Disability and LGBTQ+ inclusion and allyship at HS2

Ceated by VERCIDA for HS2

 

Julianne Pointon talks about her own experiences with a hidden disability in the workplace, the importance of allyship, and the support HS2 gives to its diverse workforce.

I joined HS2 in November 2019 as the lead utilities land rights manager. This entails leading a team of six individuals and our role is to acquire utility land rights across the entire HS2 route.

As someone with a hidden disability, HS2 is a great place to work. In 2018, I was diagnosed with Addison’s disease, which is a very misunderstood condition. It means my adrenal glands don’t always produce enough cortisol and aldosterone, and I will need to take steroid medication for the rest of my life. When I experience an Addison’s crisis, I urgently need a cortisone injection and medical attention within about 20 minutes, or my organs will start to shut down.

I have become more aware of the triggers, but sometimes a crisis will come out of nowhere. The symptoms include extreme fatigue in the run-up to a crisis, a stabbing pain that comes on suddenly, feeling sick, low blood pressure and even seizures, which has happened to me twice. It can be really unpredictable.

The good news is that at HS2, adjustments have been made to ensure that I can still be successful in my career, the business is not affected, and I am not defined by my disability. I primarily work from home, so I still do the same hours, but I don’t have to commute for an hour and a half to and from work. My husband works locally, so he can come home within 10 minutes if I have a crisis during the day. Working flexibly in my home environment helps keep me safe.

The Together Network is HS2’s employee group for people with disabilities and their allies. Working with a hidden disability can have its challenges, but the Together Network is like a hangout, a safe space. The network is a source of support, rather than something that is a chore to be a part of – for me, it’s not just about my own needs, but it’s also about being an advocate for others. We attend a lot of recruitment fairs to get the message out that HS2 is an inclusive employer, because nobody should be judged or held back for having a disability.

One of the most rewarding parts of the network is the role we play in making sure that the trains that will run on the HS2 line are accessible for people with disabilities. We represent the public and we want to make sure that everyone who travels on HS2 will feel that sense of inclusion.

Accessibility is important at HS2. Often, this can be a lot of little things that might not mean much to someone without certain challenges, but it can mean so much to people with particular needs. For example, we can use a closed caption app in meetings if someone is hearing-impaired or English isn’t their first language, which makes the conversation so much easier to understand.

As well as my involvement with the Together Network, I am a health and wellbeing champion at HS2 and an ally for the Onboard LGBTQ group. People often tell me that I do so much, but I’m not taking the credit – it’s HS2 that gives me the platform to be an ally for others and to help educate people outside the different groups we support. The company does a lot of training around diversity, inclusion, health and wellbeing, such as courses and lunch-and-learn sessions.

The Onboard LGBTQ group is quite new to me, personally and professionally, but it is important to make sure I can advocate for others. A member of my family is experiencing gender identification issues, so the LGBTQ group is helping me support their journey. I do not want to be ignorant. The world is changing and we have to change with it.

So often, we don’t know what is going on in our colleagues’ lives. If something at home is affecting their working life, we can provide support. A colleague had a parent who identified as transgender and the support from the Onboard  LGBTQ group helped them understand the situation, find peace and bring their family closer together.

At the moment, there are a lot of opportunities at HS2. I’m interviewing for a utility land rights manager, there are all sorts of roles available in our Land & Property department, ranging from administrative support to property acquisition and utility land rights, and there are countless apprenticeships on offer.

When you apply with HS2, you create a profile on our website, so even if there is nothing suitable right now, we have your details and you can receive job alerts. The profile asks about accessibility needs, so we can cater to that at the interview stage, as well as in the workplace. We want everyone to be able to put forward the best version of themselves and feel comfortable, so nobody experiences discrimination.

HS2 has given me the confidence to continue my career after my diagnosis. I can still support my family, thrive in my career and I can be confident, not only within myself, but as someone who can be a powerful ally for others.

 

To learn more about the inclusive culture at HS2 and see a full list of vacancies please click here.