Lawyer Monthly Magazine August 2020 Edition

flexible working and home working where possible. Keep a “team” mindset, especially where there is a mixture of home working, furloughed and office-based staff, so that people don’t feel further isolated, and have more opportunities to talk to different people about their different concerns. How should complaints of discrimination be reported when remote working is in place? How can workplaces ensure the same level of trust and support is on the table? Employers should communicate their current reporting requirements, which are ordinarily set out in their own policies and procedures within their staff handbook. This may not have changed, as often the reporting is done via email, but mindful of furlough and redundancies during lockdown the person they report to may have changed. Employers should firstly review their internal policies and then communicate to all staff. It should be made clear what the reporting requirements are and should reiterate that all complaints will be dealt with confidentially and taken seriously. Do you think COVID-19 will have a negative impact regarding diversity in the workplace? I sincerely hope it will not for many organisations, as we are seeing a real sense of community and everyone working together with diversity and inclusion at the top of the agenda and employers really looking after the mental health of their workforce. In my view, childcare issues are more obvious now and as a result, many organisations should recognise the importance of flexibility which means that working parents will benefit. At Thrive we have always had a flexible and home working culture but for many organisations, this was a taboo topic and often outright rejected, as those working from home were seen as not pulling their weight. This stigma will soon dissipate and we will certainly see a shift in this mindset, as both employees and employers have evidence that it can work effectively. Moreover, younger and more junior employees have shown that they can be trusted to work from home without needing constant supervision. As we know, disabled people are likely to have more opportunities if there is more flexibility around where and when they work; embracing flexibility in the future will inevitably assist in creating and retaining a diverse workforce. BLM has brought race discrimination to the forefront for many businesses too, which I hope will have a positive impact on how they address racial inequalities and discrimination at work. However, those who struggle with technology may have been highlighted, so there could be some issues with age or disability discrimination and people feeling they are being left behind. Redundancies are inevitable too, as flexible furlough comes to an end in October, employers will be considering who they need and what their new structures will look like. Redundancies are likely to indirectly impact on working parents, those with disabilities and generally impact on those who are most vulnerable in society. Why is diversity in the workplace important? Workplaces should reflect society. People with different backgrounds, cultures and experiences have different contributions which ultimately makes whatever product/service is being provided an improvement, as it is more accessible and relatable to the general public. Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is a win-win situation. Your employees feel more engaged, creative and valued; as a result, they make better decisions and naturally become better at problem- solving. Employers will also have a competitive advantage to attract and retain top talent. In turn, this translates to increased profits, higher employee engagement, reduced employee turnover, it improves your company’s reputation and makes your workplace a happy place to be. WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM | AUG 2020 26 AN INTERVIEW WITH JODIE HILL Jodie Hill Jodie Hill originally trained as a barrister and cross-qualified to a solicitor. Following her own men- tal breakdown in 2017, she set up Thrive Law in 2018 in order to ensure everyone can Thrive in the workplace. Thrive is now multi award winning, after being recognised for their commitment to diversity and inclusion and social mobility. Jodie is an advo- cate for mental health and has pushed the #OneMind campaign to ensure mental health risk as- sessments are mandatory in all workplaces. Jodie continues to disrupt the Employment Law and mental health sector with her thought leadership and strives for social change. She recently appeared on BBC Look North, ITV news, BBC5 live, the Guard- ian, the Times and the Yorkshire Post, to name a few, as an expert in this area. www.thrivelaw.co.uk “ Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is a win-win situation. Your employees feel more engaged, creative and valued. ”