Three Steps Anyone Can Take to Create an Inclusive Workspace #LWTSummit

Three Steps Anyone Can Take to Create an Inclusive Workspace LWTSummit We have handheld virtual reality devices, food delivery drones, and self-driving cars that share data and learn from each others crashes, but were still working towards a solution for intentional inclusion in the workplace.Reminder Diversity is asking you to the party. Inclusion is asking you to dance. LWTSUMMIT lwthackathon pic.twitter.com/jjixxzlTiR Urvi (theurv) February 26, 2017Last weekend over 2,500 LGBT women and allies swarmed The Castro Theatre in San Francisco to attend the 4th Annual Lesbians Who Tech Summit. Hot topics ranged from fighting systemic racism to using tech to eliminate fake news. PowerToFlys own Chief Dream Maverick, Rachel Valdez, moderated a distinguished panel featuring Mikena Wood (Software Engineer at Optimizely), Morgen Bromell (CEO at Thurst), Lisa Mae Brunson (CEO and Founder of Wonder Women Tech), and Samuel Carrington (Service Design Manager, co-Lead of LGBTQIIA Employee Resource Group at Lyft), about what it really takes to practice intentional inclusion at work, even if you arent in a managerial role.What is Institutional Inclusion in the Workplace?Inclusion is the active and intentional act of establishing and sustaining diversity, equality and comfortable participation for all employees. Its necessary to identify and remove barriers (such as physical, strategic, cultural, visible/invisible, intentional/unintentional) that discourages involvement and contribution from all employees. Inclusion also requires the practice of defined company values, being open to varying perspectives, a willingness to understand different cultures and experiences and making a concerted effort to be welcoming, helpful and respectful to everyone.Why is Institutional Inclusion Important?People can make stereotypical judgments about their peers, leading to discrimination, whether intended or otherwise, that limits the full participation of members of marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ community, in the workplace. People from underrepresented demographic groups can be mistreated at work, resulting in stress, poor mental and physical health, and limited retention.The inverse is true as well numerous studies show that companies who actively seek and implement diversity and inclusion among their ranks perform better, in comparison with their non-inclusive competitors. And their employees are happier and stay longer, too.Who is Affected by Institutional Inclusion?Discrimination can result in social environments that are harmful to all people, not just the abused. Therefore, everyone in the workplace benefits from a strong institutional inclusion plan.Three Steps Anyone Can Take to Create an Inclusive Workspace Be aware.Are bathroom breaks creating drama for a transitioning member of your team? Does your team look completely homogenous? Are hallway obstacles making things difficult for a co-worker whos visually impaired? Take a look around you and speak up 2. Band together.Theres power in numbers. If your company doesnt yet see the benefits of implementing a formal Diversity and Inclusion strategy, dont be afraid to spark change by finding other allies in your peer group. Whether its a formal meeting each month in a conference room or a 30 minute weekly chat off the clock, open the lines of communication and share experiences to propel your initiatives. 3. Educate.Seminars, workshops, and Lunch Learns are all excellent ways to educate your co-workers on DI concepts. Formal training is great, but remember to make space to share individual experiences and concerns. Silos and cliques work against diversity hiring benefits like team innovation and productivity, so open the lines of communication with dialogue geared toward acceptance and respect.Everyone should be able to come to work as their authentic selves and feel included, not just tolerated. And everyone should feel empowered to stand up for whats right. One of t he biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it need s women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent geschftlicher umgang strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unabl e to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in o ther industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.