Equality Advice Centre 

 Challenging Perceptions  

Introduction

The demographics in Britain are rapidly changing. It is become a more racially and ethnically diverse society, with increasing number of citizens over the age of 50, more women entering the labour market and changes to the traditional family structure.

Stereotyping is having fixed views and expectations of other people and can limit the opportunities and choices that people have. The stereotyping of people based upon their race, gender, disability, age and other factors is negative and creates barriers.

By challenging these perceptions within the workplace, a company will widen their choice of people to recruit and / or retain.

Key factors

The UK is increasingly becoming a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and diverse country. The following provides a case for challenging perceptions or stereotyping for different groups:

Diversity of cultures counts for a lot in a world where national borders are becoming increasingly irrelevant. The ability to speak several languages and to communicate across and between cultures is one of the most highly prized skills today.

There are 8.5 million disabled people in Britain - one in seven of the population. They have a spending power of around £40 billion each year. Stereotyping and assumptions about whether disabled people can or cannot work, and about the kinds of work different disabled people can do. These are forms of discrimination, which some disabled people have internalised.

Younger employees may find themselves patronised by or treated with less respect than employees who are older and therefore perceived as having more experience.

Similarly, older workers may find themselves passed over for training or development opportunities, perceived as just working out their time before retirement with no real effort to grow or develop. Both young and older workers may find they face obstacles to recruitment as a result of their age, and both may also feel vulnerable in terms of redundancy decisions and being passed over for promotion.

Therefore, it is essential that any negative perceptions that may exist in the workplace be challenged.

Benefits of challenging perceptions

• Being involved with local communities raises awareness of the organisation and its products and services.
• Eliminating barriers that tend to alienate people on the basis of their differences leads to maximising corporate and organisational productivity, profitability and access to new markets.
• Elimination of discrimination in the workplace and consequently reducing the risk of paying hefty fines/damages in court.

Problems that should be tackled

• Racist and sexist language in the workplace
• Unprofessional behaviour in the workplace
• Harassment, discrimination and oppressive work environment (links to harassment and bullying)
• Set ideas about what women and other disadvantaged groups can contribute in the workplace

Examples of good practice

• All staff receives training on how people from varied backgrounds have contributed, and is still contributing to Britain's cultural, social and economic well being.
• Staff are aware of the existing and incoming legislation related to discrimination in the workplace.
• Staff responsible for shortlisting, interviewing and selecting candidates are given guidance on the effects which generalised assumptions and prejudices about race, gender and disability can have on selection decisions.
• Use of same questions and standardised marking for all job applicants
• Shortlisting and interviewing is not done by one person alone but is checked at a more senior level.