Equality and Diversity in the Workplace

Equality, according to Gosepath (2007), connotes the connection amid a group of diverse individuals, entities, procedures or situations that have equal value in at least one respect, but not all respects. Equality is another term for equal opportunities. This is founded on the lawful responsibility to respect anti-discrimination laws giving protection to the people from marginal people, in this case, the people with disabilities.

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Other hand, diversity is derived from a management term “managing diversity”.

This term is used to describe management practices wherein valuing the diversity of each individual employee to maximize quality output is its aim.

It encompasses visible as well as non-visible individual differences (Sheard, A. , 2007a). Hence, this paper assesses equality and diversity in the workplace by increasing opportunities for people with disabilities which have been found to be particularly interesting. Current Employment Status of People with Disabilities

Most of the working environments are not designed for people with disabilities s. Majority of the buildings as well as transport systems are currently inaccessible to people with disabilities. There are some which are accessible but with certain limitations. Roads without accessible pedestrian facilities provide limited opportunities to be engaged in employment, and even basic privileges and enjoyment of daily activities. New or altered facilities must provide access for all pedestrians.

Most often than not, these people with disabilities finds difficulty accessing these infrastructures. Some housing facilities do not provide adaptable accommodation. Some may provide the necessary amenities. However, these are very few and usually expensive. For many years, disability has been addressed through social compensation, via charity and the improvement of services for them.

However, such responses, most often than not, contributed more on the issue of exclusion and under-participation (A New European Community Disability Strategy, 1996).

The traditional approaches are slowly giving way to a stronger emphasis on identifying and removing the various barriers to equal opportunities and full participation in all aspects of life (Dickens, 1999). Responsibility for eliminating exclusion and discrimination based on disability lies primarily with the government. Several innovative approaches are already being implemented in several countries, in different ways and at different speeds (Camelo-Ordaz, et al. 2005).