ADD2463 Delivery of Workforce Integration Design Lab

The Workforce Integration Network was established in 2018 as part of ‘All of Us’, the Mayor’s Strategy for Social Integration. The strategy recognises that we can only achieve a more socially integrated city by breaking down the inequalities Londoners face in their everyday lives. One major inequality is disproportionate levels of unemployment and barriers to accessing and progressing in good work. Recently the COVID-19 crisis and #BlackLivesMatter movement have continued to shine a light on the deep-seated inequalities that impact how Londoners live and work. A critical part of rebuilding London’s economy in the aftermath of this public health crisis is tackling these inequalities.

The Workforce Integration Network aims to change the way businesses in London operate, in turn helping to improve pathways for underrepresented groups in the workplace. Since 2018 it has been working to change the way businesses in the digital and construction sector operate, to achieve more diverse, inclusive and representative workforces. It has bold and ambitious overarching aims - to bring together business leaders to build back better from the current economic crisis London is facing, in turn creating a ripple effect through their sector, and ultimately significantly improving levels of inclusion and representation in the sectors.

WIN’s work supports and builds on Pillar 4 of the Good Work Standard, which aims to set out a commitment to action for businesses. WIN further provides focused resources and support on tackling disparities for BAME groups and considering the intersection of inequalities that disadvantaged groups in the workplace.

Since July 2018 (through Decisions MD2311, MD2461) the programme has been conducting research, developing resources and building relationships with employers in the digital and construction sectors. This work has shown that, alongside a commitment to change, employers need practical support and guidance to achieve the objectives of the WIN. As part of this it commissioned the development of the forthcoming Inclusive Employers Toolkit by the Black Training Enterprise Group. Based on research and testing with over 40 employers, this toolkit sets out 17 actions for employers to take to catalyse organisational change and build workforces that are inclusive and representative of young black men. This is set to be published in early Autumn 2020. The Design lab will build on this approach and the materials within the toolkit, using it to provide bespoke support to selected employers.

COVID-19 has impacted levels of inequality in the workplace. The Workforce Integration Design Lab will provide support to ensure continued engagement and commitment from large tech employers to tackle inequalities and implement findings from the Inclusive Employers Toolkit.

The GLA is seeking to procure a suitable multi-disciplinary delivery partner to provide external services to deliver the Workforce Integration Design Labs. It partner will provide expert support for employers in the digital sector to design and test strategies to tackle underrepresentation in their workforces. Providing an evidence-based framework and foundational resources of best practice in EDI, it will bring together senior managers in companies to explore and develop practical solutions to challenges in their organisation. This support will be provided through a range of tools and techniques including 121 coaching, group workshops, expert talks, practical application and peer learning.

The Workforce Integration Network aims to work with businesses to significantly improve levels of inclusion and representation in their sectors.

The overarching objectives of the Workforce Integration Design Lab for November 2020 – October 2021 are:

• 10 companies participated and completed the Design Lab, successfully testing and implementing solutions to priority challenges identified at the start of year;
• all 10 have publicly committed to changing their practice to improve their organisations diversity and have developed and implemented the first year of a strategy for action in relation to WIN’s target group (young black men); and
• learning and resources from the Design Lab captured and disseminated for use by employers across the sector.

Overall the success of the programme is evaluated through the following outcomes:

• Commitment - Participating employers engaged with the GLA on diversifying their workforce, publicly committed to reach a level of diversity that reflects London’s communities, with specific commitment to WIN’s target groups (young black men).
• Strategy and Approach – An understanding of the intersecting nature of inequalities is embedded in participating employers’ strategies to build diverse and inclusive workforces
• Legacy - Strong networks built within the digital industry, participating companies become leaders, championing changing and owning what comes next. This leads to a culture of shared learning and increased collaborating to tackle industry-wide challenges.
• Community of Practice - Increased learning for the digital industry and wider employers on how to catalyse organisational change on workforce diversity and inclusion and how to implement and evaluate effective approaches.

Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor of London must have ‘due regard’ of the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

The decision requested by this ADD builds on the initial work of the Workforce Integration Network to address underrepresentation in London’s workforce and will contribute to the Mayor’s equality objective to work with others so that “as many Londoners as possible can participate in, and benefit from employment opportunities in London” (Objective 19). This objective is underpinned by evidence that young black men are under-represented in London’s digital sector workforce.

Equality, integration and inclusion in the workplace are the drivers behind the Workforce Integration Design Labs. With WIN’s focus on young black men, it is also specifically designed to focus on tackling disadvantage, discrimination and structural racism as a barrier to accessing and progressing in good work.

Risks and Issues

Risks are managed on a project basis. At the time of writing the major risk for this sub-project are the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, especially how social distancing measures affect in person delivery of the Design Lab. This can be mitigated through highlighting the risk and requirement to outline plans for virtual delivery as part of procurement process.

Further risks include receiving insufficient quality of bids to carry out the delivery of the project. This can be mitigated through working closely with equalities experts to engage relevant partners in the process.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

The Workforce Integration Network Design Lab’s work supports the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, particularly Objective 19 which commits to working with others to ensure as many Londoners can benefit from employment opportunities as possible.

It links to the Skills for Londoners strategy, in particular Objective 2 which commits to ‘increase targeted support to the most disadvantaged groups, so they are better equipped to access education and work’ and Objective 4 ‘Promote productivity by supporting employers to develop and make the best use of the skills of their current and future workforce’.

Further, it supports London’s Economic Development Strategy which outlines the Mayor’s plan to create a fairer more inclusive economy where Londoners are paid and treated fairly by employers.

Finally, it supports the Mayor’s commitment to tackle and mitigate inequalities highlighted by COVID-19, particularly for black Londoners and London’s recovery mission to ensure good work for all Londoners.

There are considered to be no conflicts to declare in relation to this matter.

The expenditure of £50,000 will be funded from the 2020-21 Social Integration budget within the Communities and Social Policy Unit.