Category Archives: Diversity

Diversity, Finance and Banking, News

CAMRADATA Live tackles D&I in latest addition of the Asset Owner Diversity Charter

  • Asset managers will have free access to the CAMRADATA Live database to explain their D&I approach
  • D&I questionnaire created by working group of 20 leading industry stakeholders

CAMRADATA has expanded its online database, CAMRADATA Live, to capture data related to the Asset Owner Diversity Charter to help gauge where asset managers are on their diversity and inclusion (D&I) journey.

CAMRADATA believes that it is important to effect change, break down taboos and ask questions that make a real difference in society, which is why this data will be freely available to all asset owners and investment consulting firms.

Asset managers can also now populate their D&I data in CAMRADATA Live free of charge, providing asset owners with the information they need when conducting detailed due diligence on their providers and, critically, gain greater insight into how they are tacking D&I issues.

This enhancement is the direct result of a working group of 20 representatives from around 20 investment consulting firms, as well as Helen Price, Head of Stewardship at Brunel Pension Partnership, to agree a set of data that could be collected from asset managers to measure their progress on D&I.

This working group developed a questionnaire covering five sections: industry, recruitment, culture, promotion, and board/leadership. By asking both qualitative and quantitative questions, asset managers have the opportunity to provide information on their organisation’s approach as well as the actions they have taken.

 

CAMRADATA Live is constantly evolving and keeping pace with best practice in the industry, therefore capturing D&I data was the natural next step as well as including the ICSWG (Investment Consultants Sustainability Working Group) template for asset managers to demonstrate their approach at strategy level, on sustainability issues.

 

Helen Price, Head of Stewardship at Brunel Pension Partnership Limited, said: “The Asset Owner Diversity Working Group is driven to embed D&I within our industry. We have spent much time working in partnership with the institutional community and CAMRADATA to roll out the Asset Owner Diversity Charter questionnaire.”

“D&I isn’t a box-ticking exercise. Greater transparency will equip the industry to identify and break down barriers to progress. The charter questionnaire will be available for asset managers to populate, free of charge, within the CAMRADATA Live database.”

Price added: “Allowing time for managers to complete the question set, asset owners and investors will then be able to freely access this information. This will allow for consistent standardised data collection that enables our industry to evaluate D&I responses and actions on an ongoing and meaningful basis.”

 

D&I has become a key issue for asset owners in recent years, driving a need for reliable metrics that measure how senior management at asset managers are owning the issue and embedding it in the culture of the industry.

With more investors demanding greater insight into their asset managers, it is imperative that access to such data is efficient and easy. As a trusted data partner at the centre of the institutional investor community, CAMRADATA can use its leverage to effect change.

 

Through CAMRADATA Live, asset owners and investment consultants can explore a vast amount of data allowing assessment of more than 5,000 investment products offered by over 750 asset managers, making it a valuable resource for decision-makers.

 

For access to the Asset Owner Diversity Charter in CAMRADATA Live please click here :

info@camradata.com

Cardiff, Diversity, HR, News

Most senior serving female in the Royal Navy talks diversity at Cardiff Business Club

Admiral Jude Terry OBE has addressed Cardiff Business Club members about the growing diversity within the Royal Navy and her ambitions to further develop inclusivity as well as increase welfare support for sailors and their families.

Admiral Terry, who assumed the role of Director of People and Training and Naval Secretary in January 2022, spoke to many people at the Cardiff Hilton Hotel (April 6) during the club’s latest live speaker event. When Jude joined the Royal Navy in September 1997, women had only been allowed on board navy vessels as full members of the crew for six years. Now, 25 years later, around 10% of Royal Navy personnel are female, a figure which has increased almost every year, and is anticipated to increase even further. In February this year, the Navy launched its Race Diversity Network which will support its diverse membership and support the services’ mission to promote an inclusive culture.

Jude, who was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours, said: “When I joined the Navy in 1997, women had only recently been allowed to sea, now of course, it is completely open to women and the number of female recruits is steadily rising. The Navy genuinely doesn’t look at people’s gender and is an equal opportunities employer. In my role as Director of People and Training, I am determined to increase the diversity of our recruits. While we don’t have targets, I think it is so important to have people of all walks of life so we can learn from each other.”

Admiral Terry also talked about COVID and the repercussions of the pandemic on the forces. She said: “The pandemic gave people an opportunity to spend more time with family, and I am trying to figure out how to embrace that family time with sending people to sea for up to 10 months. It is not a simple problem to solve, and it’s an area the Navy has struggled with, but I am determined to ensure family life is more considered going forward.

“The future of navy is exciting.”

David Howden, CEO of Howden Group Holdings, will headline Cardiff Business Club’s next event on 23 May at Hilton Hotel. For details on all of the Club’s events, visit www.cardiffbusinessclub.org/events.

Diversity, L & D, News

LRN expands DEI offering to include new courses, materials, and curriculums for companies of all sizes

Offering aims to help companies engage learners throughout the year with the cadence and content to build workplace cultures of respect and belonging

LRN Corporation, the pioneer in ethics and compliance e-learning solutions and advisory services, is launching a DEI learning program that will help organisations advance diversity, equity, and inclusion beyond just training courses.

LRN’s new DEI Program provides companies with a multi-faceted training solution: a ready-to-deploy learning campaign with curriculums, asset packs, and customisable courses, plus the option to add bespoke content, learner experiences, and communications campaigns developed in association with LRN’s E&C experts.

This offering is timely given shareholders’ increased attention to ESG (environment, social, and governance) issues, and the demand by stakeholders for workplace cultures of sustainability, dignity, and respect.

Further, there is proof that ethical business cultures fuel success: LRN’s landmark report, the Benchmark of Ethical Culture, which surveyed more than 8,000 employees of companies with 1,000 or more employees in 17 countries, confirms the most ethical companies outperform their peers in key business metrics by up to 40%—including employee loyalty, customer satisfaction, innovation, and growth.

LRN’s 2022 E&C Program Effectiveness Report indicates that DEI is a priority for 76 percent of companies with high-impact E&C programs. The right resources and frameworks for team learning have become top of mind for executives, boards, and organizations looking to establish and refine an organisational stance on DEI, demonstrate commitment to BIPOC populations, create a culture of acceptance, and protect their organization from liability and risk.

“Organisations actively working towards more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplaces need a DEI curriculum that goes beyond the basics,” said Matt Plass, LRN’s Global Head of Markets. “Organisations and employees alike are craving sustained conversations to support a shift in ethical culture, not the typical one-and-done approach to training.”

LRN’s DEI program provides continual learning—courses, conversation guides, and templates for employee communications—that are interactive, empowering, and grounded in deepening employees’ understanding of these issues, so organizations can create workplaces that are more inclusive and equitable. The learning campaigns are ready to deploy, but organisations can also partner with LRN’s expert Advisory team to build a bespoke program specific to their unique needs.

LRN’s DEI Program includes proprietary instructional design methodology and materials on:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Confronting Racism
  • Gender Equality
  • Microaggressions
  • LGBTQ+ Allyship

For each topic, LRN provides pre-formatted DEI learning campaign assets, including employee email templates, team huddle guides, and individual learner action plans. This combination of assets empowers company managers to create dynamic, multistep learning experiences that can inspire ethical behavior. LRN courses are available for delivery to employees using either LRN’s Catalyst LMS or a supported platform of the company’s choice.

Organisations with specific DEI needs can choose to partner with LRN’s E&C Advisory experts to craft a completely custom, multimodal curriculum and communication plan with courses, videos, and employee experiences tailored to the needs of their workforce.

For companies struggling to fill roles during the Great Resignation, a focus on culture to retain existing talent becomes paramount. LRN’s data shows that an employee’s desire to stay with their company is predicted by the organization having a culture of trust and a sense of belonging and inclusion—83 percent of those surveyed cited DEI as a reason to stay at their company.

Learn more about LRN’s DEI Program here.

 

About LRN

LRN’s mission and purpose is to inspire principled performance and help people around the world do the right thing. Since 1994, LRN has worked to propel organizations forward with the partnership, knowledge, and tools to build ethical culture. More than 1,000 companies and 30 million learners worldwide utilize LRN services and take LRN courses to help navigate complex regulatory environments and foster ethical, responsible, and inclusive cultures. In partnership with LRN, companies translate their values into concrete corporate practices and leadership behaviors that create sustainable competitive advantage. By acting upon shared values, companies and their people find the means to out behave and outperform. Learn more at https://lrn.com

Diversity, News

Global study reveals female staff continue to fare worse on numerous elements of the employee experience

A global survey of 11,000 deskless employees has revealed a continuing imbalance between men’s and women’s experiences in the workplace – with workforce management experts Quinyx calling for organisations to make 2022 a year of cultural transformation.

The Quinyx study – of sectors including retail, logistics and hospitality – found that women continue to fare worse than male colleagues on a range of factors relating to their employee experience.

These include overall happiness with their work environment, how comfortable they are speaking to bosses on issues such as pay, and whether they’ve gone to work sick as they’re not able to afford time off.

The UK findings revealed that just 27% of female workers are comfortable discussing pay rises or wage disparities with their managers, for example, and 46% of female employees don’t believe there are a lot of job opportunities open to them based on their skills (compared to 40% and 36% of male workers, respectively).

Additionally, in most of the 11 countries surveyed, including the UK, women are less likely than male workers to have received help with career progression from their managers – such as discussing specific steps towards promotion, or being provided with a mentor.

Quinyx chief HR officer Toma Pagojute said: “An employee’s overall experience is made up of numerous parts, and if women’s experiences are consistently falling short across the board, then we need to ask why.”

She added that the findings point to a need for “a sustained shift in organisations’ priorities” and that 2022 presents a unique opportunity for companies, following the disruptions of the last two years, to “redress the balance and get employee engagement and wellbeing right for everyone.”

The UK findings of the Quinyx State of the Deskless Workforce report also revealed: • 63% of female employees have considered quitting their job because they’re unhappy with their work environment (51% of male employees). This rises to 71% of female hospitality workers.

• Women are more likely to feel pressured by co-workers into taking shifts they don’t want to take (45% female / 33% male).

• 60% of female workers have been to work sick because they couldn’t afford to take time off (49% of male workers).

• Just 25% of female workers say their manager has shared specific steps towards their promotion, and 18% say their manager has identified a mentor for them (30% and 25% for male workers). Women working in transportation & warehousing and retail are even less likely to have discussed steps to promotion (13% and 19% respectively).

Toma continued: “Our research highlights a huge opportunity for organisations to make 2022 the year of significant workplace change. After the upheaval and uncertainty of the last two years, it’s time to move forward. We have a unique window now to re-set and create a sea change that can empower all workers, particularly women, who continue to feel the effects of long-term inequalities.

“There’s a lot to address, but if organisations put people at the forefront of business strategy and operations, and managers lead by example by considering employee engagement at every step, then changes will start to become ingrained.

“Moreover, in light of understaffing issues that continue to affect many industries, it’s in businesses’ best interests to look after staff and help retain them.”

Toma’s advice for organisations looking to improve employee engagement and wellbeing in 2022, is:

  1. Adopt a flexible approach. Our research shows that more than half of UK employees have missed out on planned leisure time and events due to work; additionally, around a third say they would prefer a flexible schedule over higher pay. The pandemic brought greater awareness of the possibilities of flexible working for office-based roles but we would love to see flexible approaches being considered for deskless workers too. The recent announcement of a four-day week trial is positive – and while this isn’t an option for all, it’s encouraging that the dialogue is changing.

An initial step might be introducing a company-wide respect policy, so staff know that requests for time off or to change shifts will be received without judgement.

  1. Really get to know your staff. It’s great that employers are bringing in policies such as ‘stay interviews’; some are even checking in on staff sleep habits to ensure wellbeing. Sleep check-ins are optional, of course, but promoting the link between health and wellbeing, and how people feel and perform at work can only be a positive step. Managers might also want to introduce wellness days – giving staff flexibility to take leave when they need to focus on their wellness, aside from their traditional holidays.
  2. Utilise technology – workforce management software lets managers see where staffing gaps need plugging and where resource can be better spent. Using tools that enable employees to implement shift changes themselves might feel like relinquishing control but can give business leaders more time to focus on the bigger picture.
  3. Reward great performance and loyalty. Only half of UK workers say they feel that their work is valued by their manager, with most of these believing their boss sees them as a disposable or temporary resource. Regular acknowledgements and rewards don’t need to be big or expensive and can go a long way when it comes to staff retention.
  4. Make your people your priority. Ultimately, employees are any business’s best asset. Employee engagement and wellbeing needs to be at the heart of everyday operations and ingrained throughout a business’s culture if we are to see a significant change.
Diversity, HR News, News

Astriid calls on employers to champion diversity and inclusion to strengthen UK economy

UK charity calls on employers to make a renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion for the Invisible Talent Pool

Astriid, the registered charity which matches talented chronically ill people with inclusive work opportunities, is urging UK businesses to become diversity and inclusion champions to unlock significant commercial benefits and strengthen the UK economy at a time when multiple industries are struggling with skills gaps, vacancies are soaring and productivity is dipping.

There are an estimated 12.7 million people of working age currently estimated to be living with chronic or long-term health conditions – something which often means their skills are underutilised or overlooked by recruiters. This means the UK currently has a vast national, untapped pool of highly capable, talented and qualified candidates who could fill vital skills gaps and bring invaluable experience and expertise to firms around the country.

Astriid is making the call for the nation’s employers to reconsider their approach to diversity and inclusion now as more and more organisations recognise that they can continue to operate with flexible and remote positions as a result of trials carried out during the pandemic.

“Our research and work tells us that there are a staggering number of highly employable, highly skilled workers around the country that are being overlooked due to their chronic health conditions,” says Steve Shutts, the CEO of Astriid. “Individuals living with long-term health conditions are well-educated, highly motivated and have considerable expertise. And yet the lack of flexible, inclusive employment opportunities, and additional barriers during the recruitment process, leave many unable to find work.”

According to Astriid’s research, overlooking the Invisible Talent Pool has real and wide-reaching implications for the UK economy. The UK is currently experiencing one of the most significant shortages in skills for a generation and many businesses are struggling to regain pre-pandemic output levels.

He adds, “The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently released figures show that there are a record number of job vacancies in the UK, with more jobs now sitting empty than before the pandemic.[1] In our database of around 1,400 candidates, two-thirds are qualified at degree level or higher. They represent a competent and highly skilled community of jobseekers who could help businesses across many industries to gain a real advantage.”

In addition to supporting candidates, Astriid also offers a consultancy service to employers to assist them in overcoming any challenges they may face in recruiting from the Invisible Talent Pool. This includes helping organisations to identify suitable roles and determine reasonable adjustments to support candidates.

 

Business Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships, Diversity, News

futureproof and Arctic Shores partner to uncover tech talent of tomorrow

  • HR tech pioneer Arctic Shores is helping futureproof screen thousands of candidates for true potential.
  • futureproof aims to double its intake of new trainees for 2022 with Arctic Shores’ Talent Discovery Platform

London, UK, 7th February 2022: Arctic Shores, the psychometric assessment pioneer, has partnered with tech training platform futureproof to double its trainee intake in 2022 to 400.

Rather than screening candidates for skills or experience, futureproof sought instead to measure curiosity, drive, resilience, and ability to collaborate – skills well-suited to the future of work. This led the company to Arctic Shores’ platform, which measures dozens of traits that go unseen on a CV.

By seeing more than candidates’ skills or experience, both organisations hope to map a route for more diverse tech talent to enter the industry. In particular, the companies aim to unearth a new generation of tech engineers from a diverse range of backgrounds, helping leading employers to strengthen the quality of their technology teams for years to come.

Ed Halliday, futureproof’s Operations Director, said, “At futureproof, we aim to transform how leading companies source high-quality, diverse tech talent. That’s why we’re so pleased to be working closely with Arctic Shores: using assessment’s next frontier to unearth the future engineers that others miss – and to help our clients build tomorrow’s brightest tech teams.”

Robert Newry, Founder & CEO at Arctic Shores, said: “As futureproof aims to double its trainee intake in 2022, I’m proud that the team has chosen our platform to support them. In 2020, women represented just 19% of all tech employees. And last year, only 15% were from ethnic minorities. This needs to change. This partnership is the latest step in a long journey: toward a world where we move beyond outdated assessment measures like the CV to a focus on potential and seeing more in people.”

Diversity, News

UK businesses aren’t walking the talk on D&I reporting

While UK businesses increasingly acknowledge the importance of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), new research from Radley Yeldar (RY) reveals that time, budget and organisational constraints are holding back the kind of transparent, ambitious D&I reporting that will power decisive progress.

In a sign that corporate attitudes to D&I are maturing, four in five (80%) HR decision-makers believe their organisation is telling a transparent story on D&I and 70% believe it should be mandatory to publicly report progress. Elsewhere two in five (39%) believe reporting on D&I is critical for businesses aiming to count themselves as a good corporate citizen. A quarter (24%) believe that, in a complex, challenging and constantly evolving world, D&I reporting is critical in reassuring stakeholders.

But while attitudes are clearly shifting, organisations are yet to follow-through and prioritise action over talk.

  • Just over one in ten (13%) of FTSE 100 organisations are reporting on D&I
  • Only half (53%) of respondents state that they report their D&I strategy
  • Only one in 20 (5%) make their record on D&I publicly available on their website.
  • Of those that do report on D&I today, only six in ten (59%) do it because they want to be held accountable for their plans.

The good news is that many in influential positions are clear-eyed on what more needs to be done. Two fifths (41%) want their organisations to collect more D&I data, a third (30%) want to see D&I data published more widely and over a fifth (22%) want to see more transparency. They want to improve how critical audiences are brought into the conversation too: 32% want their organisations to better utilise employee groups while 28% want to involve a wider base of stakeholders in D&I efforts.

RY’s research reveals that, while time and budget are the biggest barriers, businesses are struggling with a range of barriers that prevent them prioritising D&I.

  • 30% of HR decision-makers say budget and time is the biggest barrier to their businesses achieving their D&I ambitions
  • 15% report a lack of clarity on who holds responsibility for D&I as the biggest barrier
  • 11% say their organisation can’t agree a clear narrative on its D&I agenda
  • 11% say their organisation has no clear purpose or joined up thinking behind its D&I work

Sharn Kleiss, Head of Employee Experience at Radley Yeldar, said: ‘It’s a huge positive that ambition and passion for progress on D&I has clearly found its way to UK businesses’ top-tables. While we’ve come a long way, it’s clear that more needs to be done. Our research shows that people up and down the country are calling on their businesses to prioritise D&I – that means more budget, a greater focus on reporting, and a more joined-up, coherent direction.

“Businesses need to get D&I right, and not just because it’s the right thing to do – diverse, inclusive workforces are more innovative and creative. Good D&I reporting is critical to progress because it sets a business up for accountability, helps to track progress, and drives belief across all audiences.”

RY’s research findings come as the creative communications agency releases a white-paper looking at best practice D&I reporting. It’s based on first-hand research, interviews and examples from across a multitude of industries, alongside 35+ years of Radley Yeldar’s reporting experience. It’s made up of tools, principles, and practical tips for business leaders to find a better way of talking about their D&I agenda.

Diversity, News

Walk in their shoes – unlocking empathy to improve diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training is becoming commonplace amongst many multinational companies, but for Amplify DEI founder Vivian Acquah and IBIAS VR director Anita Abaisa, training ends just where it needs to begin: not only must we learn of diversity, equity and inclusion but we must unlock empathy through the VR experience – this combination is understood to be the first of its kind.

Together, Vivian and Anita have developed a diversity, equity and inclusion training programme that explores unconscious bias, micro-aggressions and discriminatory behaviour; utilising VR and the ‘embodiment experience’ to help individuals understand through experience. By putting individuals in the shoes of others, they will be immersed in the ‘lived experience’ for 5 minutes – transforming their understanding of the problem and thereby aiding best practices of how to deal with the consequences.

Anita Abaisa, director of IBIAS VR explains: “The current DEI training on offer is simply not changing the experiences of minorities across the globe – because if you haven’t experienced it for yourself how can you challenge your behavioural responses and those of others?”

“Virtual Reality is a superb tool to put you in the shoes of others, as you embody someone else and see what they see. You unlock a part of the brain which is a realistic ‘experience’: for 5 minutes you can understand what it is like to be viewed as a woman, a black man, a non-binary individual or someone neurodivergent challenged – then understand the consequent responses from peers that gaslight or undermine the individual’s experience” says Abaisa. “The classroom training thereafter takes on a new meaning, as we explore appropriate and unhelpful methods of support.”

In a report by PwC – ‘The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Soft Skills Training in the Enterprise’, it found that V-learners were 2.75% more confident to act on what they had learnt, as they were four times more focused than e-learners and 3.75 times more emotionally connected to training utilising VR experiences.

Vivian Acquah, founder of Amplify DEI adds: “Some 40% of the global workforce are considering leaving their employers; consequently, employers need to listen and act on the needs of their employees to retain talent. Addressing DEI is key to retention, and training needs to be given to those across the employment spectrum from experienced C-Suiters through to new starters. But it must not be a tick-box exercise, employers need to walk in the shoes of colleagues to transform behaviours and become a quality support and activate allyship.”

“When developing this program in combination with the technology, central to our thinking was to create an opportunity for people to experience what people unlike them experience on a day-to-day basis. By providing this experience we unlock emotions and empathy in a way that you simply cannot do in a presentation setting. The immersive experience of seeing and feeling triggers a part of the brain which generates empathy which is essential to activate change.  Harnessing this experience, we can then go on to have a frank discussion, address the uncomfortable topics and create sustainable pathways to solving the issues. As part of our training, we revisit the cohort to see in practice what they’ve learnt and how things have changed” comments Acquah.

Following a successful pilot, this training is now available to companies across the Americas and Europe, and has the opportunity to be personalised to address workplace environments and scenarios.

For more information visit: https://www.ibiasvr.com/en/ or contact email info@ibiasvr.com

Disability, Disability at work, Diversity, News

Disabled People’s Employment Champion: the pandemic has helped make some Welsh workplaces more accessible

James Wilkinson has extensive experience in helping disabled people access employment and is focussed on demystifying misconceptions employers have of disabled workers.

Drawing on his own experiences, he has championed inclusivity and influenced change to HR policies. Now, working as a Disabled People’s Employment Champion for the Welsh Government, he is helping businesses across the country to reflect and review their policies relating to disabled staff.

“The pandemic forced business leaders to think differently about diversity and inclusion within their organisations.” says James.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated just how resilient and flexible businesses across the UK can be. We’ve gone through a genuinely era-defining, totally unexpected, structural shake up in terms of how our society operates on a professional basis. Traditional practices and rules around work have been turned on their head, with businesses having to adapt and transform their processes to survive and thrive in this new era.

“Many of these adaptations have contributed towards the movement of workplaces becoming more inclusive and accommodating of employee needs. Diversity in the workplace is more of a focus for businesses, with the pandemic bringing about important lessons employers can learn to ensure their workplace is inclusive and they are attracting and retaining disabled workers.

“Prior to the pandemic, there was an apprehension among many senior leaders in businesses around flexible working practices. Seen as somewhat straying from traditional procedures, many companies were hesitant to fully adapt their general processes, however, the pandemic forced employers to take the leap and offer more flexible working arrangements.

“The general success of this new way of working has brought to the forefront just how outdated certain conventional practices are in today’s society, paving the way for further change with businesses increasingly seeing flexibility and diversity in the workplace as positive for their operations.

“Workplace adaptations have brought about positive change in terms of working to eliminate societal barriers to success for many disabled people.”

“The social model of disability, which recognises that people with impairments are disabled by barriers that commonly exist in society rather than the impairment itself, is a core principle behind this. Traditional working practices can be obstacles for many disabled people disabling their ability to work in certain roles. By the pandemic having forced businesses to adopt more inclusive ways of working, this has helped some disabled workers perform their job roles more easily.

“Working from home is one of the main adaptations that many disabled people were looking for before the pandemic. Commuting to the office can involve many logistical barriers due to issues with accessibility and transportation. Lack of accessible train stations, restricted bus services due to covid 19 restrictions, lack of accessible parking, unsuitable environment and general attitudes of the public can all add up to making commuting to work a logistical challenge.

Many employers have realised working from home can increase productivity, and not impact negatively on their business. I recently spoke with someone who, like myself, has a condition which affects his mobility. Prior to the pandemic, he was only able to work 20-25 hours a week due his condition, however, when his company shifted to working from home, he no longer had to commute to the office and as a result felt much more energized. He was then able to begin working full time as a direct result.

“My own physical impairment also affects how I get into the office every day, previously commuting from Cardiff to Bristol was exhausting. Working from home now means that my morning commute consists of a few metres to my desk. I personally have benefitted from not feeling as fatigued and enjoying extra time previously lost due to the commute.

“The pandemic has taught employers important lessons in opening up their workplaces to be more inclusive when they are attracting and retaining disabled workers.”

“My advice to employers looking to become more inclusive would be to embrace change, learn from your adaptability, and look beyond. Next time your employee suggests a different approach in order to expand your inclusivity offer, even if it is a structural change, take account for their thoughts, explore the idea and work with them.

“If working from home has taught us one thing, it’s that where possible, don’t focus on the location, instead focus on the job role. The pandemic has highlighted how, for many job roles, location is irrelevant. For roles that can operate on a flexi-working or work-from-home basis, it is now evident that businesses were putting too much onus on location and therefore missing out on an abundance of untapped talent.

“Wales is a rural, low population density country, meaning that for some disabled workers, if you aren’t based in or around Cardiff, many jobs are not accessible. Previously, the majority of businesses would prioritise recruitment where someone is based geographically as opposed to whether or not they were the best person for the job.

“Though, the recent shift in working style has deconstructed these barriers. There is an important lesson to be learned around opening up recruitment services and thus widening the pool of talent available for businesses to choose from.

“Covid-19 has also encouraged employers to establish a better culture of trust and empowerment. Over the last 19-months, we’ve seen businesses listen more to their staff and adapt job roles to fit around the employee, as opposed to the traditional approach of moulding the employee to fit a role.

“For those in or returning to office, many businesses are taking a phased approach, or are allowing their workforce to continue to operate from a working from home basis. As a physically disabled employee, to be given this choice is a major benefit as it reduces unnecessary stress and anxiety, allowing me to continue operating at a comfortable, productive level, but most importantly, it makes me feel heard.

“Home working is not suitable for all disabled people and its vital employers have open and honest conversations with staff to understand how their job can best fit within their lives, negotiating the best route for both the individual and the business. That way staff are given the option, and therefore made to feel valued and trusted to make that choice.

“Overall, the pandemic has shaken the working world. With our professional landscape having stayed relevantly still for decades, Covid-19 has proved to be the necessary push for businesses to enter the modern-day era in regards to adapting working practices to become more inclusive and diverse. Reasonable adaptations, such as working from home, have now become mainstream and have benefited the working life of many disabled people.”

For more information on how your business can attract, recruit, and retain disabled employees, including those with mental health and/ or other hidden conditions, contact the Disabled People’s Employment Champions by emailing DPEC@gov.wales or visit Skills Gateway for Business.                    

 

Diversity, Finance and Banking, News

Blueprint for All partners with American Express to help young people with diverse ethnic heritage into financial services

Blueprint for All has partnered with global payments company and credit card provider, American Express, to deliver a specialised Financial Services programme for its members. The course is designed to provide 18–30 year olds living in the UK from a diverse ethnic heritage with the expertise, advice and network to pursue a career in financial services.

Launching this month, the course will consist of monthly virtual workshops and expert-led careers talks by American Express colleagues on topics ranging from CV writing to building confidence and a personal brand.  Alongside specialist workshops, American Express will provide mentoring opportunities to participants to help navigate their way into the industry.  The mentors will help participants improve on areas such as communication, as well as professional and personal development.

Both the workshops and the mentoring programme are free to join and funded by American Express.

Sonia Watson, CEO of Blueprint for All, said: “We are proud to be working with our corporate partner, American Express, to support and inspire participants. We are passionate about ensuring that everyone, irrespective of their race, ethnicity or background, has the opportunity to create their own blueprint – which this programme allows, creating tangible opportunities for young people to gain access to the financial sector.”

Rounded courses like this exist to improve the representation of people with diverse ethnic heritage within different industry sectors.

Young people with diverse ethnic heritage can be under-represented in the workplace and may struggle to find positive role models, and the partnership with American Express aims to counter this. Rebecca Shogunle, aving a mentor, hearing from industry experts and seeing behind the scenes really inspired me. I feel incredibly lucky to have found my passion and be able to follow my dream.”

Blueprint for All has also worked with American Express’ colleague networks including BEN (Black Engagement Network) and ANA (Asian Network at Amex) as well as its Serve2Gether UK colleague volunteering programme to develop ‘A Guide to Financial Services’toolkit. This resource aims to demystify the industry, offering insights, and empowering a diverse future workforce. The toolkit designed for participants of the course, although available to all members, exists as both a great introduction and takeaway from the course.

 American Express also funds Blueprint for All’s Creative Pathways course, which supports those seeking development and exposure in creative industries.