Annual Meeting & How to tackle microaggressions and unconscious bias

Join us for our Branch Annual Meeting during which we will have a look back into 2023/24 and forward to what we have planned for 2024/25.

During the meeting, we will also be announcing and voting in our 42025 Branch Committee. We are also always on the look out for new volunteers to join as Branch Committee members. If you are keen to find out more about the available roles and/or would like to join the Branch Committee, please contact Vivienne Marsden, Branch Development Coordinator at the CIPD ([email protected]).

We are also extremely pleased to welcome Lindsey Murray and Ian McGlashen as our guest speakers. Lindsey and Ian are employment lawyers from friends of the branch Watershed and will lead an interactive session on ‘How to Tackle Microaggressions and Unconscious Bias’ as well as take questions.

How to Tackle Microaggressions and Unconscious Bias

Microaggressions are indirect or subtle everyday expressions of discrimination. The inclusion of micro in the term suggests these are small acts but microaggressions can be just as harmful as more overt forms of discrimination. And that is why it is important to raise awareness of how microaggressions are committed and the unconscious bias that can drive them. The session will look at practical ways to encourage employees to pay attention to the language they use in your workplace.

Lindsey and Ian will cover:

· What is a microaggression and how they can be tackled

· How to tackle unconscious bias

· Why we should tackle microaggression and unconscious bias

· The cost of failing to tackle them

What you will gain:

· An awareness of the effect of microaggressions

· Knowledge of how to recognise our own bias

· How to avoid ‘accidental’ racism

· Examples of the effect on business

Timings

17:30 Refreshments available and Networking

18:00 Introduction and Start of the Meeting

18:10 Branch Annual Report, including the Branch Financial Report

18:20 Announcement of the Branch Committee for 2024/25

18:25 Date of Annual Meeting 2025

18:30 Guest Speakers – Lindsey Murray and Ian McGlashan:How to Tackle Microaggressions and Unconscious Bias with Q&A

19:45 Closure of Meeting

About the speakers

Ian McGlashan

Ian did a degree in law at Southampton Institute of Higher Education and acquired his Diploma in Legal Practice at the Guildford College of Law. His early career was with a number of law firms in London. Linklaters Alliance; Sullivan & Cromwell; and Elliot Sloane. He helped the senior staff to research and prepare cases. At Peninsula Business Services he was an Employment Law Advocate.

He is a knowledgeable and highly experienced employment specialist with wide-ranging skills acquired in a number of different settings. He helps clients to resolve difficult employment problems and to comply effectively with employment law and regulations. He also advises managers in numerous service and manufacturing sectors on all aspects of the relationships between employers and employees. He regularly defends claims at employment tribunals throughout England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as successfully representing clients at the Employment Appeal Tribunal. He is a persuasive advocate who is good at presenting complex cases and helping employers to avoid risks.

Lindsey Murray

Lindsey completed a law degree (LLB) at University College London. She joined Keoghs solicitors in Bolton as a court clerk and then trained and qualified as a solicitor. She specialised in employment law, working with retainer clients on complex cases, statutory consultation and settlement agreements. She also supervised the work of trainee solicitors. In 2009 Keoghs closed its commercial department and Lindsey transferred to Weightmans where she maintained her relationships with clients who had also moved.

Weightmans seconded her to Thomas Cook Airlines, which asked her to stay as its senior legal counsel. She trained and advised managers on employment law and HR matters, represented the company in employment disputes, dealt with trade union litigation and oversaw TUPE outsourcing transfers. Lindsey has also written articles for internal and external publications, provided bespoke training for managers, presented at seminars and has been involved in developing an online interactive staff handbook.

Please note:

1. Reminder emails will be sent to you 2 days before, with a further reminder on the day of the event.

2. The event will start at 17.30 and run for about 135 minutes.

3 . Photography and video production may be taking place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.

4. By attending the event, you are giving your consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.

5. As we are supplying refreshments, please ensure that if you book a ticket, you attend. If you can no longer attend, please cancel your place either on Eventbrite, or by emailing [email protected]

6. If you require us to make reasonable adjustments for you to access and attend this event, please email [email protected]

7. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

LSBU Croydon Campus, 3 Wellesley Road, Croydon, United Kingdom