Our approach was proactive, highlighting good practice in the sector and elsewhere.
Our design phase included 1:1 telephone calls with a staff sample to understand roles and challenges, and a review of existing policies and materials. The resulting workshop – ‘Better Decision-Making for Better Outcomes’ – began by introducing the business case for effective diversity management in the public sector. Our trainers then showcased best practice examples from other organisations in the police and emergency services, and from other sectors nationwide.
All case studies factored in the appropriate equalities legislation, including the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duties.
We then turned to proactive ways of reducing the potential impact of unconscious bias, particularly in key areas of decision-making:
- Recruitment and selection
- Rotas
- Learning and development
- Career progression and ‘acting up’ opportunities
- Performance management
- The use of managerial discretion.
The workshop closed with an action-planning session to embed the learning and inform future Metropolitan Police strategies.
