Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("Our DEI Promise") is key to the success of our business. We respect the differences among us, and we leverage those differences to create an environment where all employees feel welcome and fairly treated. We seek the best solutions possible by attracting and engaging a diverse workforce where all perspectives are sought and valued.
At Lewis, our mission is the relentless pursuit of customer and employee success through our commitment to safety, service, learning and innovation. This people success-based mission fits together perfectly with our DEI promise.
When it comes to distributed workforces, like those in utility vegetation management, it’s critical for leaders to actively ensure that our remote workgroups allow for employees from all backgrounds to have an equal chance to succeed.
Safety: We need to widen our definition of safety to include the psychological safety that stems from working in an inclusive environment where all differences are respected, and mutual trust abounds.
Service: We must recognize that an active DEI-based culture is one that is inherently in service to others. This includes breaking down silos and communication barriers. Demonstrating empathy. Helping others reach their full potential.
Learning: We need to adapt our culture of learning to listen and understand thoroughly the DEI-related challenges that any team members may be facing.
Innovation: We must leverage these key learnings to innovate how we embrace/reinforce diversity, equity, and inclusion in our business and model the right behaviors.
There are strategic benefits to any organization's DEI journey for the company, its workforce, and its customers: better decision making, heightened innovation, strengthened employee engagement and retention, and higher productivity to name a few. More importantly, there's a moral obligation.
It's simply the right thing to do.
This article originally appeared as a Sponsor Spotlight in the Mar/Apr 2022 edition of the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) Newsline.