Peter Simpson
“Inclusion is vital to the success of our organisation. Having a wealth of people from different backgrounds and with different experiences introduces new ways of thinking which in turn informs the ways in which we work. Challenging our thinking and decision-making helps us to continually improve and outperform against our targets. It also better reflects our region and the customers and communities that we serve every single day”.
Strength in Diversity (SID) is a long term project which aims to make a step change in the diversity of our people to better reflect the demographics of our region.
The project will focus on a number of locations in our region over the years to 2030. We have four key focus areas;
Education – We are closely engaged with the education team to work with schools and colleges to provide; work experience; employability skilled; and improved awareness.
Early Careers – We are working with the Early Career team to; link with colleges and universities, to promote graduate, apprentice and internship schemes; increase applicants from underrepresented areas; and be seen as an employer of choice for all graduates and school leavers.
Community Groups – We are engaging with local community groups to; build brand awareness; build ongoing links in our communities; improves customer engagement from diverse communities; and increase the number of hires from those communities.
Job seekers – We are encouraging applicants from diverse candidates by; attending careers fairs in underrepresented areas; providing support with employability skills, applications, and interview techniques; and liaising with, and attending, job centres.
Build Trust, Do the Right Thing and Are Always Exploring
At Anglian Water, we believe that inclusion is vital to doing good business and supports the long-term health of the organisation. We believe that a diverse workforce creates idea generation, and strengthens our adaptability to overcome future challenges. Our culture of openness, respect and honesty is built on our inclusive approach to everything we do.
We’ve recently set up an Inclusion Community which brings together people from all walks of life, from different minority groups and our allies, to help us create an ongoing conversation about Inclusion at Anglian Water.
Like a staff network, it offers a support forum as well as a safe space to voice ideas, and really drives the inclusive culture we are built on.
Our customers come from a wide range of backgrounds, and we think our workplace should reflect that. We are committed to making sure all our colleagues feel they belong and are supported to succeed. We have an active Inclusion Community which is a place for anyone interested in diversity and inclusion to connect.
We encourage all our colleagues, regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic, to get involved in our Inclusion Community, which celebrates our different backgrounds and experiences, as well as driving positive change in the workplace. The more our workplace reflects our customers, the better service we can provide for them.
We value diversity and inclusion as central to our success as an organisation; we believe we are better able to understand and meet the needs of our customers if our organisation reflects the communities we serve.
Our inclusion-based approach recognises that individuals who work for us, or who want to work for us, will be valued, treated fairly and respected for their individuality.
We recognise some candidates experience barriers to recruitment, as a result of a disability or health condition. We encourage all of our candidates to work with us, throughout the candidate journey, to ensure we overcome barriers and ensure any reasonable adjustments are made.
To find out more about reasonable adjustments and how to request them, follow the link below.
A blog on sharing interview questions ahead of interviews
Hiring Manager: Rose Shisler (Programme Manager)
Finding the perfect Project Analyst for my team wasn’t just about ticking boxes on a CV—it was about finding someone who was a great fit for the team. In an era where inclusivity and getting the best from people are paramount, I made a conscious decision to shake up the traditional interview format. Rather than relying solely on on-the-spot assessments, I chose to send questions and exercises to candidates in advance. This approach aimed to get the best from candidates as well as recognising that not everyone thrives in high-pressure, impromptu scenarios.
Why? Well, I wanted to give everyone a fair chance. I appreciate that not everyone shines under the pressure of a surprise question. My decision to pre-emptively send interview material to candidates wasn’t taken lightly. In today’s competitive job market, we ensure that each candidate has a fair chance to showcase their skills and abilities. By providing questions and exercises beforehand, I aimed to level the playing field, allowing candidates to prepare adequately and present their best selves during the interview.
But it wasn’t just about being fair—it was also about being inclusive. People come from all walks of life, with different styles and approaches. Some thrive on the spot, while others need a bit of time to gather their thoughts. By sending questions in advance, I wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to shine in their own way.
Plus, it was a great way to see how well candidates could plan and organise themselves. This method allowed me to gauge a candidate’s preparation, attention to detail, and analytical skills. Rather than solely focusing on how well they respond under pressure, I could assess their ability to strategise, organise their thoughts, and present coherent solutions. After all, those are important skills for a Project Analyst.
Throughout the process, I kept things open and friendly. I wanted candidates to feel comfortable and confident, so I made sure to communicate clearly and encourage them to make the most of the prep time.
In the end, the decision to send questions and exercises in advance proved to be a game-changer. It not only facilitated a more inclusive and equitable hiring process but also allowed candidates to showcase their true potential in a supportive environment. As a hiring manager, embracing innovative approaches to recruitment ensures that we attract top talent and build diverse, high-performing teams who are set up for success.
Candidate: Georgia Stopforth (Project Analyst)
The whole recruitment process felt like a game-changer. As someone who can panic under pressure and prefers to be over prepared if anything, having the questions and exercise beforehand was incredibly beneficial and put me at ease. As a candidate, it took the pressure off having to second guess what may come up through the interview and allowed you to focus on being able to convey your strong points for the role in a more comprehensive manner. I would definitely advocate for more recruitments to be this way going forward!
Here are some of the policies we have introduced to make our working environment a more inclusive and diverse place to work.
There are roles which require you to wear specific protective equipment as well as roles where you are required to wear branded clothing in order to present in a professional manner to our customers. In other situations you should wear what you feel comfortable in, that’s suitable for the environment in which you work, and with respect for your colleagues and visitors.
Please note we place no restrictions on hairstyles and respect everyone’s right to be their authentic self at work; there are however a limited number of roles where beards are not permitted for safety reasons due to the equipment used. Finally, never put what you wear above your and others’ safety.
We have introduced the option for employees to swap religious bank holidays. We recognize that not all our employees celebrate Christian holidays, and we are therefore offering employees who practice other religions to swap Christmas day, Boxing Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday for a religious festival from their faith.
We published our “Transgender & Transition” policy in March 2021. This is to support our colleagues who may be currently considering, undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment plus line manager guidance on how to support team members.
At Anglian Water we have a flexible working policy and we want to share some of the options that are available to our colleagues. There are a variety of flexible working options – part-time, job share, shared parental leave, time off for Dependants, career breaks and sabbaticals. These can work for people at all stages whether they are returning from maternity leave, coming up to retirement, have caring responsibilities, or need to consider other personal circumstances. All flexible working options are subject to a manager’s approval, but in the right circumstances, they can be a great option for teams.
