Active measures in practice: Organizational perspectives on preventing workplace discrimination in Sweden

Abstract

Workplace discrimination remains a constant challenge despite the existence of legal frameworks both in Sweden and the EU, aimed at promoting equality and preventing unfair treatment based on factors such as gender, ethnicity, disability, or age. Moreover, The Swedish Discrimination Act obliges employers to implement proactive, systematic efforts, referred to as active measures, to prevent discrimination in the workplace. Active measures are meant to be integrated into organizational structures and include areas such as recruitment, working conditions, and pay equity. However, existing research suggests that the implementation of active measures often falls short. Efforts tend to be more symbolic or compliance-driven and are not sufficiently embedded in daily organizational routines and culture. This study examines how Swedish organizations implement and maintain active measures according to the legal obligation, focusing on the perspectives of managers, HR professionals, and employees. Including multiple perspectives enables the study to capture how perceptions of discrimination and prevention efforts vary depending on the role and position within the organization. It can also reveal what these differences show about both the barriers to, and enablers of practical implementation. Furthermore, the study considers active measures in the context of the wider organization and legal framework, including links to Systematic Work Environment Management (SAM) and Organizational and Social Work Environment (OSA) approaches. It also considers unconscious bias, leadership commitment and organizational culture to be factors influencing the effectiveness of anti-discrimination efforts. The findings of this study aim to improve our understanding of how discrimination prevention policies are implemented in practice, and to identify the practical conditions that facilitate or prevent change. The study also aims to provide organizations with insights to help develop more effective, sustainable and inclusive workplace practices, ultimately reducing discrimination in Swedish workplaces.