Human resources departments need to review HR policies in order to be ready for the way the population in the UK is likely to change within the following 15 years. This is following research that was published earlier in 2010 which warns of the problems that could ensue for employers trying to meet with equal opportunities employment law.
Race to the Future is a report that has been carried out by Race for Opportunity which looks at the way employers can make work opportunities more accessible to black, Asian and minority ethic (BAME) people and lists several suggestions that could be implemented to improve the situation. The report is supported by research that was revealed by the University of Leeds in June 2010 which illustrates how the face of the UK population will change dramatically in the future, and by 2051 one fifth of British people will originate from an ethnic minority.
The level of the population from a minority background in 2000 was 7.3 per cent which rose to 10.3 per cent in 2007. However, looking at the same period employment levels were much level for minority groups. The report has highlighted that if things don’t progress then employers will not succeed in providing all groups jobs. This could lead to high levels of poverty in these groups of people and will create a massive employment gap.
It is recommended that employers put their human resources focus on recruitment and look at the biggest candidate pool possible to attract more of the BAME audience. It also looks at the role mentors play in inspiring new businesses and start ups. Race for Opportunity has also set up an online assessment tool which allows people to calculate their level of bias towards different minority groups.