Diversity, Inclusion & Team-working

Question 1

What are the nine protected characteristics under the UK’s Equality Act 2010?

Answer 1

1. Sex
2. Sexual Orientation
3. Age
4. Race
5. Religion or belief
6. Pregnancy and maternity
7. Gender reassignment
8. Disability
9. Marriage or partnership

Question 2

What has the RICS said on diversity?
(submission)

Answer 2

“Diversity and inclusion is a business imperative for attracting top talent into organisations.”

Question 3

How can teams recognise the value of diversity and inclusion and incorporate them?

Answer 3

1. Appropriate policies underpinned by suitable values
2. Recruitment techniques which recognise and address unconscious biases
3. Inclusive communication rather than discriminatory
4. Practices exceeding legal requirements under the Equality Act 2010
5. Training increasing the awareness around d&i and reducing influence of unconscious bias

Question 4

What is unconscious bias?
(submission)

Answer 4

Attitudes, assumptions or beliefs that influence our thinking without our concious awareness.

These are influenced by attitudes formed form our experiences, during our upbringing and education, an the environments in which we work and live.

Question 5

How to tackle unconscious bias in the workplace?
(submission)

Answer 5

• Set goals for diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Raise awareness about unconscious bias in the workplace
• Peer review
• Encourage team members to speak up about biases

Question 6

What is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)?

Answer 6

• Signed by RICS and other built environment bodies - RIBA
• Intended to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive sector in order to be more representative of the society it serves
• MoU requires organisations to determine reasons for poor performance in this area through data collection and education
• Bichard Review highlighted the need to improve diversity and exclusivity in decisions and actions relating to its own governance

Question 7

What are some key skills for effective team-working?

Answer 7

• Listening - to other people’s ideas
• Discussing - team members to ask questions + interact
• Persuading - individuals to consider their positions
• Respect - treating team members with respect + support their ideas
• Helping - to encourage teamwork
• Sharing - information to create a positive team environment
• Participating - ensuring all team members get involved
• Communication - having effective communication skills to allow team members to work together
• Reflection - identifying strengths + weaknesses of team members + the team itself

Question 8

Why is RICS addressing diversity & inclusivity?
(submission)

Answer 8

1. Real Estate sector has traditionally suffered from a significant lack of diversity
2. Part of the Bichard Review recommendations
3. They recognise it is important that teams have diverse membership, in terms of backgrounds and qualities = successful team CHECK

Question 9

What are some of the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

Answer 9

• Broader range of perspectives
• Better problem solving
• Improve overall business performance
• Recruit from a larger pool of talent
• Greater innovation

Question 10

Who is the RICS Chair on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

Answer 10

Louise Brooke-Smith

Question 11

What’s Cluttons’ policy on diversity and inclusion?

Answer 11

CHECK

Question 12

What are some of the negative effects of unconscious bias?
(submission)

Answer 12

• Can create unfair disadvantages
• Prevents diversity and culture
• Can lead to a less inclusive workplace

Question 13

What two main types of biases?

Answer 13

Conscious bias

Unconscious bias

Are some unconscious biases that have a direct impact on the
workplace:

• Affinity bias—The tendency to warm up to people like
  ourselves
• Halo effect—The tendency to think everything about a
  person is good because you like that person.
  -Perception bias—The tendency to form stereotypes
  and assumptions about particular groups that make
  it impossible to make independent judgments about
  members of these groups.
• Confirmation bias—The tendency of people to
  seek information that confirms existing beliefs or
  assumptions.

Question 14

What is the RICS Inclusive Employer Quality Mark?
(submission)

Answer 14

• The IEQM is the benchmark for inclusion and diversity in land, property and construction, and is based on 6 principles.
• The mark is designed to change behaviour by encouraging all firms, large and small, to look carefully at their employment practices and put inclusivity at the heart of what they do

Question 15

What are the six principles that the RICS Inclusive Employer Quality Mark is based on?
(submission)

Answer 15

• Leadership and vision;
• Recruitment;
• Staff retention;
• Staff development;
• Staff engagement; and
• Continuous improvement.