Equal Opportunities
The issue of equal opportunities is one which has developed to such an extent over the
years that it has now firmly arrived at the forefront of discussion. The nature of equal
opportunities is so broad that it affects almost every individual, from every background.
Two vast areas link equal opportunities to companies: human resource management and
employment law. This report intends, initially, to discuss the topic from both a human
resource and a legal perspective: determining how good practice in equal opportunities
through positive action is now fundamental to the running of a successful business. In
addition, equality problems at Atherton Publishers will be considered with a view to
advising the management of possible solutions.
Push v Shove
Arguably, human resources and law are at opposite ends of the spectrum: the former a
gentle incentive, the latter a harsh deterrent. This distinction is clearly illustrated in the
manner in which each side is labelled: equal opportunities evokes a positive impression,
whilst anti-discrimination law, for example, less so.
Human resource management takes a softer approach to equal opportunities and many
organisations have adopted initiatives into their working families. These include: equal
opportunities (EO) monitoring, having an EO policy, and fair selection training for
recruiters. (Kandola & Fullerton, 1998) It has become common practice for job application
forms to include a sheet apart of questions about the applicant ethnicity, gender and
religious background. This is an example of EO monitoring in practice. Whilst this is a
good idea in theory, this can, arguably, make it even easierfor more traditional
