Human beings are tribal by nature. The instinct to seek out a tribe and see outsiders as some great other is intrinsic in most people. But this instinct leads to discrimination, it leads to a less egalitarian world where the color of the skin can decide the kind of opportunities a person receive despite academic accomplishments. To combat this, many companies have plans for AAP compliance.
AAP stands for Affirmative Action Plan. Affirmative action are actions undertaken by a company or an educational institution to provide more people from marginalized groups the same educational and employment opportunities as those from dominant group. The purpose to reverse some of the discrimination experienced in the past.
Companies can have AAPs for a number of reasons. A person from a marginalized group could have risen up in the hierarchy, high enough to affect such a change. Sometimes, the government can mandate non discriminatory hiring practices.
Unfortunately, AAPs are still necessary. No one lives inside a bubble of objectivity. Society and the media are always going to steer a person towards an opinion one way or another, creating bias in some form. Because this bias, combined with the ingrained instinct towards tribalism, can lead to discrimination, policies have to be put in place to make sure that the hiring or admittance process is as free from bias as possible.
There has been some controversy regarding such actions, especially in regards to educational institutions. It is long rumored that many of the top colleges and universities have quotas for minorities, particularly racial minorities. This works in the sense that most colleges and universities only have a select number of slots available for each incoming school year, and that a number of those slots are set aside exclusively for racial or ethnic minorities.
For a racial minority, an AAP can mean the difference between a paycheck and a welfare check. Bias colors the hiring process. As such, a minority may have a harder time finding work than a non minority. But having an AAP in place can make finding work, and the upwards social mobility that comes with it, much easier for someone from an underprivileged community.
Women also benefit from policies explicitly forbidding discriminatory hiring practices. Many men and even some women view female workers as being less efficient than male workers. The belief is that women are too emotional to do the work or that their looks will distract male coworkers, thus lowering overall productivity. There is even the belief that women in the workforce will only remain there as long as motherhood is off the table, that the women will leave once they have birthed children. Having a policy, an actual rule, in place will make it easier for a woman to enter the workforce.
While affirmative action does not guarantee equality of outcome, it does go a long way towards securing equality of opportunity. There are those who decry it as being discriminatory towards the dominant group, likening it to a head start in a race. It is a head start in the race, but the person getting the head start has to carry a weight around the ankles.
The historical oppression faced by some people cannot and should not be ignored. Neither workplace nor the school exist in a post racial, post gender bubble isolated from society. Both are still affected by the transgressions of the past. Both must try to move forwards.
AAP stands for Affirmative Action Plan. Affirmative action are actions undertaken by a company or an educational institution to provide more people from marginalized groups the same educational and employment opportunities as those from dominant group. The purpose to reverse some of the discrimination experienced in the past.
Companies can have AAPs for a number of reasons. A person from a marginalized group could have risen up in the hierarchy, high enough to affect such a change. Sometimes, the government can mandate non discriminatory hiring practices.
Unfortunately, AAPs are still necessary. No one lives inside a bubble of objectivity. Society and the media are always going to steer a person towards an opinion one way or another, creating bias in some form. Because this bias, combined with the ingrained instinct towards tribalism, can lead to discrimination, policies have to be put in place to make sure that the hiring or admittance process is as free from bias as possible.
There has been some controversy regarding such actions, especially in regards to educational institutions. It is long rumored that many of the top colleges and universities have quotas for minorities, particularly racial minorities. This works in the sense that most colleges and universities only have a select number of slots available for each incoming school year, and that a number of those slots are set aside exclusively for racial or ethnic minorities.
For a racial minority, an AAP can mean the difference between a paycheck and a welfare check. Bias colors the hiring process. As such, a minority may have a harder time finding work than a non minority. But having an AAP in place can make finding work, and the upwards social mobility that comes with it, much easier for someone from an underprivileged community.
Women also benefit from policies explicitly forbidding discriminatory hiring practices. Many men and even some women view female workers as being less efficient than male workers. The belief is that women are too emotional to do the work or that their looks will distract male coworkers, thus lowering overall productivity. There is even the belief that women in the workforce will only remain there as long as motherhood is off the table, that the women will leave once they have birthed children. Having a policy, an actual rule, in place will make it easier for a woman to enter the workforce.
While affirmative action does not guarantee equality of outcome, it does go a long way towards securing equality of opportunity. There are those who decry it as being discriminatory towards the dominant group, likening it to a head start in a race. It is a head start in the race, but the person getting the head start has to carry a weight around the ankles.
The historical oppression faced by some people cannot and should not be ignored. Neither workplace nor the school exist in a post racial, post gender bubble isolated from society. Both are still affected by the transgressions of the past. Both must try to move forwards.
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When you are seeking additional info about AAP compliance you should first log on to our homepage. Use this website as your guide by going to http://www.affirmativeactionconsulting.com.
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