WEBINAR

Register to watch the webinar on-demand on Constructing equality – Tackling and addressing unconscious bias.

Construction News and New Civil Engineer are delighted to be relaunching their Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering event programme for 2024. For the first time Ground Engineering will be joining the event programme to support women in the sector.

The events will kick off with a free to attend webinar on 8 March from 11:00am – 12:00pm GMT. The discussion will focus on tackling unconscious and implicit bias within in the construction and engineering sectors with a panel of industry experts.

In light of the industry grappling with various issues pertaining to the recruitment and retention of women, a prominent concern revolves around the treatment of women in the workplace and on construction sites. Despite initiatives aimed at enhancing diversity by bringing in more women and individuals from varied backgrounds into construction and engineering, the industry majority white and male.

There is a risk that work behaviours, decision-making processes, and the overall work culture may be influenced by unconscious bias, impacting the decision-making landscape. This bias often results in women feeling that the sector is unsuitable for them due to inappropriate behaviour, discriminatory comments, and the use of language that is not conducive to an inclusive environment.

To tackle these challenges, the industry is increasingly embracing unconscious bias training and a better understanding of the issues at hand. During this webinar our panel of experts will discuss tackling implicit bias, how we can all identify our biases, and EDI policy to improve these challenges within our workplaces

Some of the questions we will address include:

• What specific challenges do women and individuals from diverse backgrounds face in the construction and engineering industries due to unconscious bias?
• In your experience, what impact does unconscious bias have on decision-making processes within the industry?
• How can individuals within the sector identify and address their own unconscious biases to contribute to a more equitable workplace?
• What role do EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) policies play in mitigating unconscious bias in the construction and engineering sectors?
• Are there specific areas within the industry where unconscious bias is more prevalent, and if so, how can these be addressed?