Samantha Knight is group HR director at housing developer MJ Gleeson
Every company has a responsibility to actively participate in the dialogue surrounding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and to contribute to its implementation in the workplace. EDI isn’t just a buzzword – it is a cornerstone of future success and should be viewed as a critical driver of growth. This is particularly pertinent in the construction industry, which is traditionally viewed as a white, straight, male-dominated sector.
“Businesses should recognise they might make mistakes along the way, but asking employees to get involved is key”
As a female professional in the construction industry and head of human resources, I am deeply committed to increasing sector-wide standards surrounding equality and diversity.
The statistics are glaring: according to the Construction Industry Council, only 5.4 per cent of the UK’s construction workforce are from ethnic minorities, despite such backgrounds accounting for almost 14 per cent of the UK population. Additionally, women make up as little as 1 per cent of onsite workers and only 11 per cent of the construction industry. This discrepancy highlights a significant challenge that our industry must address to align with broader societal standards.
So how can companies build effective EDI policies? Education must be at the forefront of any EDI initiative to reinforce an inclusive culture, to break down barriers and tackle any conscious or unconscious biases that exist. Implementing training is essential, along with active discussion about difference, acceptance and taking steps to make positive change.
The best form of unconscious-bias training is a balanced programme of face-to-face training, e-learning modules and, at my company, we are also implementing ‘lunch and learn’ drop-in sessions facilitated by an EDI specialist. These sessions encourage hugely valuable open discussion and address difficult questions.
Recruitment is another lynchpin for fostering diversity at all levels within an organisation. Ensuring all roles are broadcast to a wide range of candidates, including creating links with schools in disadvantaged areas to create more opportunities for school children, is critical to contributing to improved diversity across the industry.
Companies could also consider offering more flexible working, such as condensed or part-time hours, variable start/finish times and the option to work from home. This enables employees to attend appointments and school pick-ups/drop-offs, ensuring a wide range of candidates can apply and access opportunities.
Monitoring progress
Underpinning all this, HR teams play a crucial role in ensuring that internal processes track and monitor diverse talent as people move through the organisation. Designing and implementing inclusive reward and benefit structures that support EDI agendas allows employees to see the company’s commitment to its policies and standards. And clear policies and procedures are needed throughout the business to define what is expected from colleagues to support EDI. Continually challenging employment practices and supporting flexibility, especially around religious holidays and cultural requirements, is essential.
Most importantly, businesses should recognise they might make mistakes along the way, but asking employees to contribute, feed back and get involved is key. Being open and transparent about progress and challenges alike is an integral part of the journey. By fostering an open, collaborative culture, and consistently and constructively challenging behaviours, policies or practices that may hinder inclusion, a business can support and grow its EDI initiatives and goals most effectively.
Organisations that can effectively implement these practices typically have a clearer strategy and can show measurable progress, such as improved diversity metrics, high employee engagement and reduced attrition. Improving diversity certainly isn’t easy, but by fostering a genuine commitment to its enhancement, meaningful progress can be made. All leaders within the construction industry should be striving to place EDI at the top of their business’ agenda, to ensure continued growth and make construction an industry of choice.
