The importance of connection, inclusion and belonging cannot be overstated. It helps create psychological safety, when employees are able to show up authentically at work. This translates into an environment that allows for the free flow of ideas and innovation. People recognize the importance of building belonging in the words they share, from DPR Leader Mark Whitson’s, “What we’re trying to do is the right thing,” to, VDC Manager Milad Mirtaheri’s, “People with different backgrounds can add different values. Being a part of that is really something special.”

As we reflect on the fourth annual Construction Inclusion Week, which drew to a close on October 18^th, it’s helpful to revisit the purpose of dedicating a week in the construction industry to this belonging, and what leaders in the industry hope to accomplish over the coming year. With a central purpose of championing inclusion that empowers each of us to reach our full potential, as well as building inclusion to fuel innovation and connection not only with employees, but also customers, industry partners, and the communities in which we work, the week also highlights an important way of working for all organizations.

“No two people are the same. Different perspectives allow team members to unlock new ideas, which can help increase a team’s capacity for creativity,” says Stacee Barkley, who leads Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for DPR. “Fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of background, feels psychologically safe makes them more willing to speak their minds and feel more comfortable contributing. When you can be your authentic self, combined with an environment that welcomes and invites contributions—even and especially those ideas that might be controversial or contradictory—innovation, creativity and learning blossom and thrive.”

“Everybody has their own unique experience, and because of that uniqueness, they’re able to bring a unique perspective to a project team. They might be able to help solve a problem in a way that I never could,” shares DPR’s Northwest Regional Integration Manager, Jordan Barroso. “In the words of Dr. Laraine Kaminsky, ‘I am not different from you; I am different LIKE you.’”

To put it simply, everyone wants to belong and make a genuine connection with others. Feeling like one belongs helps create psychological safety. Inclusivity matters, as jobseekers have been shown to be drawn to organizations that provide equal access to opportunities. According to Forbes, “Inclusive workplaces tend to retain talent more effectively because employees are more likely to stay in environments where they feel supported and respected.”

And building belonging through different perspectives and experiences isn’t just beneficial for psychological safety; it’s better for business. For years, data from McKinsey has shown that the top companies exhibiting ethnic diversity are 36% more likely to financially outperform their less diverse peers. Those added perspectives can contribute to very real results.

Says Gretchen Kinsella, who serves as a business unit leader at DPR, “Inclusion means a place where folks feel welcome, and over my years, I’ve learned that extending that welcoming hand allows folks to be themselves and feel comfortable in their environment.” No matter where you come from, how you celebrate, whom you love, or how your mind processes information, there is a place for you. There is a way to be connected to other team members and to contribute to the success of your organization.

As construction firms look to the future, the importance of building an inclusive environment where everyone belongs becomes ever clearer. Making a commitment to inclusion during this Construction Inclusion Week, and going forward, reinforces this belief and helps shape how organizations build for generations to come.

At DPR, we exist to build great things®, and in the words of Greg Haldeman of DPR, we can all start our journey from a single place and “make Building Great Things our common ground.”