This practice has several objectives:

» On a more policy level the objective of the instrument is to increase the number of priority groups on the labour market.

» To support companies that are confronted with diversity challenges in their organizations.

» To introduce ‘new’ HR-tools that stimulate working with a divers personnel.

By subsidizing diversity plans the Flemish Government encourages companies and organizations to implement a divers HR-policy. The reason behind this subsidy policy is to raise the job opportunities for priority groups: migrant workers/foreigners, older workers, disabled, low skilled workers, …

By introducing a diversity plan into a company the HR-policy can be optimized so that every employee can benefitfrom it. The result is an improvement of the quality of employment for everyone in the company. In a diversity plan also target numbers for recruitment, training and retention of employees belonging to the priority groups. Under certain conditions companies and organizations can be eligible for subsidies for actions such as:

- Drawing up competency profiles

- Training of leadership skills

- Training in evaluation talks

- Drawing up a langauge policy

- Langauage courses

In companies with more than 50 employees it’s obligatory to have a working group that evaluates and monitors the actions to make sure that they have a long-term effect for all the employees. In smaller companies it is advised to do so. These working groups also ensure the involvement of the employees.

Each diversity plan is tailor-made, which makes it difficult to give a good detailed description of what an ideal diversity plan looks like. At the beginning of a diversity plan we start from a concrete demand of the company to outline the actions necessary to improve their HR-policy, to give answers or solutions to the questions the company is facing. To get a good idea of the demand we start with diagnostic questions. We try to get a good view of the the company’s HR-cycle: how do they recruit employees, how do they stimulate new and other employees to stay, do they offer intern carreer opportunities, do they invest in older workers or other priority groups, ...

On the basis of this information, together with the copany (HR-officers, manager, ..) we draw up an action plan (including timingand budget). We suggest external consultants or training companies who can help them realizing the actions, we monitor the progress of the different actions, we offer assistance to the working group(s), ...

The duration of a diversity plan can vary between 6 months and 24 months, depending on the subsidy the company wants to receive. The advice and guidance throughout the entire diversity plan by a regional project developer is also subsidized by the Flemish Government.

» A good social dialogue is necessary for a succesful long-term result of the actions.

» Envolvement of the workfloor will help you to realize tools, procedures, ... that are ‘gedragen’ so that actual implementation can be assured.

» Competent linemanagers are crucial when working with priority groups.

» You might need some jobcoaching to tackle attitude problems.

» An open social climate

» Involvement of social partners and public labour services

» Subsidized experts on diversity