At Lewis, we believe in empowering our people to improve our communities. When we say this, we can often mean building buildings that matter, but another way that I interpret this is: Lewis empowers our people to hold a spotlight on the communities and topics that make us who we are and say, ‘this matters to us too’.
As a Queer professional in an industry that it’s sometimes difficult to find representation in, I’ve found myself taking inspiration from the idea of being a builder, socially and professionally. Building anything takes time along with thousands of people and thousands more small components. Every screw used moves a project closer to its final product. Building a future that I want to see in this industry is no different. While I am sometimes the only person with my identity in the spaces I occupy, to occupy this space at all is a similarly small but essential component in constructing the future I envision. A future where LGBTQ+ professionals occupy more spaces in construction, architecture and engineering to support each other and shape the industry.
Though the construction industry is just beginning to make steps towards visibility and acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals—and still has a very long way to go—one crucial aspect of this progress is the celebration of Pride. In June, we can take time to both celebrate and educate on the topics and challenges facing LGBTQ+ people within and beyond our industry. Leading up to Pride month, I took a moment to ask our people at Lewis why celebrating Pride as a company matters for them.
By building an environment where we welcome and celebrate this vibrant community, we are living out our Purpose and all of us at Lewis are made better for it.
Why does Pride matter to Lewis?
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It promotes our culture of inclusivity
By celebrating Pride, Lewis sends a powerful message that it values and supports diversity among its employees. Inclusivity creates a sense of belonging, where every worker feels respected, accepted and comfortable in expressing their authentic selves. By celebrating Pride, we put actions behind our statements.
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It helps us attract and retain talented employees.
Embracing Pride can enhance our ability to attract and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds looking to find a safe place to work and grow as their authentic selves professionally.
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It helps us strengthen our relationships with clients and the community.
Celebrating Pride benefits more than just our employees, it has the potential to enhance our relationships with clients and the broader community. By participating in Pride events, Lewis showcases our dedication to community improvement and responsibility, continuing our reputation as a long-time trusted and respected GC.
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It can improve employee well-being and mental health — especially the health of our diverse employees.
Pride celebrations provide an opportunity for employees to express their identity openly and authentically. For LGBTQ+ individuals, this can be particularly impactful, as it helps alleviate the stress of suppressing or compartmentalizing one’s true self. By creating an environment where individuals feel safe and supported, Lewis contributes to the overall well-being and mental health of our employees, an important tenant of our culture of safety. This, in turn, can lead to increased job satisfaction, higher levels of engagement, and improved overall performance.
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We contribute to social progress.
By joining the Pride movement, Lewis becomes a leader in building change and inclusion within the industry.
When we as a company stand as a leader in the industry, we become a part of the creation of the bigger picture. While it can sometimes be lonely to be the only one of your kind at the table—intimidating even—just showing up to do the work represents the possibility of the inclusive future we want to build. Being builders of a better future isn’t easy, but who else is better fit for the task than our construction professionals themselves?