Text version scenario

My manager and I have been interviewing to hire another engineer. We thought we had found the perfect candidate. When she arrived for her interview she politely declined to shake my Managers hand, as she was not permitted to under her religion. After the interview I was discussing the candidate with my manager and something he said surprised me. He said that he would not offer her the role even though she was perfect for it. He said that he didn’t have a problem with her being Muslim, but he was worried about how the rest of the team would react; would we have to keep her separate from the men on the site, and how would she interact with the subcontractors, or the customers.

Discussion question

• What different ways of greetings are you aware of?
• Is a different greeting practice a valid reason for not hiring a person?
• How do you accommodate to different religious practices at your workplace?

Things to consider

• Consider different ways of greeting in different parts of the world. How do you greet someone when you are on holiday trip in Thailand?
• Consider what behaviours and skills that are relevant for the job. These should all be part of the job description. Behaviors/skills that are not part of job description should not be taken into account, when assessing candidates.
• When faced with a new and unfamiliar custom, ask candid questions and engage in open, candid conversations in order to learn more.
• Skanska does not accept any kind of harassment, bullying or discrimination. Always try to resolve situations like the one in the scenario by open, candid conversations. If this isn’t possible turn to your manager, your manager’s manager or HR. As last resort there is always also our ethics hotline.

We will never be “fully done” with inclusion – it’s a continuous improvement journey where all of us are responsible to do our part. An inclusive workplace is characterized by openness, fairness, trust and respect. We should be speak up for each other to safeguard inclusion.