FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Faqs) s5

Opportunity Now Race for Opportunity

Diversity Benchmarks 2013

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Contents

1 | P a g e Why can’t I see any of the questions? You have to answer the very first question in the “Qualifying questions” section. This is about which protected characters are covered in your submission (Gender, Race or both). Once you’ve answered this, the relevant questions will appear

Some of my written answers from last year are not being imported when I try and copy them from my submission. This happens when your written answer from last year was greater than the new word limits we have set for this year. You can get around this by generating a PDF of your 2012 submission (which should be visible in your archive). You can then copy and paste any old answers into a word document before editing them down to an appropriate word count. We also have an excel spreadsheet of all narrative answers from 2012 – you can request that we send you a specific answer.

I can see multiple copies of the same survey – what happened? The most likely explanation is that you started a new survey and then clicked the back button to go to the portal page and then clicked “start new survey” again. We can delete your mistakenly started surveys. Please get in touch. But in the mean time – please logout and then login again: and then start to work on the top most survey.

I’ve completed a question but it isn’t shown as been completed in the survey overview page (indicated by a green tick). This is quirk of the system which is something we are investigating. For now, please don’t worry: if you know that you have completed a question then that is fine.

We don’t monitor very much, will that be a problem? There is no minimum number of questions that must be answered in the Impacts section. We understanding that monitoring varies a lot between organisations – and this is the first year we’ve asked such detailed monitoring questions so the scoring system will reflect this. Please try and answer what you can and then use the results of the benchmarks to argue your case for investment in measuring and monitoring systems.

How does it work with having multiple log ins? Would each of my colleagues that are helping me complete this need to set themselves up with a username and password? We allow multiple colleagues from a single organisation to create their own unique usernames and passwords to the diversity benchmark survey platform. You can allow your colleagues to create their own usernames and passwords by directing them to the sign-up page. You can also just share your username and password with them if you prefer.

If more than one person is logged in at once will information be saved correctly? In terms of two people working on the surveys at the same time – whether you are sharing the same username and password, or using separate ones is irrelevant - if two people tried to save answers to the same question at the same time then whomever clicked “confirm and next” last would overwrite the other person’s answer. Therefore, work on the survey at the same time – just not the exact same question.

Will anyone else know my results? Details of your results will remain confidential to RfO/ON and the people within your organisation who completed the survey and those you specified as being responsible for receiving feedback. Any requests for information from anyone else within your organisation will be referred by us to our senior diversity contact.

Who marks the survey? The initial results are automatically generated by a software programme and an independent assessor then double checks those results. There is then additional input from this trained and carefully selected assessment team.

What if I can only send my evidence as hard copy (paper)? We have limited the amount of evidence asked for to just four questions. Any evidence we do ask for, we request in soft copy format. If you do not have soft copy forms to upload or are prevented from doing so by your IT policy, then we will accept hard copies. Please send any evidence in an envelope marked ‘Confidential’ to Race for

2 | P a g e Opportunity/Opportunity Now (delete as applicable), Business in the Community, 137 Shepherdess Walk, London, N1 7RQ.

If I'm not sure how to answer a question or worried that I am not completing the survey correctly what should I do? Contact your Account Manager, or a member of the Race For Opportunity/ Opportunity Now team on 0207 566 8731, or e-mail [email protected] We will identify someone who can answer your questions immediately or help you to work through the survey.

What if I don't feel I can fully complete all of the survey.... You should not complete the survey alone, ask colleagues working within the relevant areas in your organisation, e.g. CSR, employee volunteering, marketing, community activity and procurement personnel to help you to complete the sections relevant to their team or department. You should get the assistance of your employee networks in this process.

What if I want to supply you with supporting information but it is commercially sensitive and/or confidential... Any information supplied to us will be kept strictly confidential. No details will be put into the public domain without your permission.

How do I save my answers? The “Confirm and next" button is the equivalent of "Save". Press this button often. For narrative answers, write them somewhere else first so that you can keep a backup copy (e.g. in MS Word) and then copy and paste them into the relevant box before pressing “Confirm and next”.

What is the definition of BAME? BAME is an acronym for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic. We refer to BAME heavily in both surveys, particularly when asking for metrics data. When referring to BAME groups, we always make reference to the 2011 census categories. Groups 31, 32, 33 and 34 are not counted as BAME.

Census 2011 Categories

White 31 English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British 32 Irish 33 Gypsy or Irish Traveller 34 Any Other White background Mixed / Multiple ethnic group 35 White and Black Caribbean 36 White and Black African 37 White and Asian 38 Any Other Mixed / multiple ethnic background Asian / Asian British 39 Indian 40 Pakistani 41 Bangladeshi 42 Chinese 43 Any other Asian background Black / African / Caribbean / Black British 44 African 45 Caribbean 46 Any other Black / African / Caribbean background Other 47 Arab 98 Any other ethnic group 99 Not known/not provided

3 | P a g e NOTE: Eastern Europeans not counted as BAME

Non-BAME group

BAME group

What is the difference between a senior executive/manager and a manager? (see Part 1 Question 2) Senior Managers/ Executives would be the senior feeder group, out of which Board members will eventually be picked and those just below them. (e.g. heads of departments, heads of functions, regional directors and their deputies).

Managers would be people who manage a person, a team or a process/project.

Difference between annualised hours and TOIL? Definition of Annualised Hrs

In an annual hours system an employee works a certain number of hours over the whole year, but with a certain degree of flexibility about when those hours are worked. Normally, a period of regular hours or shifts forms the core of the arrangement, with the remaining time left unallocated and used on an 'as needed' basis.

See here for more details http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4288

Time off In Lieu (TOIL) is time off which staff are allowed to take for hours worked beyond the normal working day. TOIL applies to additional periods of work either before or after the normal working day. (It does not apply to lunch periods. Managers should ensure that staff get the appropriate lunch break each day, to ensure compliance with Working Time Regulations.)

What counts as absence? Absence = Sickness absence and Unpaid special leave

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