decision.

In the statement, May said: “We have considered the draft regulations further in the light of our policy objective of ensuring that public bodies consider equality when carrying out their functions without imposing unnecessary burdens and bureaucracy.

“As a result, we think there is room to do more to strip out unnecessary process requirements.”

A separate policy review explains public organisations will not have to publish details of any “engagement” or “equality analysis”’ reviews involved in drafting policy or equality objectives.

The revised proposals were due to become law on April 6, 2011 but are now subject to delay.
The Government Equalities Office (GEO) also announced that the commencement date for the new general equality duty for England, Scotland and Wales will be April 5, 2011.
“This revision of the specific duties may create a degree of uncertainty for public authorities,” said the Equality and Human rights Commission. “The commission previously set out its views on the previous draft regulations and we will review the new proposals before submitting our views to the GEO.

“We support the aim to reduce bureaucracy and we will need to examine the new proposals closely to make sure that they offer organisations certainty; without that certainty public bodies will simply replace bureaucratic procedures with legalistic overprotection to guard against every possible source of challenge.

“Our focus remains on providing public authorities with the information and guidance that they need to prepare for the new equality duty.”

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