Safety and Wellbeing
Tarmac Communities
“Employee communities are a great way to connect, provide support and promote real change. I hope everyone finds them valuable.”
Louise Houston, Head of Inclusion and Diversity
In 2021 we launched a series of employee networks we call Communities – a new way for colleagues to connect. We’re proud to celebrate what matters to our colleagues and help everyone bring their whole self to work. Communities are hosted on ‘The Circle’, Tarmac’s intranet helps employees to find like-minded people to share advice and knowledge, provide support or just socialise together.
Our first communities reflected colleague feedback in line with our inclusion and diversity (I&D) activity. Following our I&D survey, we asked an Employee Development Programme (EDP) team to put forward recommendations on what more we could do – and employee networks was a clear favourite.
Throughout 2021 our employee communities have grown from 5 to 10 and have been viewed over 15,000 times.
- Female voice
- Menopause Support (closed group for our female employees going through the menopause)
- Mental health and wellbeing
- LGBTQ+
- REACH (religion, ethnic and cultural heritage)
- Parents and carers
- Ability (physical and non-physical disabilities including neurodiversity)
- Inclusion and Diversity Champions
- Sustainability
- Go Digital
Communities are open to both members and allies – for anyone who may identify as part of a group or may wish to offer support as an ally, whether that’s offering skills, sponsorship and amplifying concerns, or to learn more.
Our colleagues involved have helped drive real change through our communities this year, here are some of the differences they’ve made:
New women’s PPE – Our Inclusion and Diversity team, colleagues from our Female Voice community and group Procurement worked collaboratively to process feedback, review alternatives and engage suppliers to ensure we got the right solution. Supported by our health and safety team we have now been able to find safe and practical women’s PPE which is fit for purpose.
Pronouns available on emails and Circle profile – Colleagues are now able to add their gender pronouns to email signatures and profiles on our intranet.
Launched the Ability Community – This community will support our people who have a disability (visible and non-visible) or are neurodivergent and provide guidance for allies.
The Menopause support Community – We also have a menopause working group looking at developing a policy and other ways Tarmac can support colleagues going through this life stage. The group has already drafted a menopause support policy and this will be reviewed in 2022.