In the build up to the World Cup there has been as much coverage of the issues going on around the tournament as there has about the football itself. Working conditions for stadium construction staff have come under the microscope following a tragically high number of deaths and the host country’s stance on human rights and equality has been questioned ever since they were awarded the tournament back in 2010.
Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and in certain circumstances is punishable by death. With a diverse mix of fans, players, broadcasters and officials arriving in Qatar pressure has been mounting on FIFA, the tournament’s organising body, to ensure the safety of the LGBTQ+ community although progress has been described as “slow”.
A number of protests have already been made in an attempt to highlight the issues and promote a greater understanding and acceptance of diversity and inclusion in Qatar ahead of the start of the tournament. The Australian team have released a video which is effectively a collective statement criticising Qatar’s record on human rights and Denmark’s kit manufacturer Hummel have produced a strip on which its logo is toned down saying, “we don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives”, and, “we believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn’t, we want to make a statement”. A number of countries also intended for their captains to wear a One Love campaign armband but due to the threat of “sporting sanctions” from FIFA, England among others decided not to follow through with this. Fans have also made their own protests and some Wales fans were stopped from entering the stadium for their game against the USA because they were wearing rainbow bucket hats.
The World Cup itself should be a festival of diversity bringing teams and fans together from across the globe. As an employer the tournament presents to you the chance to talk about diversity, equality and inclusion in a way that might engage staff more than a typical training event. Your workforce might include staff from a range of countries, if their national team is taking part then use that as an opportunity to bring people together to learn about the country and its culture, sample traditional food and for the day become an honourary supporter of that country if you can allow people to watch the game together. It is important to understand and recognise the value of a diverse workforce and ensure that staff are not discriminated against. Diversity comes in lots of different forms and some staff may not feel comfortable talking about things openly. Employers can demonstrate through their policies and their culture that everyone is welcome and if possible should try and give staff who may want to talk about their own circumstances opportunities to do so. This can be facilitated by having workplace buddies, staff groups or simply informal ways for people to talk to whoever they feel comfortable with.
Discrimination can take various forms and sadly employees can feel bullied and harassed if they are seen as different. Employers have a duty to ensure that this doesn’t happen and should have the following in place:
- A positive, inclusive culture where any form of discrimination is not tolerated and you have robust policies and procedures in place to back this up.
- Complaints should be taken seriously and offensive comments should not be dismissed as just being “banter”.
- Staff training, ensure that all your team are aware of their responsibilities and what behaviour is inappropriate and unacceptable.
- Support, employees should know who to speak to about any issues with colleagues or if they are experiencing personal issues or challenges you should offer support mechanisms to try and make things better for them.
Ultimately, your workplace should be an environment in which everyone feels like they are treated with dignity and respect regardless of any personal characteristic and where they are free to thrive and be themselves. Events like the World Cup are a great way to unite people, to start conversations, to learn more about each other and to celebrate our rich diversity.
Do you have questions about diversity, equality and inclusion?
Give us a call at CUBE HR on 01282 678321, we’ll be happy to advise you and we have policies and templates available to meet every HR need.
Why not check out another of our World Cup themed blogs, Workplace Banter
We also have a YouTube channel with loads of handy videos.
