Highlights from last week: how flexible working can be an investment – a case study, can gender segregation at events be in contradiction with equality and diversity policies, Dr Atul Shah (an LSE alum) discusses the importance of diversity in businesses, Fifa appoints first woman on its executive committee, and what it’s like to be the world’s only trans MP.
While institutions may have qualms about the practical implementation and implications of flexible working, it is increasingly being seen as the future of work. A case study of Solihull Metropolitan borough council demonstrates how flexible working can be used in cost reduction and as an investment. To reduce their office space by 30%, the council has introduced practices such as ‘Bring your own device’ (BYOD) and ‘Your own device at home’ (YODAH), in addition to working from home and hot desking. Steve Halliday, head of IT, Solihull Metropolitan borough council, writes: “When we launched a ‘bring your own device’ scheme we were concerned that it would create an increase demand in reactive IT support. So far this has not been the case.”
A few weeks ago, Leicester University was in the news for investigating gender segregated seating at a public event held by its student Islamic society*. The incident raised the issue of whether gender segregation at events may clash with equality and diversity policies at universities. While some students may feel distressed by being forced to sit with people of their own gender, others may be in favour of such segregation. Voluntary segregation comes up as a solution. However, as a student points out, it may be difficult for students to go against the flow: “If you don’t want to be segregated, there’s social pressure.”
Last week, Forbes magazine featured an interview with Dr Atul Shah, an LSE alumnus, on diverse ethics. In the interview, Dr Shah discusses the importance of valuing and learning from diversity in businesses.
Fifa has elected Lydia Nsekera as the first woman on Fifa’s executive committee. Nsekera said: “I will inspire women to believe they can lead and I will support women in member associations.”
And finally, an interview with Poland’s Anna Grodzka, Europe’s first, and currently the world’s only, transsexual MP. Anna Grodzka recently spoke in London on the occasion of International Day Against Transphobia and Homophobia (IDAHO).
Did we miss something? Write to us – Equality.and.Diversity@lse.ac.uk.
*Correction: The post originally stated “A few weeks ago, Leicester University was in the news for enforcing gender segregated seating at a public event at the university.” Please note that Leicester University does not enforce seating – people are free to choose where they wish to sit. The article being referred to here is about gender segregated seating at a public lecture organised at Leicester University by its student Islamic society.
