Almost half of staff do not feel valued or recognised in the workplace. A YouGov Omnibus poll (13th September 2014) revealed that 45% of GB employees surveyed do not feel valued by their employer. This figure rises to 49% of those aged 45-54.
Since the Equality Act 2010, we have seen employers taking more action to develop inclusive workplaces, but as this poll indicates, there is still more to do.
NATIONAL INCLUSION WEEK (OCT 6th-10th 2014) is a UK-wide campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of inclusion, to help employers avoid the pitfalls of discrimination and enable employees to reach their full potential.
The week provides employers with an opportunity to engage with inclusion in the workplace through a range of creative events and activities.
Being an Inclusive Employer is a commitment to creating an environment where all staff can come to work, be themselves and be the best they can be.
Derek McManus, Telefónica UK’s COO and board diversity lead, commented:
“National Inclusion Week is an important opportunity for employers to take stock of the working environment they provide for their people and consider ways to create a more supportive, encouraging and, ultimately, productive workplace.
“The fact that nearly half of employees don’t feel valued at work is a major concern – and something that all companies should address. At Telefónica, our internal networks, mentoring schemes and deep-rooted flexible working culture all help to create a strong support system for our employees and it’s incredibly important to us that our people feel valued as individuals when they come to work. This isn’t just morally right, but makes complete business sense, helping us to get the best out of our people while continuing to attract the very best talent.”
The same YouGov poll also reveals that 57% of staff do not feel that their employer recognises their full potential.
Richard McKenna, Director, Inclusive Employers commented:
“If staff do not feel that their potential is recognised, employers risk losing them, incurring more costs recruiting and training their replacement or a reduction in performance.
National Inclusion Week can be a springboard to exploring the talents of staff, empowering them to use their skills, interests and individuality to enhance the business and develop new ideas and initiatives that commercially enhance the business. This creates a work place where staff feel a greater sense of value and satisfaction”.
Donna Miller, European HR Director for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, said:
“At Enterprise, we strive to ensure our workplace is inclusive for all and measure our strength on the diversity of our workforce. It is important to us to know that our employees feel valued and respected and in turn, we know that our customers will feel the same when they interact with us.
Participating in National Inclusion Week allows us to highlight the work we do throughout the year in all areas of our business from recruitment through to supplier diversity. It also offers us the opportunity to discuss important issues to our workforce and ensure we stay on track for our diversity goals.”
National Inclusion Week will be launched at Leeds City Council on Monday the 6th October.
Councillor Keith Wakefield, leader of Leeds City Council said:
“It is great to be able to launch National Inclusion Week in Leeds.
Inclusion is a real priority for the council, and a matter which we take very seriously and are committed to promoting across our workforce.”
Over 50 UK employers have already signed up for National Inclusion Week 2014 including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, South West Trains, Telefonica, Circle Housing, Strudel, The House of Commons and Leeds City Council.
Kaynak : 