A report commissioned by the Equal Opportunities Commission has stated that 30,000 women are sacked, made redundant, or forced out of their job every year due to pregnancy.
Unfortunately, the effects of such cases of discrimination reach far beyond the individual involved. Anna Shuttleworth, Director of Training for Right Corecare, part of the Right Management Consultancy Group, believes that dismissals due to pregnancy can have an impact that spreads across the whole organisation and creates a culture of mistrust and fear.
When anybody is unfairly dismissed or discriminated against, it can create a culture of fear in the workforce, where employees are afraid to admit that they are not coping or might need time off, in case they are managed out of the business.
With more and more HR responsibilities being passed on to line managers, organisations must ensure that employees know the law, and provide the right training to deal with potentially sensitive topics. Moreover, transparency is vital when it comes to dealing with difficult issues. Ultimately, people vote with their feet, and workforces value open and honest (albeit difficult) conversations, rather than being kept in the dark.
Work life balance is one of the new millenniumís hot topics and many companies purport to be committed to flexibility, diversity and working smarter. This report seems to suggest otherwise. Employers need to remember that their decisions are watched and that negative cultures can quickly become embedded. Business reputation is at stake.
Pregnancy discrimination affects all
A report commissioned by the Equal Opportunities Commission has stated that 30,000 women are sacked, made redundant, or forced out of their job every year due to pregnancy
