Life is full of worrying things….they get under your skin…….did I remember to put the milk back in the fridge as your half way up the M6 on a weekend break…and will it have evolved into a new independent life form when I get back?
But perhaps the most worrying of all is when you find yourself nodding in agreement with a politician. I can hear the screaming from here…but yes….sometimes they do say things that make sense. What’s worrying is that it has taken so long.
Theresa May made a speech recently on Equality before a select audience. Speaking at the Coin Street Community Centre she announced that there was a change in direction; that these “new” plans would reject political correctness and social engineering. That the government would no longer dictate how people should behave but instead put in place an architecture to support business and wider society to do the right thing.
Now your life is always full of moments when you end up looking a bit like a goldfish….but be fair…no one really expects common sense from a politician. Unfortunately, to me at least, this does make sense. It is what we all have known for a long time; equality is not a box ticking exercise. Nor is legislation the panacea for everything – it can certainly act as a catalyst but it cannot dictate behaviour – it just makes some of it illegal.
So where does this new plan take us. Well it means treating equality as something more than complying with the law or some abstract single issue. It involves understanding the issues in a holistic way; it’s not about just saying the words or ticking a few boxes it’s about taking positive measures to promote equality….. and I am afraid that change of course, or new plan, is to be welcomed. People are not problems, but you do have to try and understand them as they are your workforce and your customers. Understanding how you treat them, how you can better engage with them and why you should become more inclusive in your approach is how you best tackle discrimination and change behaviour…not by a tick box.
It’s nothing to be frightened of….after all it just makes sense
Jock Chalmers, Pathway Manager, UKCAE
Jock Chalmers has a public sector background spanning some 30 years with over 10 years experience of setting up and managing non-departmental public bodies. Jock has also worked closely with outsourcing and property management and development sectors. Jock is passionate about inclusion and has developed the approach that bottom-up learning, together with management focus and leadership can deliver equality in the workplace.
Jock's expertise lies in understanding management processes, change management programmes and business process re-alignment.
As the Pathway Manager of UK Council for Access and Equality (“UKCAE”), Jock has led the team that has successfully formulated the UKCAE Pathway which helps any organisation embed inclusion into the workplace. The straightforward and practical approach of the UKCAE Pathway provides many benefits to the public, providers and politicians looking for useful and practical ways to support equality. It is because of these benefits that Jock is proud to be the Pathway Manager and will be delighted to hear from you about how UKCAE can help achieve demonstrable success in this important area.