Inclusive Environments & Diversity, Inclusion and Teamworking

Question 1

What is workplace diversity?

Answer 1

• Diversity in the workplace related to the acceptance and inclusion of employees from all backgrounds.
• Ensuring diversity in the workplace is an important asset of an organisation as it acknowledges the individual strengths of each employee and the potential they bring.

Question 2

What is the importance of team working in Building Surveying and what makes successful teamworking?

Answer 2

Effective team-working is an essential skill for chartered surveyors given the nature of our work with clients, other consultants, other surveyors, contractors and of course, our colleagues.

• Successful team-working relies upon understanding team dynamics, including:
  1. How they are formed
  2. Our roles within teams and the behaviours which lead to effective personal
  3. Professional outcomes.

Question 3

What are some examples of teamworking that you have demonstrated?

Answer 3

One example of this is when carrying out a schedule of condition to a multi-screen cinema.

I worked in a team with a fellow colleague Building Surveying colleague and a colleague from the administrative department to pull together a schedule of condition.

My colleague and I carried out then inspection, during while on-site. We carried out the inspection of the first screen together and quicky found that it was challenging to record the condition of the bespoke ceiling system with the lights on as the photos only showed the glare of the photos. so my colleague and I discussed solutions and decided to try to take separate photographs of the ceiling with some of the lights off and the camera flash on to so the condition of the ceiling and others with the lights on to show the lights working.

Once all photographs and associated notes were sufficiently recorded, my colleague and I reviewed the photographs and arranged them in the correct order prior to asking a member of our administrative staff to insert the photographs into a blank template. This was to harness their skills as they were significantly faster than my colleague and I in doing this task. Simultaneously, my colleague and I filled out the schedule of text and reviewed the administrative staff members work at regular intervals.

We maintained communication throughout by working next to each other within the office for the duration of the task.

Question 4

What legislation is in place to promote equality and prevent discrimination?

Answer 4

The Equality Act 2010.

Question 5

Can you tell me how the Equality Act 2010 promotes equality and prevents discrimination and what obligations it places on employers, service providers and public
authorities?

Answer 5

The Act aims to eliminate discrimination based on a wide range of protected characteristics, including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

• It employers, service providers and public authorities them to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities and to actively work towards eliminating discriminatory practices.
• Need for an access statement/audit for all properties - setting out details of access arrangements and alternative arrangements if access cannot be reasonably provided for a disabled person.
• Service providers have a duty to ‘make alterations to a building so to avoid disability discrimination or make an alternative provision of the service. These must be “reasonable” in cost, extent and disruption.
• Landlords need to ensure that all dealings with a tenant or occupier who could have a protected characteristic are dealt with in accordance with the Act’s provisions.

Question 6

What is an inclusive environment?

Answer 6

An inclusive environment is one which is designed and managed to allow people with a diverse range of
needs and abilities to access and use it.

Question 7

How would you ensure that an environment is inclusive throughout its lifecycle?

Answer 7

• During design and/or refurbishment, it is important to ensure that accessibility is considered from various users’ perspectives.
• During a building’s occupancy, building owners, occupiers and managers must ensure that potential
  users of the space can reasonably do so despite any disabilities.

Question 8

Under the Equality Act 2010, what is considered when determining if a measure of adjustment is ‘reasonable’?

Answer 8

• Effectiveness of the adjustment for the disabled person
• The practicality of the adjustment
• Its financial cost and likely disruption
• Financial and other resources available to the service provider

Question 10

What are the advantages of Inclusive Environments

Answer 10

1. Increased productivity: due to a broader range of skills on the team.
2. Increased creativity: different skillsets and perspectives within the team.
3. Improved cultural awareness: due to a diversity of cultures within the workplace.
4. Positive reputation: companies that have a diverse workplace.