Welcome back to Project IDD, where we’re giving space companies the tools they need to build a truly inclusive organisation.

We’re picking up where we left off in Part 1, challenging and reframing perceptions of diversity and inclusion to enable positive change across the space sector.

In Project IDD Part 1, we explored issues of diversity and inclusion from a gender perspective. We gave exclusive insights from two of our principle recruiters who achieved a 50/50 gender split in their placements, and told you how to attract and retain talented women in your organisation. In part 2, we’re delving into the complexities surrounding visible diversity in the space sector, and the vital role that inclusion will play in shaping the industry’s future.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – diversity isn’t achievable in any organisation without inclusivity. Inclusion needs to come first. It’s the driving force behind diversity. Too many companies are focused on ‘diversity’ purely on a surface level. Hiring candidates solely for their ‘diversity criteria’ is not a quick fix. You need to work out how to retain these individuals and value them for their unique contributions. In order to build a truly diverse workforce, companies need to first deal with issues of inclusion.

An inclusive workplace is essential to retain talent from all walks of life. If you’re bringing people into an workplace where they feel excluded, without a sense of belonging, pockets of isolation will form. These pockets are causing companies to miss out on retaining highly qualified individuals.

Having a workforce with different backgrounds and experiences bring new perspectives, ideas and skills to the team. These new perspectives lead to innovative new ideas and approaches to problem-solving, while helping organisations to better serve diverse customer bases.

The Business Case for Diversity

In case you’ve forgotten the business case for an inclusive workplace, here’s a reminder:

This isn’t new information. Across the space sector, companies that truly understand the benefits of a diverse workforce are outperforming their competitors. Those who don’t share this vision will be left in the dust. Organisations need to go past compliance with the Equality Act to build a working environment that welcomes, supports and retains talent from all walks of life.

We spoke to Shelli Brunswick about the true value of inclusion in her broad and deep understanding of the space sector.

Shelli Brunswick, COO of Space Foundation, is a passionate advocate of this message. She’s a leading role model in the space sector, and an active diversity and inclusion champion. Shelli received the 2021 Global Technology Leader award and was honoured as the 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Role Model.

What role will inclusion play in shaping the future of the space sector?

“Inclusion equates to innovation. When we bring diversity to the table, that’s when we’re going to be more innovative, bring new ideas to market faster with better results, and optimize resources. We face major challenges here on Earth with climate change, and many of the potential solutions are rooted in space technology.

We have seen how space technology from the Apollo era — more than 60 years ago — has helped us here on Earth. We have benefited from formulated food, fire-retardant clothing, telecommunications, and healthcare innovations based on space technology. It’s critical that we continue to look to space innovation and the Artemis generation and how they can improve the quality of life on Earth now and for the next 60 years.

At $469B, the global space ecosystem is a healthy market to join. We need to keep inspiring the next generation of space contributors to explore space careers, and we need to keep promoting diversity among gender, geographies and generations for both STEM and non-STEM career opportunities available. Only then will we be able to attract the talent and accelerate the solutions needed to explore the universe and better life on Earth.”

 

What are the long-term consequences if we ignore issues of diversity and inclusion?

“We can’t talk about solving our greatest challenges on Earth unless we invite diversity — genders, geographies, and generations — to the table. The best solutions are going to require time and an investment of resources, and those resources need to embrace a diversity of perspective and experience that comes from bringing everyone to the table to work together.

I had the privilege of meeting a 13th-generation Samurai woman at Dubai Expo 2020 during Space Week. She attended my session on “Space in Our Daily Lives.” After my presentation, she presented me with a pearl necklace. However, this wasn’t a typical pearl necklace; it was all irregular pearls with one pearl made of gold. The necklace’s message was that we are all imperfect until we come together and form a perfect union. Without diversity and inclusion at our tables, it will be difficult to form that perfect union that can solve our planet’s greatest challenges.”

 

No inclusive workplace was built in a day. It requires honest introspection and careful planning for companies to understand where the problems lie in their unique organisation. We’re helping you take this first step. From here, you can work towards building a culture of equality and inclusion that will take your company to the next level.

Visible Diversity

A diverse workplace isn’t necessarily an inclusive one. While many companies think the first step towards inclusion is building a visibly diverse team, this logic further contributes to feelings of isolation within the workplace. If you’re bringing people into an environment where they do not feel a sense of belonging, they will leave and take their talent to an inclusive organisation. This is known as tokenism.

Tokenism – the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to do a particular thing, especially by recruiting a small number of people from under-represented groups in order to give the appearance of sexual or racial equality within a workforce.

Limiting people to and defining them by visible characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, disability and age is far from inclusive. These assumptions stem back to unconscious bias, which is a huge roadblock on the road to inclusion.

Unconscious bias happens without our knowledge. It can influence how we make decisions, interpret events, and interact with others, even when we think we are being fair and objective. It often involves associating certain characteristics with certain groups, which can have a huge impact on creating an inclusive workplace.

Stereotyping people based on their physical appearance leads to a lack of understanding and appreciation for the distinctive skills, talents, and perspectives that each individual brings to the table. This not only hinders the growth and development of the individual, but it also limits the potential of the organisation as a whole. It’s essential for companies to create a culture of inclusivity and respect, where individuals are valued for their unique contributions and not judged based on their physical characteristics.

Unconscious bias often creeps in during talent acquisition processes. People can create false preconceptions of a candidate based on something as simple as a name, instantly deeming them unfit for a role.

We spoke to two of our senior recruiters, Glen and Mike, about how companies can tweak their processes to ensure equity and inclusion.

“Talent acquisition processes are a huge driver of diversity and inclusion issues. Without carefully planned recruitment strategies, a workforce can become increasingly homogeneous. Selection processes should be blind. You need to take preconceptions and stereotypes out of the equation if you want to build a strong team of talented and unique individuals.

Some recruitment processes can actually be counter inclusive. For example, within a non-diverse organisation, employee referrals often contribute to ethnicity, nationality and gender-related homogeneity. Traditionally, these referrals make up a third of hires. While being undeniably effective and convenient methods of recruitment, they can unintentionally create a diversity imbalance that increases over time.

To combat this, consider tracking your referrals to determine whether they sway towards a particular demographic. If they do, it’s time to consider how you can attract candidates from other underrepresented groups. Alongside this, you can cap employee referrals, or reassess and redistribute your recruitment budget towards more inclusive hiring methods.”

“Employee benefits massively impact inclusion. It’s important for employers to tailor packages with a modern and holistic approach. By incorporating working practices, external responsibilities and personal wellbeing, your offering will appeal to and support a wider range of talented individuals.

Flexible working is a massively popular benefit that has a huge impact on the range of candidates you attract. By allowing your employees to work in a way that suits their needs, lifestyle and responsibilities, your company will appeal to a wider range of demographics.

Flexible working can take many forms, such as ‘flexi-time’, which allows employees to choose their start, finish and break times, and remote or hybrid working. When it comes to remote working:

Remote working also massively increases opportunities for people with disabilities.

Disability Workplace Inclusion

It’s important to remember that not all disabilities are visible. We’ll explore invisible disabilities in Project IDD Part 3, but for now, let’s discuss visible disabilities.

Despite repeated statistic proof that employees with disabilities are more reliable, loyal and punctual than non-disabled workers, some employers are quick to disability as a barrier. In some cases, it can automatically disqualify a candidate in their mind. These misconceptions cause companies to miss out on hiring skilled professionals who could make significant contributions to the space sector, as well as wider STEM industries. It’s a harmful and narrow-minded mentality that needs to be addressed.

Visible disabilities have been historically discriminated against. Even as part of the team, these employees are often overlooked and under-supported.

We spoke to Eric Ingram, CEO and co-founder of SCOUT, about the importance of disability inclusion.

Eric is a passionate ambassador of disability inclusion, and the ways different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences can take space organisations to the next level. He’s a board member of the Space Frontier Foundation and an ambassador and organising team member for Mission: AstroAccess, promoting disability inclusion in space exploration by paving way for disabled astronauts in STEM.

How does a diverse and inclusive workforce drive innovation?

“The value in having a diverse team is that you get different perspectives, and those unique perspectives bring a myriad of new ideas and unique approaches to solving problems. Fostering creativity is the premise to drive the innovation we seek in the workplace, and that all starts with having the diverse backgrounds and experiences of an inclusive workforce. People with diverse backgrounds go through experiences in their lives that others will never encounter. Engaging these experiences and perspectives in the workplace enables negative experiences to be solved before there are problems, and more positive experiences to be integrated earlier on.”

 

·What is the current landscape for people with disabilities in the space sector, and what can companies do to build a truly inclusive environment?

““I regularly talk to people with disabilities who think the space sector isn’t for them. The concept of having “The Right Stuff” has proliferated for decades, and that archetype is pervasive for those outside of the space industry. At least 15% of the world’s population has a disability, so that’s up to 15% of the workforce that feels like they don’t belong and are being excluded as candidates. When there is conversation about diversity in the workplace, disabilities are regularly excluded, and this is detrimental to the incredible workforce we could all be building. We need to get to the point where seeing something like “wheelchair” or “blind” on a resume doesn’t lead to an automatic disqualification by the hirer. Job descriptions need to exclude disclaimers that discourage people with disabilities from applying. We need to be proactive in communicating inclusivity in our hiring practices and back words with action.”

 

Companies can hire and retain people with the skills they need, while demonstrating their value through inclusive practices and policies. In order to achieve this, organisations must ensure that all qualified applicants and employees have equal opportunities to succeed.

EVONA’s digital and direct marketing manager, Danni, is living proof of the importance of disability inclusion.

Danni is an incredibly talented individual and a daily driving force behind EVONA’s success. After joining us on a placement year from university, the skills and experience she brought to the business were abundantly clear. We’ve made every possibly accommodation to ensure Danni has every opportunity to succeed and grow as part of the team.

“As somebody with a disability, I never thought I’d be able to maintain a professional career. I thought it would be a barrier to entry and something that would prevent me from staying in full-time employment. When I first joined EVONA on my university placement, it was clear how much they valued me and my contributions to the team. Every step of my experience here has been so accessible, that my disability has never been a barrier to my success.

In order to be truly inclusive, your company needs to be structured in a way that will welcome and support any qualified applicant that comes your way. Your company should be so inclusive that there are no possible barriers to entry. You need to embed accessibility into every step of the recruitment process. Only include core criteria in your job adverts, so leave out holding a driver’s licence if it’s not totally necessary, and clearly reference your equal opportunities policy. You should also make adjustments to the interview process where necessary. Advertise your office as accessible, provide flexible working options and promote disability inclusion in your company ethos. You can also provide access to internal and external support systems, as well as funding for reasonable adjustments.”

In today’s space ecosystem, the organisations that are visibly committed to fostering inclusion as a driving force for diversity are thriving. These companies serve as shining examples of how corporate entities can make a positive impact. There can be no excuses for not making diversity and inclusion a top priority in this day and age. The rest of the industry must followed suit in adopting these inclusive practices if they want to stay ahead of the curve.

EVONA is leading the space sector in building diversity through inclusive practices.

In Project IDD Part 3, we’re delving into the often-overlooked subject of invisible diversity. Our experts will examine the intricacies surrounding this aspect of diversity and demonstrate how embracing it can lead to truly transformative business innovation. With a fresh perspective, we’ll show how thinking differently about diversity can unlock untapped potential and drive business success.

Join us next time as we demonstrate the immense power that lies in embracing the full spectrum of diversity.

Diversity and inclusion.
It’s a scalding hot topic.

The business case for inclusion is concrete. A diverse workforce is beneficial for businesses through increased innovation, creativity, communication, and consumer influence. This case has been statistically proven time and time again. Inclusive organisations perform better and are more likely to achieve their goals. Diversity drives innovation, and you can’t argue with the statistics:

The issue of diversity across stem can be attributed to many sources, not least the existing phenomenon of an ever-increasing homogenous workforce.

Research suggests that potential candidates are attracted to companies depending on how they perceive themselves to fit into the organisation. Those who have aligned values with the workforce are likely to feel accepted within the wider team, creating a sense of belonging that leads to higher employee retention and job satisfaction. Those who do not feel this way will leave, resulting in the gradual homogeneity of the organisation.

IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN THE SPACE SECTOR IS IN TROUBLE.

Within the space sector, as in other STEM industries, those from more advantaged socio-economic backgrounds are over-represented.

With such a staggering white male monopoly, it’s no surprise people from other demographics are feeling alienated. It’s clear that in order to create a more diverse industry, we need to take a new approach to diversity and inclusion.

To us, the phrase ‘diversity and inclusion’ is back-to-front. Diversity isn’t achievable in any organisation without inclusivity – inclusion needs to come first. This is our philosophy. At EVONA, we first address inclusivity with the companies we work with. Only then will they be able to solve issues of diversity.

We question what the driver of this is. Did this happen because of a lack of diverse employees at the company, or because those who were hired were left isolated and without a sense of belonging?

The problem is that companies are focused solely on ‘diversity’ from a skewed perspective. They hire individuals based upon their ‘diversity criteria’, BUT they’re recruiting employees into a workforce where they’ll ultimately feel alienated. This isn’t going to solve the issue.

But what does ‘value diversity’ mean? It doesn’t mean numbers. It doesn’t mean statistics. It means understanding employees’ needs and providing equity across the organisation. It means inclusion.

THIS IS WHERE OUR ARGUMENT COMES IN.

The phrase ‘diversity and inclusion’ has become hollow in parts of the industry. It’snot just about tokenism, scratching the surface of diversity and thinking the job’s done. If you create an inclusive work environment, that appeals to and not only attracts, but retains people from all walks of life, diversity will increase organically. It’s not a quick fix to hire ‘diverse candidates’ – you need to work out what will make them want to stay.

So where do you start? There are many methods employers can implement to drive equality and inclusion in the existing workplace – a great place to start is measuring your workplace diversity. This will identify areas of concern, highlighting where your efforts are needed most allowing you to make a plan. The next logical step is to look at your recruitment and selection processes.

Inclusive Recruitment and Selection Processes

Some of the main drivers of diversity and inclusivity issues are hidden within talent acquisition procedures. With no measures in place to prevent discrimination during the selection process, homogeneity breeds. While many will be quick to exclude themselves from this lot, it is argued to be a subconscious process. Research shows that:

“People who identify with their group have an emotional stake in its preservation and view those who differ will be viewed as a threat to the continuation of that group.”

This suggests that we are naturally inclined towards what we feel represents us. If this is truly an innate inclination, a lot of companies will need to tighten up their recruitment processes. 

Unbiased recruiting is where inclusion starts. It’s easy to sell an organisation, but not everyone knows how to embed inclusivity into their pitch. Many companies think they know how to recruit, but they’re often subconsciously introducing bias to the workforce. Without the right training and experience, you won’t find the right candidates. This takes time, and not everyone has the benefit of an internal HR department. You need a trained professional to get the job done right.

If you’ve read anything about diversity in the space sector, it’ll focus on visible diversity – gender disparities specifically. It’s an easy issue to address. So, let’s start on gender differences in the space sector.

EVONA Female Placement Case Study

Two of our principal recruiters have achieved a 50/50 gender split in their placements.

We caught up with Alice and Chloe to discuss their own recruitment strategies, how the companies they place with operate, and their own expert take on diversity in the space sector.

Have you noticed an increased number of organisations in the sector looking to hire more women?

“Definitely! More organisations are realising the importance of an inclusive workforce and the value that can bring. Companies are seeing first hand how more diverse organisations can excel because of the new and varied ideas their teams can bring to the table. These diverse perspectives take businesses to new heights because it allows them to tackle issues in adaptive ways.”

What do female candidates look for in an organisation?

“Representation and the possibility of progression are really important. Having women in leadership has a huge impact on this. Seeing people like themselves allows potential employees to visualise their career path through a prospective company, showing them that investing their time would be worthwhile and that they would be respected. We regularly speak to female candidates about the other women in a company, as well as women in senior positions and on boards to give real-life success stories. It’s a good idea to get women on the interview panel, or have a woman in a team at a similar level to have an informal chat with candidates.

Candidates will often check your website when considering a role, so pictures that capture your truly diverse and inclusive team at work can make an enormous difference.

Benefits packages also have a huge impact on the talent you attract. Among the many options out there, flexible working is very popular with women (and men) in my experience.

Giving the option to start early or finish late to accommodate around other responsibilities is really valuable. If a woman has children, the option to work from home if their child is sick, or to work a four-day work week (incorporating the same hours as a five-day week), can be a deciding factor in them accepting your job offer. The same goes for women with any kind of personal responsibility. It’s an outdated mindset to think flexibility equals a lack of productivity. The option to be flexible around other commitments has actually been proven to boost morale and have a positive impact on work output. As long as they’re working their contracted hours, it pays to let employees decided on their own structure.

It’s important for women to believe a company truly values flexibility and understands its benefits, so you can’t just offer flexibility for the sake of it – you have to truly believe the value. Women are just as motivated and capable of making a valuable contribution as their male counterparts, and this understanding needs to be reflected throughout your entire organisation. Women look for a company with a strong vision, values and culture, so it’s important to communicate this from a recruitment perspective, but also to follow through with promises in order to retain women once they have joined.”

 

Have you heard first hand of the impact of increased female hires in the organisations you’ve worked with?

“We regularly speak to female leaders and CEOs in the space sector who are really passionate about the ways diversity has benefitted their organisation. Diversity brings new ideas to the table, increasing innovation as well as profitability. It also impacts productivity and motivation because if women feel happy, heard and respected in the workplace, their enthusiasm and quality of work will increase. It definitely impacts future female hires as well – if you have women within your company, more women will want to join. Female candidates regularly ask me about other women and female leaders within businesses when considering a role.”

How do you sell an organisation to a female candidate?

“I really focus on company culture. Does the organisation have a supportive culture? Is the workforce diverse? Will womens’ ideas be heard? Will they be allowed flexibility, or will they be penalised for having a work-life balance? These are all important questions that I’m asked regularly by female candidates, so I outline these areas first when determining if a company is the right fit for them. If there’s something that isn’t currently being done by a business, we can work with them to see what can be improved to help attract and retain female talent.

Success stories of other women within the organisation are always a great selling point too. If a woman can see herself represented within a company, through other successful female employees, this can help them to visualise their own success and progression if they were to join the business.”

 

Is there a skew towards the kinds of companies you recruited into?

“No, I wouldn’t say so. From my experience, there’s not one particular area of the space sector that tends to hire more women. All different sorts of organisations are realising the benefits of inclusivity and a diverse workforce. There aren’t any limits for a women in the space sector in terms of roles and what they can achieve in them. I’ve placed women into all areas of the industry including geospatial, space hardware, research and development, and everything in between.”

What does it take to ensure female hires are attracted to space organisations?

“To attract and retain female talent, think carefully about your job adverts. Words like “analyse”, “leader”, “expert” and “competitive” have been found to be masculine-focused, while words such as “collaborative”, “adaptive” and “responsible” appeal to women more. It’s vital that any roles advertised appeal to a range of qualified applicants, so be mindful of what language you’re using to sell your company.

In the US benefits are huge, much more so than in the UK. Having a good paid time off offering to enable work-life balance is important. For the US market in particular, full medical, vision and dental cover for an employee, their spouse and dependents, without having to pay a huge premium, is always a huge selling point.

Maternity (and paternity!) packages are also important. A modern view of parenting can make a huge difference to the candidates you attract. Whoever decides to have a child, whoever decides to stay at home and whoever wants to go back to work, your benefits packages need to give them the option to shape their family in a way that suits them. I’ve seen both women and men turn down jobs because of a poor maternity or paternity package.

If a woman decides to have a child, make sure they’re supported in their return to work, whether that be with a workplace mentor or by easing them in on shorter hours while they adapt. Flexibility is still key here, so if a mother has to do the school run at 8:30, don’t have a rigid 9:00 start time.

Something I’ve seen make a big difference is giving women the option to work a role fully remotely, as opposed to asking them to relocate. If they’re rooted and settled somewhere, especially with a family or children in school, relocating could make a qualified female candidate turn down a role without a second thought.

Another common barrier for women is the motherhood gap – a gap in their CV from having children. This is a very negative reinforcement that is made by a lot of companies, and it’s definitely holding them back from hiring talented candidates.

Delayed paternity leave in support of mothers, to be used within a year of a child’s birth or adoption, is an increasingly popular benefit that I’ve come across. Childcare initiatives are also a great way to lighten the load of parenthood and attract women with children to your company.”

If space companies had the right tools, this 50/50 split could be mirrored across the entire sector.

Currently, you can actively pinpoint the organisations in the industry who are putting inclusion first, using it as a force to drive diversity. In 2022, there’s no excuse for the rest of the sector not to follow in these companies’ footsteps.

With help from the experts, diversity can be achieved through inclusion, one adaptive and open-minded organisation at a time. EVONA are committed driving this shift in the industry.

We’re not stopping here. We’re determined to push our message to ensure a bright future for the space sector. That’s why this is the first piece in our ongoing Inclusivity Drives Diversity (IDD) content series. In Project IDD, we’re exploring the true impact of inclusion in the space sector, as well as the challenges and barriers that prevent diversity from being achieved. With real-life case studies and input from our own crew of experts, as well as our strategic advisers and other space industry leaders, we’ll share crucial insights and personal experiences that could transform your organisation.

Learn from NewSpace leaders whose stance on inclusivity took their companies to the next level in Project IDD Part 2.