{"id":741141,"date":"2024-06-03T08:32:05","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T07:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=741141"},"modified":"2024-06-03T09:19:48","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T08:19:48","slug":"inclusion-and-redundancies-why-the-profession-risks-shooting-itself-in-the-foot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/opinion\/inclusion-and-redundancies-why-the-profession-risks-shooting-itself-in-the-foot","title":{"rendered":"Inclusion and redundancies \u2013 why the profession risks shooting itself in the foot"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a fact. If you have a diverse workforce with an inclusive culture, then you are more resilient to external factors than if working within a homogenous team.<\/p>\n

So why, you might ask yourself, would architecture firms take the short-termist approach of shedding staff from underrepresented groups?<\/p>\n

And that is<\/em> what\u2019s happening, by the way.<\/p>\n

In recent discussions. I\u2019ve learned that those who are part-time, from racialised groups or who are neurodivergent are overwhelmingly those seeking help because they are under threat of redundancy.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve even heard from people from underrepresented groups who choose to resign rather than go through the indignity of a badly handled redundancy process.<\/p>\n

But of course, this is all part of a broader problem.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to question the profession\u2019s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) when the RIBA\u2019s own LinkedIn<\/a> channel features one of the loudest, most prominent voices from the anti-inclusion brigade, Kemi Badenoch, standing happily and proudly alongside the professional institute. Whether or not it was the intention, the perception is clearly problematic to many people who talk to me, when there is a choice about who we would want an inclusive profession to be associated with.<\/p>\n

I wonder how the previous four Royal Gold Medallists would feel about this? Using representation as a cover for inclusion sticks in the throat for many.<\/p>\n

The benefits of an inclusive approach in architecture \u2013 and any profession \u2013 are clear for all to see.<\/p>\n

In my upcoming book, Building Inclusion<\/a>, I share the advantages of adopting an inclusive approach, the blueprint for achieving it \u2013 and the pitfalls for practices that choose to ignore it.<\/p>\n

Research shows that organisations with diverse teams and inclusive cultures are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets; three times as likely to be high-performing; six times as likely to be innovative and agile; and eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Combine that with the fact that nearly three-quarters of people value working with an organisation with inclusive leaders and that increased employee engagement drives growth<\/a> and you can understand the opportunities.<\/p>\n

If the culture of any organisation is shaped by the worst behaviours leaders are willing to tolerate, then that culture can also be shaped by the best behaviours leaders are willing to demonstrate.<\/p>\n

Demonstrating best behaviours includes vocal and demonstrative support for systemic change. It\u2019s not just who we are, it\u2019s how<\/em> we are that matters.<\/p>\n

The culture to get rid of underrepresented groups and undermine the agenda that supports an inclusive change is not going to help the profession in the short term, let alone the medium and long term.<\/p>\n

Because where does losing talented, minority<\/em> staff leave practices? With an expensive hole to fill because you don\u2019t just lose expertise, you lose organisational knowledge.<\/p>\n

Up to 70 per cent of businesses report that competition for well-qualified talent has increased in the past year<\/a>, and 77 per cent reported difficulties attracting experienced candidates, up from 49 per cent the previous year. Reputational damage from poor inclusive practices will make this tougher.<\/p>\n

Practice has a choice.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

If cost savings have to be made, there are a variety of ways this can be done without ditching staff. But if you must go through redundancies, you should be carrying out an equalities impact assessment (EqIA) to determine who should go.<\/p>\n

You may think you\u2019re aware of your bias and, therefore, it is not a factor. But personal objectivity is a fallacy; it is procedural change that mitigates bias.<\/p>\n

Practices need to look again, otherwise not only will they be shooting themselves in the foot, they\u2019ll be left completely unable to move forward productively, and they will wither where they fall.<\/p>\n

Marsha Ramroop, is an independent inclusion strategist, a former BBC journalist, and ex-director of inclusion and diversity at the RIBA. Her book Building Inclusion is published in August and can be pre-ordered<\/a> now<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

[1]<\/sup><\/a> Juliet Bourke, Which two-heads are better than one? How diverse teams create breakthrough ideas and make smarter decisions, 2016, Australian Institute of Company Directors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a fact. If you have a diverse workforce with an inclusive culture, then you are more resilient to external factors than if working within a homogenous team. So why, you might ask yourself, would architecture firms take the short-termist approach of shedding staff from underrepresented groups? And that is what\u2019s happening, by the way. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":915,"featured_media":741211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[745],"tags":[65578,65579,1466],"yoast_head":"\nInclusion and redundancies \u2013 why the profession risks shooting itself in the foot<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Inclusion strategist Marsha Ramroop fears the profession\u2019s diversity could be threatened as times get tougher, and offers advice to those having to make the hardest decisions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/opinion\/inclusion-and-redundancies-why-the-profession-risks-shooting-itself-in-the-foot\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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