6 August 2012

Employers ‘failing to advise staff’ on discrimination issues

Employers are failing to provide advice to staff on dealing with issues of discrimination in the workplace, a new report has suggested.

The research suggests that two thirds of employees have not been given advice on how to deal with sexism in the workplace, while more than half have been left in the dark over issues relating to racism at work.

Furthermore, 70% of employees were unaware of the official workplace procedure for dealing with unwanted advances from colleagues.

Employers are being advised to ensure that they communicate their procedures to their staff, with experts warning that failing to provide appropriate support can lead to an increase in sickness absence, and in some cases could spark legal action against the employer.

More than 50% of employees who took part in the study revealed that they have taken sick leave in order to avoid problems relating to their colleagues or their workload, while 10% have taken sick leave as a direct result of perceived bullying at work.

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