Wokeplace Culture? Or Workplace Transformation?

Wokeplace Culture? Or Workplace Transformation?

By Alma Sheren, Greenacre Group

Over the course of the next parliament the new government will be ushering in some sweeping changes, including welfare, housing and employment reforms. These reforms aim to overhaul many of our outdated systems, behaviours and processes which have been in place for decades, and to build greater equity and diversity across our workspaces.

If you listen to the media, you might be mistaken for thinking that we are a country that is averse to equity, diversity and inclusion. That’s because the media tends to, by its very nature, stoke the flames of division. This suits its purpose because drama bring headlines, which are good for business. But do you know what else is good for business? Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Terms such as ‘woke’ and ‘snowflake’ have been doing the rounds whenever a public discussion on equal workers’ rights and (shock horror) multi-gender equality surface. But how helpful are these contentious terms, and do they really have any place in a developed society? And from a professional point of view, how does this divisive labelling feed into the transforming workplace?

It’s just a jump to the left – or is it a step to the right?

Fear not, I haven’t lured you into a time warp, I’m merely pointing out that we really are not that far divided when it comes to workplace transformation. In fact, the UK is apparently leading the way across Europe in terms of diversity and inclusion according to a study by Good Habitz, although it is largely based upon employees’ responses.

The study shows that around three quarters of the UK workforce believe it is important to work in an organisation that values diversity and inclusion. That’s 7% higher than our European counterparts. Furthermore, nearly 70% feel their organisation is striving for a diverse and equal workplace (again, 7% higher that the rest of Europe).

Does that mean that we are all woke snowflakes and the rest of Europe are a bunch of righty tighties? Hardly. But it does mean we are a nation who understand the value of a diverse and inclusive workforce.

The new Employment Rights Bill is seeking to cement these values and embed them structurally across all industries and businesses. It’s not just a ‘woke’ ambition though. There is strong evidence to suggest that diversity positively impacts the bottom line.

We also appear to be finally recognising the importance of a healthy workforce. And right now, our workforce is in desperate need of a health boost.

You see, compared to our European counterparts, and especially since Brexit and the pandemic, our mental and physical health is poor. In fact, England has poorer health outcomes than average across the EU15+ in most areas according to one study. And another by the Health Foundation shows that The UK invests less in health care as a share of GDP than other EU countries.

Statistically, women are at greater risk of poor mental health due to socio-economic inequality. However, men are at three times greater risk of suicide due to, among other things, social stigma, their role in society and financial pressures.

Although the housing industry as a whole is working hard to break the barriers of inequality, there are some areas that are lagging behind, with Construction and the Built Environment ranking the least inclusive UK industry.

The wokey cokey

Flexible working and sick pay reforms have the potential to not only benefit working women, who continue to bear the brunt of juggling family and worklife, but the entire workforce, particularly those industries that have so far been hard to reach with the EDI pokey stick.

With men’s mental health across the built environment at an all-time low in the UK, the new legislation has the potential to unpick some of the barriers which prevent men seeking support for mental and physical health issues, and to normalise prioritising a healthy workspace for all.  

We’ve been working hard to get women’s voices heard in the workplace. That’s because traditionally, its men’s voices which are loudest in almost every aspect of business, across almost every industry. However, in the one areas where it is the quietest, its taken a woman’s voice, in the form of Alison McGovern, the new Minister of State for Employment, to lead the way on employment rights reforms. It seems ironic that  as women’s voices become louder across our workspaces, so too does the positive impact on all workers’ experiences.

So if you think it’s ‘woke’ to have better overall health, higher productivity, better workplace retainment levels, lower male suicide rates and a much healthier bottom line – the woke’s on you, my friend.