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Sep 21 2022

Constructing Rainbows - Cost of living, frontline workers and debating productively

Inclusion update for the Built Environment industry
Newsletter 31: Cost of living, frontline workers and debating productively
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.
Bridging the gap: Ramboll’s new approach to career breaks
“If we’re going to change diversity in the sector, my belief is that you have to be really deliberate about it. It doesn’t happen just by chance or organically.”

Philippa Spence from Ramboll shares details of their new Return to Work programme which supports those who have been out of the workplace for over 12 months with a tailored support programme. A key element of their programme is that they don’t have specific roles they select for, they find people with great skills and then find a job that will work them.
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Building Inclusivity roundup: Neurodivergent roundtable
“One Size Doesn’t Fit All” was the key takeaway from the second Building Inclusivity roundtable hosted by ACE focused on neurodiversity in the industry.
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How can construction recruit and retain talent to develop a more diverse and equitable workforce? Report on a roundtable hosted by Faithful+Gould and Building
How a focus on diversity could help construction attract the best talent
The construction sector has proved surprisingly open to change when it comes to putting the emphasis on diversity, says Mark Harrison from CIOB
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Race in the workplace: The frontline experience | McKinsey
There are so many frontline workers in construction and facilities management who want to progress into corporate roles but are finding barriers to progression.

This research from McKinsey & Company shows some of the challenges people of colour are facing more than white people in their career progression including a lack of support and sponsorship.

Companies should be looking at clear career pathways from frontline to management, this will help retain employees, and increase diversity in higher level roles.
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The cost of living crisis is real, and it’s going to get a lot worse over the winter months where people have to make a decisions between heat and food.

John Lewis have stepped up and said they will provide meals for their employees over the winter months. This seems a good business decision - hungry employees will be less productive, and could lead to H&S issues. There may also be employees that feel the need to get second jobs to help pay to live, and end up tired.

So what is your organisation doing to support your employees this winter?
Iceland appoints ‘director of rehabilitation’ to recruit ex-offenders | News | The Grocer
Here is a win-win situation:
Research from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) shows that re-offending rates are significantly reduced when ex-offenders gain employment. A definite win for society and the individual.

But also...
A 2021 poll commissioned by the MoJ found that over 90% of businesses that employ ex-offenders said that they are reliable, good at their job, punctual and trustworthy. A definite win for businesses too.

Many companies within construction have programmes for ex-offenders, but Iceland have taken it one step further with a Director of Rehabilitation.
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How Our Careers Affect Our Children
Research has highlighted the importance of spending “quality” time with our kids to improve their mental health, not necessarily amount of time spent with them.

Positive mental health in children was found when parents believed family should come first and children were better off “when parents cared about work as a source of challenge, creativity, and enjoyment”

The were also difference seen between fathers and mothers (in opposite-sex relationships). This element was particularly interesting for me “mothers spending time on themselves — on relaxation and self-care — and not so much on housework, was associated with positive outcomes for children.”
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Is remote work effective: We finally have the data | McKinsey
"A flexible working arrangement is a top three motivator for finding a new job" 

That was the finding from new research from McKinsey & Co, yet still many leaders in companies are pushing for employees to come into work 9-5, 5 days a week. It's definitely time to embrace flexible - it's good for individuals and for business.
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How to Debate Ideas Productively at Work

Research tells us that cognitive diversity makes a group smarter. Two heads are, indeed, better than one, and many heads are even better, especially when everyone is willing to share their expertise and opinions. While diverse thinking and disagreements can be uncomfortable, they are more likely to lead partners or a team to make progress, innovate and come up with breakthrough solutions than consensus and “nice” conversations in which people hold back what they think. But how do you have a productive debate? By reminding your group to follow four general rules: Remember we’re all on the same team. Keep it about facts, logic, and the topic at hand. Don’t make it personal. Be intellectually humble.
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More employers open to ditch degree-based hiring, but candidates unaware of other routes to work, studies find
This article questions whether there are other routes into employment than through university, whether employers are clear about skills they are looking for, and how a degree doesn’t always mean the “right” skills.

“As a result, it is likely that a 'good' hiring programme looks for a mixture of these 'harder' and 'softer' elements while being mindful of the characteristics and social backgrounds of favoured candidates, to reduce bias.”
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Disability discrimination: HMRC employee wins claim after job rejection
How many times do you see "Driving Licence Essential" on job adverts, when actually it's not an essential at all, it's just a nice to have.

In this case HMRC were found guilty of disability discrimination for excluding an employee without a driving licence from a job when his reasonable adjustment was rejected.

Perhaps time to rethink whether you do actually need a driving licence to perform the job, if not, take it off your job description.
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