Speaker Presentations: The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Conference 2021

Thank you for attending The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Conference 2021.

We hope you found the day informative and interesting. You can download the speaker presentations after the event from this page. Please bookmark or otherwise save this page so that you are able to return.

Berkeley Wilde, Executive Director, The Diversity Trust

Matt Reed, Head of Wellbeing, Department for Work and Pensions

Melanie Green, Research Adviser, CIPD

Ian Adams, Director of Membership and Stakeholder Engagement, NHS Resolution

Pav Akhtar, Strategic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and Director of Strategy, UK Black Pride

Celina Mfuko, EDI Manager, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Director, Business in the Community

Sasha Deepwell, CEO, Irwell Valley Homes and Chair of the Diversity, Inclusion, Community Cohesion & Equalities (DICE) Group, Greater Manchester Housing Providers

Patrick Thomson, Policy Institute Director, Shaw Trust

Dr Sabrina Robinson, Wellbeing Lead, Essex County Council

You can find recordings of the event sessions here:

Morning Session 1

Morning Session 2

Afternoon Session

Afternoon Session 2

Additional Resources:

CIPD Good Work Index:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/work/trends/goodwork#gref

Inclusion & diversity research and guidance:
CIPD I&D topic page: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/diversity
Research and recommendations:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/diversity/management-recommendations
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/diversity/building-inclusive-workplaces
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/diversity/inclusion-perspectives-lgbt
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/diversity/race-inclusion-reports

Flexible and hybrid working research and guidance:
Webinar, inclusive hybrid working: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/coronavirus/webinars/inclusive-cultures-facilitating-hybrid-working-24-september-2020
Topic pages and case studies:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/flexible-working
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/flexible-working/hybrid-working-case-studies
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/coronavirus/remote-hybrid-working

Burnout Hub | The Charity for Civil Servants (foryoubyyou.org.uk)

Fatigue Assessment

This page tells you all you need to know about fatigue assessments.

What is a Fatigue Assessment?

This is a proactive wellbeing intervention, involving a 30-minute call with a PAM practitioner using clinically validated criteria to assess and measure signs of stress and fatigue in an employee, the aim being to nip these in the bud before deep-rooted problems develop and set in. Follow up calls may be offered, allowing measurement of pre- and post-assessment scores to understand how the employee is benefitting from the intervention. It isn’t a fitness for work assessment and isn’t in any way associated with the attendance or stress risk processes. The Fatigue Assessment is a proactive tool to support your wellbeing. To give you an idea of whether this might be something that can help you; you could be working either at home or in the office, or taking up a new role (following redeployment for example) and feel you need some support with adjusting because your wellbeing is being impacted. DWP wants to support your wellbeing no matter what your current situation.

To help you decide whether you might benefit from a Fatigue Assessment, the following pointers might help. It’s important to keep in mind also that colleagues may not be seeing each other face to face currently due to remote working, and it may not be as easy to spot signs of stress/fatigue as it is when working in the same location.

To give you an idea of whether this might benefit you, you could be:

Reporting that you are not taking your regular scheduled breaks, or skipping lunch breaks or working late into the evening/not switching off easily from work
Currently unable to live in your usual family unit, going through relationship breakdown or domestic abuse, or experiencing financial worries, placing additional stress on your wellbeing
Juggling work and extra caring responsibilities, placing extra demands on your wellbeing
Experiencing performance issues in the workplace, or reduced concentration and irritability
Not seeming your ‘usual self’ – for example a little quieter or more anxious, angry/upset than usual
Struggling to settle into a new role following redeployment or a change at work
Reporting experiencing feelings of isolation and/or loneliness
Giving an indication during conversations that you are experiencing low mood/low self-esteem
Showing signs of burnout (burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place)

What’s the desired outcome of the Assessments?

This is a preventative and supportive wellbeing service, designed to help build personal resilience, help you to stay/flourish at work; to prevent sick leave; and to nip stress, burnout and fatigue in the bud before it becomes something more serious. DWP is providing this support because we care about colleague wellbeing and want to help you wherever we can.

The aim of the 30 min assessments is to:

Identify any employee who may be showing signs of fatigue
Share findings directly with the employee and offer immediate support and guidance; to signpost into validated self-help resources; to involve a PAM Wellness Coach where appropriate, and to recommend psychological/mental wellbeing support (via EAP) where indicated
Encourage employees to think and reflect on their own mental wellbeing and how they can self-manage with improved confidence

When and how should a Fatigue Assessment be requested?

Managers can refer via PAM’s OHIO system. As part of regular keep in touch arrangements and 121s, employees and managers should be having supportive, open wellbeing conversations. It is likely that during these meetings (whether these are taking place at work, or through telephone or Teams calls) that either party may feel that some additional advice and support could be helpful if an issue around personal wellbeing is discussed.

The 5 Step Wellbeing Conversation or the employee-led Wellbeing Insight Indicator may also help you identify whether a Fatigue Assessment might be beneficial and these toolkits should be used regularly by both colleagues and managers to support good, positive wellbeing discussions.

Good wellbeing is vital in keeping us resilient, and having strong resilience helps us perform at our very best for the longest possible time. During the COVID-19 pandemic the ability to be able to discuss wellbeing openly, honestly and compassionately has never been more important, and doing so helps everyone in DWP to work to their fullest potential at this difficult time. Looking after and having good wellbeing also helps us to be at our best both at home and at work.

Is the process confidential and will both manager and/or employee receive a copy of the report?

Yes, everything you discuss with the practitioner is completely confidential. Your line manager will receive a brief report, having first sought your consent. The report will let your manager know that a Fatigue Assessment has taken place, will advise them of any advice or signposting you’ve been given, describe any follow up actions and whether a Stress Risk Assessment is recommended. On receipt of the report, your manager should provide you with a copy, and arrange an early 121 Wellbeing Conversation with you to better support your wellbeing.

Guidance for Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) and Wellbeing Advocates

Mental Health First Aiders and Wellbeing Advocates play a vital role in supporting the mental wellbeing of colleagues, and are often the first people colleagues turn to if they need help and support. If a colleague approaches you about their wellbeing, please advise them in the normal way by signposting to PAM Assist and the Charity for Civil Servants. You should also consider directing colleagues to this new Fatigue Assessment, explaining that it is designed to fully support employee wellbeing, nip any issues or concerns in the bud, and could be an excellent source of signposting and support to help address a mental wellbeing issue. Colleagues should be reassured that this assessment is not connected at all with attendance or stress procedures; it is purely a supportive, confidential wellbeing assessment and can be submitted by line management. If any MHFA or Advocate needs help or support in carrying out this signposting role, please send an email to the DWP Wellbeing Team(link sends e-mail) inbox and the team will be happy to support you.

What happens during the Fatigue Assessment and is there any follow up?

When you speak to the practitioner, your responses are scored on a scale of 0 to 3, with responses in the 2 or 3 category generating more targeted specialist support and advice. Follow-up assessments will also be offered and arranged where colleagues score moderate or above. The scoring is based on the following fatigue scale:

0 – no concerns
1 – mild concerns
2 – moderate concerns
3 – significant concerns

Employees scoring 2 and 3 will be automatically re-booked within 3-4 weeks of the initial assessment call, with a rescoring and further recommendations as appropriate. This could be a referral for counselling advice via EAP, and can include a warm hand-over into the service facilitated by the practitioner, or further occupational health support – for example, physiotherapy where pain due to a musculoskeletal condition might be impacting your mental wellbeing. The practitioner can progress for a PhIL referral on your behalf. If the practitioner feels a management referral is recommended to allow a further detailed assessment to take place (which would include a manager report and your consent), they will advise you to speak with your line manager who can submit a request direct to PAM via the online system.