WISE and Network Rail collaborated on a project to help raise awareness and promote open discussions among Network Rail colleagues, on key issues such as safety, challenging inappropriate behaviour, sexism and allyship.
This strategic partnership project with Network Rail consisted of two main elements – a rail-industrywide roundtable event and report, and the development of a training workshop and resources delivered to Network Rail colleagues. The project aimed to support cultural change, improve inclusivity and ultimately grow the number of women in STEM roles within the rail industry.
Roundtable event and report
WISE hosted a virtual roundtable event, attended by individuals from various rail organisations across the industry. The event focused on the challenges within three key areas, and how to solve them:
- Welfare – PPE (Personal protective equipment) and frontline challenges
- Removing bias and challenging inappropriate behaviour
- Safety – both physical and psychological
Organisations were encouraged to share their own good practice and learnings, and WISE provided expertise and signposted organisations to relevant support and resources. Post-event, WISE wrote up the learnings and shared the report with Network Rail and roundtable attendees.
Allies for Inclusion
‘Allies for Inclusion’ was designed to show the different experiences that female colleagues are having at work, and to promote inclusivity, respect and allyship through open and honest conversations. Network Rail, WISE and Inspire (Network Rail’s gender equity employee network) utilised the discussions from the roundtable as well as real-life experiences and behaviours of employees at Network Rail within the resources.
WISE wrote scripts for a series of videos based on real-life experiences and hired actors and a videographer to recreate these for learning purposes. These videos were built into a programme combining audiovisual material and discussion prompts that could be completed by Network Rail employees across the country.
The session focuses on non-inclusive behaviours towards women, and the impact that has on how safe they feel at work. The video training had three key focuses:
- How to manage and support women in the team
- The impact of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour can have at work
- Importance of empowering women in the workplace
It also includes links to additional resources from WISE and Network Rail, to encourage further engagement or support if needed.
“Allies for Inclusion’ has now been rolled out to thousands of colleagues nationwide, with points of contact for each region and function aiding delivery.
“Allies for Inclusion has made a real impact across the business and the feedback we’ve received from colleagues is that it’s really making a difference: 93% of colleagues who attended the session now feel somewhat or extremely confident to challenge poor behaviours at work.”
WISE also designed a series of posters, based on the video content, that could be put up around sites across the country. These posters included:
- Quotes and statistics from an Inspire (Network Rail’s gender equity employee network) survey.
- Details on what Network Rail is doing to support.
- Information on how individuals can support.
- Links to useful Network Rail resources.
If you’d be interested in piloting a programme similar to this in your organisation, please email wise@theiet.org.