The Chair’s thoughts
from Women and the Church:
What we might learn from the business world about equality and diversity.
We often hear from the Bishops and those at the centre of the Church of England, that we have much to learn from the business world. Many of us have questions about some of these assumptions. But there is, I think, one area where I would like the Church of England to learn from the world of business and that is equality. In the world of work beyond the church, organisations and businesses are learning to take seriously their public sector equality duties outlined in the 2010 Equality Act. Some are better at this than others. But, those who have taken this seriously have good news to tell and advice which we could learn from.
One of the things they would say is that if you want a diverse workforce, then you need to really listen to those who are under-represented and make changes. These changes need to happen in recruitment; the language of adverts and the way people are interviewed. They need to happen in senior appointments in similar ways. Appointment panels need to be balanced, so that those applying can perform at their best. If the systems for recruiting and promoting people are left unchanged, then the likelihood is, the same type of people will keep being appointed. Many organisations take seriously the reality of implicit bias. We cannot eradicate the assumptions and stereotypes people bring but we can help people question them, challenge them and make adjustments because of them.
Organisations have realised that those who take time out on maternity leave may well need support when they return. They have learnt that child care is not only a female responsibility and flexible arrangements for parents benefit men and women, as well as their children. They have also learnt that Tom is happier if he can openly acknowledge that he shares his life with Colin. Above all they are learning that diverse work places, in which people feel respected and judged on how they do the job rather than on their gender, sexuality, ethnicity or religion, are good and productive places for all to work. It takes time and it takes focused effort. Simply saying women are welcome, or that we don’t discriminate, or that this is a place friendly to minorities is not enough. The structures need to change to make such statements reality.
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