Graduate employers and equal opportunities
Find out why graduate employers care about equal opportunities and diversity, what they are doing to prove it and what it means for you.
Achieving diversity in the workplace is a key issue for employers and following on from the introduction of legislation concerning age discrimination, the spotlight remains firmly on employers to prove that they are actively doing everything they can to not only attract and recruit graduates from all backgrounds, but to retain them as well.
The terms ‘equal opportunities’ and ‘diversity’ can be used interchangeably but some employers also refer to this issue as ‘inclusion’. Whatever you call it, the topics are the same. Equal opportunities is an ever-expanding term that might appear to cover specific groups in society but it could also be relevant for anyone at some point in their life.
Why do graduate employers care about diversity?
Thankfully, most employers recognise the benefits of promoting diversity in their organisations. Aside from the moral argument against discrimination, there is a strong business case for striving to recruit a workforce that reflects the society it operates in and the clients and customers that it serves. A positive message about equal opportunities from the top of an organisation can also help to make the whole workforce more aware of and sensitive towards the issues, and in turn their colleagues and clients.
What employers do to prove their commitment to equal opportunities
More recruiters are becoming proactive in offering equal opportunities to all of the graduates that apply to them. Recruiters are also keen to support initiatives such as TARGETchances, which organises events designed to help employers in a range of business sectors reach under-represented groups. To date, over 3,000 ethnic minority, female and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students have already benefited from these intensive real-life tasters of working life in many different business and industry sectors.
What diversity means for you
Looking at how seriously an organisation takes diversity is an important part of your job-hunt. A diverse workplace can be a motivating factor and generally makes for a happy, productive and creative employee. And the good news is that finding employers in a variety of sectors who take diversity seriously is becoming easier and easier if you’re prepared to do your research.
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Equal opportunities in the professions
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