"We Are All Different": A Deep Dive into the Government's New Campaign for Workplace Diversity

Introduction

The new government campaign, “We Are All Different”, is a breath of fresh air in the era where inclusion and diversity are more than just buzzwords. The primary objective of this startup was to develop inclusive workplaces, with an aim of regarding and making use of differences that make us unique.

The Need for Diversity

Work environment must be diverse for any prosperous business because it provides divergent opinions, thus improving creativity, innovation and problem solving. Furthermore, fairness means impartiality regardless of one’s race, sex handicap or age which signifies that each person should have equal chances. As a result, “We Are All Different” campaign is urging firms to take diversity seriously and establish inclusive environments.

"We Are All Different": A Closer Look

At its heart, the campaign suggests that diversity is not just about representation; it goes further to say that these diversities must be celebrated in the work place culture (Oxford Dictionary). It simply means leading by example when creating inclusive workplaces, tackling bias and breaking down barriers among others.

Launched by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) arm of UK’s government in 2018, the “We Are All Different” campaign aims at promoting diversity and inclusion at workplaces while encouraging employers to create more diverse organisations.

Some aspects that form part of this campaign include:

• A website with information for employers as well as employees
• A toolkit that facilitates creation of inclusive working environments for employers
• Several clips which talk about why it is important to embrace diversity within this scope
• Social media initiative meant to promote awareness concerning this campaign.

While some quarters have hailed the positive message contained in its approach towards establishing a wider base approval for increasing diversity in society, others have criticised it for being too vague. Similarly there are people who argue that it does not provide enough useful guidance/detailing on how companies can best achieve their objectives due to being overly generalised “Equality and Human Rights Commission”.

Overall, “We Are All Different” approach is a positive move towards endorsing diversity in the workplace. The impact of this campaign remains to be seen on whether it will achieve the intended targets.

The following are some examples of the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace:

• Increased innovation: Diverse teams come up with new ideas and solutions more often
• Improved problem-solving: Because they bring different perspectives and experiences, diverse teams tend to be better at solving problems.
• Increased creativity: Teams with diversified team members can think outside the box.
• Improved employee morale:  Keeping all workers happy and productive should lead to feeling included and valued 
• Increased customer satisfaction: Companies which promote equality and embrace diversity are likely to have higher numbers of consumers

The Role of Employers

A significant role of employers is in the creation of inclusive workplaces. Policies that encourage diversity, inclusion and equity can be formulated by them. Employers may have a diversified workforce for productivity and growth through giving priority to diversity in their recruitment as well as retention strategies. The “We Are All Different” campaign seeks employers to move in this direction, understanding the benefits of having different persons within their organisations.

Below are some things you, an employer can do if you fall into this category.

• Start by assessing your current workplace culture. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Where there are opportunities for development?
• Set clear goals for diversity and inclusion. Why do you want to have them? And how will you judge your progress?
• Create a diversity and inclusion plan. What should such plan entail? How will it be implemented?
• Provide training to your employees on diversity and inclusion. This training should help employees understand the importance of diversity in an organisation as well as develop an inclusive working environment.
• Be visible and vocal about your commitment to diversity and inclusion. Make it known that your workers understand this better than anyone else does.

Therefore, by doing these, all parties concerned will benefit from having a more encompassing office setting.

A Step Towards Policy Change

On a broad scale, the “We Are All Different” campaign of the government demonstrates that a change in policy towards inclusivity and diversity has occurred. It shows how important this topic is on a national level; maybe even signaling the beginning of comprehensive legislation concerning workplace diversity.

The Bigger Picture

Beyond workplaces or offices only, “We Are All Different” campaign wants to change people’s perception towards different races. This implies that every individual comes with his or her own set of skills; background information and viewpoints which add up to make each person unique on his or her own terms. This means building societies where these differences aren’t tolerated but rather celebrated.

In Conclusion

Furthermore, launching of the “We Are All Different” campaign marks the critical milestone towards more diverse and inclusive UK workplaces. It’s an invitation to employers, employees and society at large to embrace diversity and appreciate its enormous worth. As such, we can use this campaign as a chance to redefine our workplaces, acknowledging differences, so that everybody feels part of it.

In this diversity, we find our strength—and that is a message worth spreading.