Original Thinking Lecture - Skill-underutilisation and discrimination in the labour market: Why it matters and what can be done about it?

Our Original Thinking Lecture series showcases some of the world-leading research from colleagues at Alliance MBS.

The people management case for workplace equality, diversity and inclusion is often made in terms of ethical or social responsibility reasons, or the benefits to the bottom line of a ‘business case.’ In this Original Thinking lecture, Anthony will examine evidence for an argument traversing both perspectives: That workplace discrimination leads to an under-utilisation of skill and human potential that can be harmful to the individual, society but also business performance and productivity.

Evidence will be presented from across 30 European countries showing that people who report workplace discrimination across a range of protected characteristics (sex, age, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexual orientation) are more likely to report having skills that they do not fully utilise in their job. For some, discrimination also appears to be linked to under-skilling or inadequate training. Potential explanations will also be discussed, with specific attention given to how discrimination may affect the quality of line manager relationships. Anthony will also consider implications for leadership and broader people management practice.

This event will be facilitated by Professor Jill Rubery, Executive Director of the Work and Equalities Institute at Alliance Manchester Business School