6 Ways to reduce stress in the workplace
July 30 2018
Read moreAs an employer, you have a duty of care to protect your staff from all types of discrimination. This includes sex discrimination.
There are steps you can take to eradicate this kind of discrimination in the workplace. We'll cover these steps later on.
This guide will cover what sex discrimination is, including the four different types. We’ll look at examples and effects of sex discrimination in the workplace too.
Sex discrimination means treating someone differently because of their sex or their lack of sexual identity, i.e., non-binary individuals.
The different treatment doesn’t have to be intentional. It could be a one-off action, or it could be the result of a workplace policy.
There are discrimination laws that prevent different treatment because of certain characteristics. The Equality Act (2010) protects people from different types of discrimination.
The nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act (2010) include:
Under the Equality Act (2010) sex discrimination is unlawful. Claims of discrimination in the workplace can lead to costly fines and employment tribunals. So employers must take steps to stop it from occurring.
The Equality Act (2010) makes it illegal to discriminate because:
Under the Equality Act (2010), sex can refer to either male or female. It can also refer to a group of people like men, women, boys, or girls.
There are four types of sex discrimination. They include:
Employers must consider all types of sex discrimination in the workplace.
There are certain instances where it may be lawful for employers to discriminate due to sex. These instances include:
Sex discrimination in the workplace can occur in many different forms. The following examples should help you to understand it better.
Sex, or gender discrimination can seriously affect an employee’s mental health. Discrimination can leave employees feeling isolated, anxious, and victimised at work. It can impair an employee's ability to carry out daily tasks and knock their confidence with colleagues.
It can also stunt professional development. In the long-term, it could see good employees leave and lead to an increase in absenteeism.
Employees who raise discrimination claims can take the case to an employment tribunal if the issue isn't investigated. This can damage your organisation's reputation. You may even incur costly fines and see staff turnover rocket sky high.
Health Assured offers expert advice on dealing with discrimination issues in the workplace. Our confidential whistleblowing support allows employees to confidently raise claims and feel supported throughout.
Our Employee Assistance Programme helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our multi-lingual, fully trained counsellors are ready to help.
Want to find out more? Book a free consultation with one of our wellbeing consultants for help with all forms of discrimination. Call 0844 891 0353
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