Managing Diversity in UK and US Health Care Sector

Our earlier discussions on historical bases of discrimination and their cultural reinforcements demonstrate the complexity and intersectional nature of inequalities. Initiatives at the level of the organization cannot eliminate the societal nature of discrimination, since organizations are microcosms of the wider society in which we live. Organizations are nevertheless bound to play their part in challenging the inequities faced in organizational life and put in place strategies and practices to meet their legislative duties and to go beyond to ensure fair employment relations practices and workplace cultures. As such, to address intersectional disadvantage by race/ethnicity, sex, age, hierarchy (for example), a combination of measures are often adopted. Thus, in both the United Kingdom and the United States, legal mechanisms to combat racial and sexual discrimination and to monitor affirmative or positive action1 requirements are often combined with policy initiatives or programmes aimed at, in theory at least, promoting tolerance and respect within the workforce as well as enabling fairer work and career opportunities.