Managing Diversity in the NHS
Investors in Diversity (IiD) is a national standard designed to encourage organisations to become more inclusive and create an environment where individuals know that they can contribute to the organisation and so unlock better performance.
Studies have found that organsations who embed diversity across their operations are better placed to attract and retain the best talent from the broadest pool of applicants. IiD will prove that you are a good employer and improve customer service levels.
Effectively embracing diversity and turning ‘obligation into opportunity’ will minimise any risk of falling foul of equality legislation and the increasing case law and legal precedents relating to discrimination in the workplace.
Experiencing and achieving IiD will result in a range of fundamental mindset changes for your employees including:
- A benchmark against good practices,
- Motivated and enabled staff who feel respected and valued Higher levels of innovation and creativity leading to greater job satisfaction
- Employees will gain new inclusive skills and operate more professionally
- Enhanced career development and job prospects
- Improved performance and self awareness at both an individual at team level
Embracing diversity within your organisation will add huge value when dealing with diverse customers and the IiD Standard can work alongside and complement other initiatives such as the NHS ‘Breaking Through’ programme.
Achieving the Standard
Together with an accredited practitioner, you work through an action plan that is developed as a result of an initial 360 degree equality and diversity performance assessment. This assessment of your organisational performance is used as the baseline on which you develop your action plan to identify gaps, weaknesses and, most importantly, the strengths within your current culture and operating practices. The IiD process encourages a shared approach and complete buy-in from across your organisation. The advisor will support you in getting ready for assessment and a final 360 degree consultation will create the evidence to demonstrate impact and improvement in relation to the diversity performance of your organisation.