What is your role at Churchill and what does it involve day to day?
I’m a contracts manager and work on the JLL contract looking after a large shopping centre in the Southern Region.
What made you decide to become a Mosaic champion?
Diversity and inclusion is something I have focused on with my own teams and I was keen to have an opportunity to help make a difference on a bigger scale. I also really enjoy asking questions and having meaningful conversations around D&I topics, whether that is listening to someone’s experiences, challenging perceptions, or discussing how we can make improvements. I think it is important for all voices to be heard, regardless of identity or position within the workplace and, as a Mosaic champion, I can make that happen.
Is there a particular area of diversity and inclusion you are interested in? Disability, mental health etc.
Mental health and LGBTQ+ inclusion are my main areas of interest but in the last couple of years I have also been looking at personality diversity, as traits such as introversion and extraversion are now being included in many D&I perspectives after lockdown highlighted how much impact they have on people’s experience of work and how they can dramatically affect people’s feelings of inclusion in, and belonging to, a group.
Why do you think diversity and inclusion is important in the workplace?
Feeling like you belong, that you are valued and have a voice makes such a huge difference, not only to an employee’s experience of work, but to their entire wellbeing. On top of these important factors, feeling valued for who you are is also an essential part of building motivated and productive teams. I know how much more effective I am when I am able to feel I can be myself at work!
What would you like to see workplaces doing to improve D&I in the future?
I’d love to see more open conversations happening, creating a culture where people aren’t afraid to challenge something when they feel it is wrong, regardless of their position. We should also be building psychological safety and safer spaces for everyone. I also think there should be more of a holistic focus on inclusion and building belonging throughout the whole organisation.
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