Human resource plays a very important role in a success of any business. It is the responsibility of business companies to treat their workers efficiently by creating equal opportunities for all workers and recognizing people as individuals in the workplace to obtain the best performance. In order to meet any business objectives, organizations need to make the best use of the human resources by treating them equally. The purpose of this essay is to explain the importance and advantages for a business of developing and implementing equal opportunities in the workplace by discussing legal, financial and social point of view.
First of all, employers are bound both by the law and by the requirement to operate in a moral way in terms of their employment policies, which means not discriminating when recruiting, employing, or making staff redundant against people in terms of sex, race or disability. (Needham, 2004) There are several discrimination laws which should be obeyed.
Under the Equal Pay Acts 1970 and 1983 women and men are entitled to receive equal pay when doing the same or broadly similar work, work which is rated as equivalent work by a job evaluation scheme or work of equal value. (Adams, 2003)
Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 makes it unlawful to discriminate directly (to treat woman less favourably than man and including sexual harassment) or indirectly (to impose requirements or conditions which are detrimental to woman) in employment, education and training between men and women. It also includes victimisation, which ‘occurs when an employee is singled out for unfair treatment because he or she has attempted to exercise rights under the RRA, SDA or Equal Pay Act, or has helped others to enforce their rights.’ (Needham, 2004, pg ...