Construction Inclusion Week | Building a Culture of Belonging with SOMOS

‘Belonging’ is more than just being part of a group, it is about having a connection to community. It is about expressing your uniqueness, shared identity, and goals within the groups and communities where you interact.??

During the COVID-19 pandemic and related social distancing, belonging was challenged. We all missed gathering with family and friends, and even the day-to-day office interactions with coworkers. This experience highlighted how feeling connected and accepted at your workplace is now more important than ever.??

‘Inclusion’ (where everyone is valued) is a Granite core value, and drives our understanding of the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in a healthy, supportive work environment. Our goal is to maintain an environment where uniqueness is accepted and appreciated. In fact, that uniqueness is a huge part of Granite’s success—we need diverse perspectives to best address the challenges of our industry and produce our best work, and we can’t get those perspectives unless we make sure everyone feels like they belong at Granite.??

In recent years, several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have emerged at Granite to support employee well-being by promoting connection and a sense of belonging. SOMOS is the newest addition to Granite’s ERGs, with a mission to enhance inclusive diversity by advocating for and supporting Hispanic Latinos and supportive allies through employee development, engagement, networking, and mentoring. More than 30% of Granite employees are Hispanic Latino and, since its inception early this year, SOMOS has attracted many Hispanic Latino identified employees and allies across the organization.???

SOMOS had the chance to promote belonging by celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. This included fiestas at offices from California to Florida, testimonials from longtime employees, and educational content shared internally. SOMOS is supporting employees by bringing craft and office personnel together to share traditional desserts such as Mexican sweet bread (pan dulce) and coffee on a project site, a quick chips and salsa break at the office, or a fun potluck after a toolbox meeting. Employees are sharing their culture, music, and history as the great diverse family that we are.?

SOMOS is just a small glimpse of the diverse cultures at Granite, but we think it has a lot to contribute to bringing satisfaction and support to all Granite team members—after all, Todos SOMOS Granite (We are all Granite)!?