ALL BEING
EQUAL

Gina Chin, service delivery manager

How safe do you feel when working on late shifts?

Shift work is challenging for anyone but as a mum I do believe it makes it more difficult. I’m lucky to have people who help me navigate shift work by looking after my daughter. I feel vulnerable being out in the dark alone but I’ve not had to go out in the middle of the night for work. When I attended a station fire on a dark winter evening, colleagues were also on the scene.

In your personal or work life, have you ever been catcalled? How did that make you feel?

I was walking with my friend and this guy started speaking to us in a really threatening manner. He had something in his hand, and we thought he was about to throw it – it was incredibly scary. I know that if anyone catcalled me or the other members of the team, our colleagues would not stand for it. Here, there is nothing but mutual respect.

Sinead Flanagan, fleet facilities support manager

Has your gender held you back and how did you overcome this?

I spend a lot of time working with who I would describe as ‘old school’ male contractors. During one meeting, they addressed each other with a handshake and I wasn’t even acknowledged. I felt invisible. I went to each one, introducing myself and instigating a handshake. In these situations, I don’t mind pulling people up on it. It’s insulting and frustrating, but it pushes me a little bit more. It helps that I have amazing support from my team.

If you could implement one policy/change to help reach equality, what would it be?

There are more women in leadership roles now which is great to see, but out on track there is less of a female presence and we need to make these kinds of roles more attractive. Businesses need to do more to support women in these roles with training and qualifications to give them the confidence and advertise them better – not just have men in orange.

Amy Carpenter, driver

Is the uniform comfortable for women and fit for purpose?

I don’t think it could be any less flattering. The fabric, the cut, the overall look doesn’t take into account a woman’s figure or height. My job is a responsible and professional one which I take very seriously, and this is completely inappropriate. We had a smart suit before and I felt proud wearing it.

If you could implement one policy/change to help reach equality, what would it be?

That men should feel what it’s like to be the only woman in the mess room. It can be very isolating.

Grace-Anne Stephenson, station assistant dispatcher

Is the uniform comfortable for women and fit for purpose?

It’s not very flattering. The skirts are too tight or too big and the cargo trousers are not shaped to cater for a woman’s figure. When I got it, all that was required was waist and leg length, a uniform truly fitted for a woman’s figure would require more than that. I’m not less confident wearing it but my day is certainly less comfortable!

If you could implement one change, what would it be?

The railway can still feel very male-orientated. Even more flexible working could help this, especially for those with children who can’t always depend on family for childcare. Of course, that has to be balanced with having enough cover to provide a service. Perhaps the whole industry needs to revamp, so it’s not so male-orientated?

Halima Miah, customer experience improvement manager

Has your gender held you back and how did you overcome this?

I think the railway has moved on significantly, but there is still unconscious bias out there. We come back from maternity leave and there is a perception that our priorities have changed. There’s a feeling that women can’t do the physical jobs as well as men, something I encountered in a former job. There needs to be more awareness and training for tackling unconscious bias.

Have you ever been catcalled? How did that make you feel?

I was on holiday with friends and we were being catcalled with other people encouraging their behaviour. I just tried to brush it off but I felt really uneasy, there seemed no boundaries and one of them was staring at me. But catcalling can work both ways and no man’s feeling on this should be dismissed either. That’s what diversity and inclusion is about. It doesn’t matter what your gender is or what background you’re from, the feeling is the same.

Amanda Graystone, head of compliance and assurance

Has your gender held you back and how did you overcome this?

I don’t feel I have personally. For me, it was always youth rather than gender that was the challenge, as the perception was you were less experienced.

If you could implement one change, what would it be?

Just carrying on with the open culture and giving everyone the confidence to speak up. There’s a lot more around equality now than there used to be, with the organisation focusing on the gender pay gap for example. I think we are on the right road.