Inclusion update for the Built Environment industry
Newsletter 21: 4 day weeks, inclusion at social events, and unconscious bias training that works
Constructing Rainbows advises built environment organisations who have an aim of making our industry inclusive for all. To find out more visit www.constructingrainbows.co.uk This newsletter will provide you with some updates on what others are doing, both within the built environment and in other industries.
Multiplex is offering staff the option of four-day working weeks in a new flexible-working initiative.
Its ‘Multiplex Flex’ initiative will provide staff with different options for flexible working, including early finishes on Fridays, four-day weeks, remote working and extra time off in lieu of overtime hours.
The different approaches have been trialled through live projects over the last six months, where the initiative was found to build more trust and decrease stress for staff
With the return of after-work drinks and office parties, businesses must rethink how their events can cater for all, including those still working remotely, says Lynda Thwaite
"Don't try and change the person, change the environment"
This video is focused on celebrating neurodiversity, but the quote above relates to all diversity and inclusion.
Often I hear of organisations putting in place programmes to change individuals, rather than looking at how our work environments can change to be more encouraging and accepting of diverse people.
"Women leaders are doing more to support their teams and advance DE&I efforts. They are also more likely to be allies to women of color. Yet this critical work is going unrecognized and unrewarded by most companies, and that has dangerous implications. There's a risk that the work women leaders are doing will be relegated to a new form of "office housework"—work that contributes to the business but isn’t formally recognized in performance reviews, typically does not lead to advancement, and isn’t usually compensated."
The Law Society have created best practice guidance for disability inclusion to help organisations better understand their legal obligations in terms of reasonable adjustments, and how to implement them.
COP26 is coming up at the beginning of November in Glasgow. There are a number of events being held in the green zone, some of which focus on gender, race or disability and how climate change unfairly impacts these different groups. There are also sessions on how including diverse groups in the battle against climate change will be beneficial for all.
Tickets are free (if you're in Glasgow), but also COP26 has a youtube channel where you should be able to watch the sessions.
"Every day girls are being taught ‘lessons’ they never signed up for. They are told who they should be, what they should look like, how they should act and what they can achieve. "
