Reworked

To mark International Women’s Day, we were delighted to welcome Pamela Jones to the podcast. EW Group Client Solutions Manager, Nana Umoh, and Pamela discuss the significance of the day and how organisations can better support women in the workplace to excel rather than just survive. Rather than just a day’s focus, Pamela stresses the need for gender equality to be an ongoing conversation, focussed on transformation change which tackles issues such as how women are positioned in the workplace, what their contributions stand for, and how they are recognised. Pamela comments: “More work is needed around really speaking to power structures. How do we start engaging with organisational power structures to bring this parity to women? I think there needs to be more than just a policy. A lot of the time I speak to CEOs and Managers and they say, ‘we have a policy for that’. Whilst policies are useful, they are redundant unless put into practice and mobilised effectively.” Nana and Pamela also speak about the work ne

In this episode, Yvonne Howard is joined by David Latten, Head of Procurement at Logitech, a multi-national consumer electronics manufacturer, to discuss the power the procurement function has to influence DEI across the supply chains they work with, and how Logitech has been working to drive gender equality in the tech and gaming industries. With a career spanning over a decade, David has a wealth of knowledge in finance and procurement. He comments “Being in the pivot point between the internal and external there is a huge and untapped potential for what procurement can do. Procurement can be a huge force for good and that’s really exciting. No one can do everything, but we can all do something.”Sharing insights into Logitech’s values and its focus on promoting gender equality, David discusses Logitech’s partnership with Gender Fair, a coalition of companies focussed on influencing large consumer organisations to work towards gender equality and live up to the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles.

It's time to change the narrative on menopause at work. A one-size-fits-all approach cannot be applied to a diverse group of people who experience menopause and peri-menopause symptoms. So how can employers better support people affected by its symptoms and account for intersectionality? EW Group Managing Director, Rachael Wilson, spoke with two workplace menopause experts - Mel Healy and Jane Stubbs - about how organisations can take an intersectional approach to workplace menopause support. It is crucial businesses and leaders understand the health inequalities and cultural nuances that mean women from different groups (whether race, religion, disability, LGBT+, class or any other identity) will experience, vocalise and receive support for menopause symptoms very differently. Sharing their own personal experiences, they also discuss the different approaches organisations can take to support those experiencing symptoms of the menopause in the workplace, from awareness training and staff consultation ses

In this episode, Tash Thomas is joined by Dante Frederick, Diversity and Inclusion Partner at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the rail industry and the important DEI work GTR has been undertaking. Exploring some of the DEI challenges facing the rail industry, Dante shares insights into the initiatives GTR has put in place to improve diversity in their workforce, from inclusive recruitment practices to appeal to a more diverse range of candidates, to developing an inclusive culture where all employees feel valued are able to be their authentic selves. Tash and Dante discuss the lack of gender representation in particular roles in the rail force, and the success that GTR’s initiatives have yielded so far, such as a doubling in the number of female applicants applying for train driver roles and achieving a 50/50 gender split of new train driver hires. On the benefits of diversifying the workforce, Dante comments: “It’s not just a tick box exercise. There is so m

In this episode, Rachael Wilson is joined by Lateesha Osbourne to discuss her pHD research into black students’ sense of identity and belonging within higher education.Lateesha is a psychologist who applies a DEI lens to her work and in particular has significant expertise in race equality. She has worked with EW and Challenge since 2015 when she joined our team as Training and Business Development Officer and, after being away for a little while studying for her doctorate, is now back as a consultant working on a range of innovative client projects. Lateesha explains the findings from her research which included gathering insights through focus groups with Black students on their experiences of racism. Lateesha analysed how experiences of racism affected the students’ sense of identity and belonging, and the strategies that they adopted to navigate the campus culture. Her findings provide us with a microcosm of other institutions and workplaces and an insight into the experiences of minority groups. Rachael

In this episode, Sush Bastola, Sales Director at the EW Group and Challenge Consultancy, meets Graci Harkema to discuss overcoming adversity and creating a culture of belonging in the workplace. Graci is a US-based diversity specialist. Graci shares her moving and inspirational personal story from being born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during civil unrest with little chance of survival, to being adopted, moving to the USA, realising her sexual orientation and ultimately  accepting herself for who she is. Graci says: “I was living for others’ expectations instead of accepting my own identities. For so long I saw my identities as my shame instead of my strength.”Sush and Graci also discuss how employers can develop authentic leadership and truly be inclusive to support an internal culture which makes employees want to stay. Graci shares insights into how her past colleagues and employer supported her through her journey and helped her feel a sense of belonging in the workplace where she could be her

In this episode of the reWorked podcast, Karen Fonseka, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, talks to Edmund Newell, Principal and Chief Executive at Cumberland Lodge, about social mobility.  Edmund is an economic historian and priest in the Church of England, he was previously a Research Fellow at Nuffield College in Oxford, Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, where he was the founding Director of the St Paul’s Institute, and Sub-Dean of Christ Church, Oxford.Sharing their personal stories, Edmund and Karen discuss social mobility in education, through to recruitment and the workplace. They explore some of the obstacles facing individuals and how organisations can help support and make their roles more accessible and workplaces more inclusive. They also discuss the need to improve accessibility to the workplace through apprenticeship schemes and mentor programmes which focus on developing practical skills needed in the workplace. Edmund also shares an overview of the work Cumberland Lodge does to emp

In this latest episode of our reWorked podcast, Polly Shute and Tash Thomas, EW Group Diversity & Inclusion Consultants, discuss how organisations can create authentic communications to acknowledge LGBT+ History Month in February in the UK and Pride in June.With 2022 marking its 50th year, Tash and Polly share insights into the history of Pride as a protest, how it has evolved over the years and explore how brands can meaningfully support the LGBT+ community and Pride all year round. Polly said: "It is important organisations remember Pride is an emotional brand and make sure they understand the history of Pride and what it actually means before creating an internal or external campaign. Discuss with your ERG networks, colleagues, communities and charities to engage with it effectively and make a positive contribution to your employees and clients."  Tash commented: “One of the challenges is some companies may not even be aware of what their staff demographics are – Out Now’s research in 2020 fo

As December is Disability History Month, the topic of today’s podcast is disability in the tech industry. Winston Ben Clements, EW Group Disability & Inclusion Specialist, talks to Matthew Gough, HR Business Partner at Element, about the bias in algorithms and ways we can improve disability awareness in the tech industry. Winston said: "As we start to think about the ways we can counteract bias, we need to look at our technology and processes. The people inputting the data project their own biases into the programmes and algorithms they are creating, introducing inherent bias into the system." Matthew also shares insights into the culture at Element and the work EW Group has been supporting them with to build disability awareness across the organisation and a more inclusive culture for all. Matthew said: "It's an exciting time within Element from a diversity and inclusion perspective. As part of our DE&I programme, EW Group recently facilitated a fantastic workshop on resilience an

Nicki Pritchard is a Managing Partner and Founder at executive search firm Anderson Quigley, who specialise in working with and supporting organisations who have a social purpose in the public sector, from health and education to non-profit and beyond.In this episode, Rachael and Nicki discuss the importance of the recruitment industry in driving diversity and inclusivity, and how Anderson Quigley has embedded EDI and social purpose throughout their business. Exploring how organisations can affect change and bring greater inclusivity, Nicki explains the culture at Anderson Quigley and the steps they have taken to encourage diversity at all levels of the business.  Nicki says “We always champion new people who are coming into the business and bringing new skill sets, experience and backgrounds with them. It’s this breadth and depth of diversity that we really value – it’s what makes us a really good team to be a part of but it is also this diversity that makes our business hugely successful.”EW Group has been

How do you engage those groups who don’t consider themselves ‘diverse’ in the diversity conversation? This is one challenge our clients all have in common at EW. During the pandemic, many of us have been working from home, some juggling childcare and homelife between partners in a way we had not done before. In some cases, fathers have spent more time with their children. They’ve been there for bath time instead of on a commuter train. And they’ve experienced first-hand how flexible working can enrich their lives. As Elliot told us when he visited the EW podcast, now is the time for organisations to consider better supporting the fathers in their workplace. The benefits are tangible and measurable: from talent retention to productivity. Elliot and Rachael also discuss the intersection of fatherhood with race, disability and sexuality. Elliott speaks candidly about the emotional labour of being a black man in the diversity field. http://musicfootballfatherhood.com/https://twitter.com/MFFonline_Follow EW Group

Sue Unerman is Chief Transformation Officer at MediaCom, which is the UK’s largest Media Agency. She is also the co-author Belonging - The Key to Transforming and Maintaining Diversity, Inclusion and Equality at Work.In this episode, Sue joins Rachael Wilson to discuss what makes belonging different to inclusion, why majority groups are so vital to progressing the diversity agenda and the role we can all play in reimagining the workplace.Connect with Sue on Twitter and LinkedIn.Follow EW Group on Twitter and LinkedIn and sign up to our monthly newsletter for the latest news and thinking in diversity and inclusion.

Securing an environment of respect in which your team is encouraged to think critically are essential threads weaving into the fabric of your inclusive culture. Feeling encouraged to speak up, challenge thoughts, and have difficult conversations are vital in workplaces – after all, the most cutting-edge, risk taking and creative of organisations stray away from a monolith of thinking and approaches. Feeling empowered to do this without facing embarrassment or hostility must be a given.We’re joined in this episode by EW Group experts, Sharla Smith, Nina Mayler and David Ruebain, to explore the increasingly debated topics of safe spaces and psychological safety. Hear how they approach these themes differently and discover why they think work cultures build on safety are key.Connect with Sharla, Nina and David on LinkedIn.Follow EW Group on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest news and thinking in diversity and inclusion.EW Group has worked with organisations to build more diverse and inclusive cultures for almos

Born in Bradford and now living by the sea in the North East, Kate Fox is a poet, comic, radio journalist and wild swimmer. A regular guest on BBC R4, she is a doctor of comedy – it was the subject of her PhD – and identifies as neurodivergent. Kate and Rachael discuss what happens when some of these passions and talents intersect and explore what neurodiversity in the workplace means for your colleagues.Follow Kate on TwitterCheck out her blog on neurodiversity at workLearn more about how you can support neurodiversity by reading our workplace guide.Stay up to date with EW Group on Twitter and LinkedIn.EW Group has worked with organisations to build more diverse and inclusive cultures for almost thirty years. Our offerings include effective training in Diversity and Inclusion and Inclusive Cultures, Diversity Audits, and Strategy and Policy Design. Gain a fair advantage by building a truly fair and inclusive workplace.

Babita Sharma is a broadcaster, journalist and author. A well-known anchor for BBC News, Babita was born the daughter of first-generation immigrant shopkeepers in Reading, Berkshire.Her family’s story was the starting point for her critically-acclaimed documentary Booze, Beans & Bhajis: The Story of the Corner Shop which aired on BBC Four in 2016. She has since published a book on the social history of the corner shop in Britain (which was a Between the Covers pick on BBC Two) and will soon get to work on a children’s picture book series. Babita is a big believer in unblocking barriers to progression for diverse groups and was a mentor on a programme which EW Group designed for the BBC in 2014.We chat about her career so far, class, representation and finding a platform for her very personal story.Follow Babita on Twitter @BabitaTVStay up to date with EW Group news by signing up to our monthly newsletter and by following us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Tom Shakespeare is one of the UK’s leading social scientists. He is Professor of Disability Research at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He has taught, written and researched widely on disability rights and bioethics. In 2011 he co-authored and co-edited the World Report on Disability for the World Health Organisation. Among other things, he’s currently researching how the pandemic has impacted disabled people in England and Scotland, and writing a novel about a time-travelling pub. Tom continues to find time to be a broadcaster and regular contributor to news and current affairs programmes. We talk about making complex ideas simple, strength in adversity, and about giving voice to the lived experience of disabled people through the pandemic.Learn more about Tom's work and follow him on Twitter.Get in touch to find out how we can work with you to progress your organisation's inclusion.

Naomi Dickson is chief executive of Jewish Women’s Aid, the only specialist organisation in the UK supporting Jewish women and children affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. She’s been involved in the organisation for two decades, starting out as a volunteer. Last year Naomi’s tireless work to support vulnerable women was recognised when she was included in the BBC’s 100 Women list. Naomi’s work intersects faith and vulnerable women. She talks to Rachael about how faith influences her leadership, the extent to which she thinks it’s important to reflect the diversity of the community her organisation serves, and the longer term ramifications of the recent media spotlight on anti-Semitism. We also ask: “what can organisations proactively do to mitigate Anti-Semitism and make sure Jewish employees feel included?”.Follow Jewish Women’s Aid Follow Naomi on Twitter Follow Rachael on Twitter Follow EW Group 

reWorked is the diversity and inclusion podcast which unpicks the fabric of working culture. We’re launching our fourth season with a special preview of the themes we think are going to be top of the agenda in 2021. From the health inequalities brought to light by Covid-19 to the Black Lives Matter movement, diversity and inclusion was never far from our minds in 2020. What have we learnt and what has changed? In this Series 4 launch episode of reWorked, Rachael Wilson  sets out what individuals can do in 2021 to build more inclusive work cultures and what organisations can do to progress their D&I agenda. It might be in the form of rolling out company-wide training in diversity and inclusion to your teams. It could be to become accredited in diversity. Or it might be simply taking a stance on equality through specialist guidance. Listen to this episode to discover the range of priorities you can consider for 2021 and get in touch to explore how we can support you. Learn more about the Diversity Developme

To mark the recent 25-year anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, activists and EW Group consultants, David Ruebain and Agnes Fletcher, look back at their involvement in campaigning for disability rights during the 1990s. They delve into what has been accomplished for progressing visibility and equality for disabled people and what is yet to be done to make workplaces and society fair and accessible for people with a range of disabilities. Connect with David and Agnes on LinkedIn.Listen, share, and let us know what topics you would like to see on reWorked in Series 4.Need some support developing your diversity and inclusion strategy? Get in touch to see how we can work with you to attract diverse talent to your organisation.  

This month on reWorked, we are joined by EW Group diversity consultants Safina Nadeem and Yvonne Howard.EW Group’s Business Development Manager, Luke Robinson, sits down with Yvonne and Safina to look back on 2020 from the perspective of Covid-19 and anti-racism. They explore the changes to the world of work, with training going online, and the positive actions organisations are making in response to Black Lives Matter. Find out what organisations can do year-round to create a truly inclusive and anti-racist work culture for their Black, Asian and minority ethnic employees, customers, and stakeholders. Connect with Safina and Yvonne on LinkedIn. Get in touch to find out how we can work with you to build an anti-racist and inclusive culture.