In just over seven years, only a fifth of the workforce will be white, able-bodied, male and under 45, according to Acas, which today launches its first equality and diversity online learning tool.

The e-learning focuses on sexual orientation and gender reassignment and aims to assess an organisation's position and how any issues can be further identified and addressed.

Stephen Williams, head of the Equality and Diversity Unit at Acas, said: "It must be an intolerable situation to know you are working in an environment where you feel your contributions are not valued. Unfortunately many can suffer – for years sometimes – without being able to overcome this problem, and even more worrying is that employers are not trained to be aware of the types of issues that can make people feel undervalued and ineffective."

The new learning tool is provided alongside a free consultation from Acas as part of the government's drive to promote good practice to underpin the sexual orientation and religion and belief regulations 2003.

Access the free diversity tool at http://www.acas.org.uk/elearning.