Equality, literally defined as "the state of being equal", was first mentioned in the early fifteenth century. In modern organisations, equality stands for assuring equal access, treatment, outcomes, and influence in employment and service delivery. In the UK for example, the principles of equality are outlined in the UK Equality Act 2010 (EA10), which emphasises that every person must have an equal opportunity to make the most of their life and talent. It also refers to the idea that no one should be denied opportunities in life due to their upbringing, identity, or experiences.
Equality differs from equity, and rather refers to treating everyone the same whilst disregarding any individual differences. On the other hand, equity refers to treating everyone with fairness and taking those individual differences into account. Thus, recent discussions challenge whether workplace equality goes far enough.
Inequality happens when a company treats everyone equally without acknowledging that particular individuals or demographics might require additional assistance. Equity is currently regarded as a superior approach to update workplaces and assist people in achieving their full potential, due to acknowledging an unequal playing field.
