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This page was last updated on 13 April 2005
The following is a ten point plan to help employers promote equality of opportunity in their organisations. These are guidance points only, and we strongly advise employers to seek further details about each of the areas listed below.
1. Develop an equal opportunities policy, covering recruitment, promotion and training.
Note: Under the amended Race Relations Act, public authorities must publish a race equality scheme or policy — this may form part of their equal opportunities policy.
2. Set an action plan, with targets, so that you and your staff have a clear idea of what can be achieved and by when.
3. Provide training for all people, including managers, throughout your organisation, to ensure they understand the importance of equal opportunities. Provide additional training for staff who recruit, select and train your employees.
4. Assess the present position to establish your starting point, and monitor progress in achieving your objectives.
5. Review recruitment, selection, promotion and training procedures regularly, to ensure that you are delivering on your policy.
6. Draw up clear and justifiable job criteria, which are demonstrably objective and job-related.
7. Offer pre-employment training, where appropriate, to prepare potential job applicants for selection tests and interviews; you should also consider positive action training to help ethnic minority employees to apply for jobs in areas where they are underrepresented.
8. Consider your organisation's image: do you encourage applications from underrepresented groups and feature women, ethnic minority staff and people with disabilities in recruitment literature, or could you be seen as an employer who is indifferent to these groups?
9. Consider flexible working, career breaks, providing childcare facilities, and so on, to help women in particular meet domestic responsibilities and pursue their occupations; and consider providing special equipment and assistance to help people with disabilities.
10. Develop links with local community groups, organisations and schools, in order to reach a wider pool of potential applicants.
