Creating an inclusive workplace

Creating an inclusive workplace is key to helping women and girls to thrive as apprentices. When an environment is welcoming and supportive, it enables them to feel valued, confident, and empowered to succeed.

By fostering an inclusive culture, employers can ensure women and girls – along with all employees – have the support and opportunities they need to reach fulfil their potential.

How to promote a more inclusive workplace

Provide training for all employees: Promote awareness among staff about appropriate workplace behaviour and language, and ensure clear policies are in place to support this.

Promote company values: Make the company’s core values, especially those around diversity and inclusion, clearly visible and mention them often. This ongoing commitment reinforces the company’s dedication to building an inclusive workplace.

Provide positive representation: Celebrate the diversity in your workforce by highlighting role models. This can inspire apprentices to feel represented and in turn, motivate them to become role models themselves.

Show sensitivity to diverse backgrounds and intersectionality: Intersectionality is the idea that people can face multiple layers of disadvantage or discrimination based on their different identities, like race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age. For women and girls, this means their experiences and challenges can be shaped by a combination of these factors so it’s important to be mindful and considerate of this.

Have appropriate facilities: Ensure all staff have access to appropriate facilities, including toilets with appropriate sanitary provision, and women-only changing rooms.

Provide the appropriate PPE: Ensure safety and comfort by providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in women’s sizes. This is essential for ensuring everyone can work effectively and safely.

Wellbeing support for apprentices

Looking after employee wellbeing is becoming increasingly important to employers, and supporting an apprentice’s wellbeing is key to making sure they feel emotionally supported throughout their apprenticeship – especially for those who may face unique challenges, like women in a male-dominated field like STEM. However, statistics show that less than two in five employers, just 37%², actively provide this kind of support.

We understand that smaller employers might find it difficult to offer a full-scale wellbeing programme, including mental health support. However, we strongly encourage employers to make the effort for regular check-ins with apprentices. These meetings can make a huge difference, helping apprentices feel supported, included, and empowered, especially when they might be facing challenges that others don’t.

Some industry bodies or charities such as Foothold (engineering) or the Lighthouse Charity (construction), offer free wellbeing support services so it’s worthwhile understanding what employees in your sector can access.

Sources:

¹ Building inclusive workplaces - CIPD

² Enabling better outcomes - Learning & Work