Friend of FAIRER interview: Neil Morrison

The friction around fairness

Neil considers what 'fairness' really means in the workplace, and reflects on the barriers that can make genuine equity difficult to achieve.

"There are things that get in the way of people doing the best work of their lives and progressing within organisations. That’s what I refer to as friction. Fairness is about taking as much friction out of the system as possible, so that people can progress and contribute as much as they want, and feel they are delivering a brilliant day’s work and go home feeling satisfied. As an organisation, we try hard to create as much of a meritocracy as possible.

"If you’ve grown up in a community with mistrust of large organisations, or without visible role models, or without people who can coach or guide you, you’ve got greater barriers even before you start. That’s why we try to take friction out of the system further down the supply chain, even before the point of hiring. Fairness extends beyond the walls of the company and into the community. You have to see the whole thing as an ecosystem, not just the point where people apply for a job or how you write a job advert."

Reframing fairness and inclusion through business performance

"Fairness and inclusion are about business performance, and everything needs to come back to that. We’ve lost the narrative by talking about D&I as if it’s separate from driving strong outcomes. HR needs to reset the agenda so people understand this isn’t virtue signalling or CSR (corporate social responsibility) – it’s about creating high‑performing businesses. If people feel psychologically safe, they contribute better. If businesses have diversity of ideas, performance improves. The challenge isn’t the activities but the framing. HR must integrate inclusion into everything we do, not treat it as a separate strand."

Embedding inclusion throughout the employee lifecycle

Neil explores the importance of embedding inclusion throughout the employee lifecycle, showing how DEI, wellbeing and HR must work together rather than in isolation to create a cohesive, high‑performance culture.

The role of DEI practitioners

"There is value in work related to inclusion within an HR agenda. What’s problematic is when a locus of power is created in a D&I function that sits apart from overall employee experience and performance.

"Some practitioners come into organisations without track records in change management, employment law, HR management or business management, and are asked to lead strategic agendas based primarily on lived experience - which isn’t how you run a business. That creates challenge and conflict. We need pockets of expertise on diversity and inclusion, but they should sit within the broader performance agenda."

Creating synergy across DEI, wellbeing and HR

"DEI, wellbeing and HR all work together to create workplaces where people can do the best work of their lives and fulfil their potential. You can’t do that if you're not feeling supported with a physical health issue, challenges with your mental wellbeing, or if you’re worried about whether colleagues will accept the person you go home to, your relationship, your religious practices, or the colour of your skin.

"There are other parts too – clear objectives, good line management, organisational design, and performance all come together in a high‑performance culture. When you start having separate strategies it creates duplication and confusion. Employees then don’t understand what you’re trying to deliver because it's chaotic."

Inclusion in practice at Severn Trent

Neil highlights some of the priority inclusion initiatives at Severn Trent, which are designed to promote accessibility, belonging and transparency within the business.

Keeping people connected

"We use a strong methodology called comm cells, which are stand‑up briefings that are two‑way discussions. These happen daily in operational teams, and weekly in head office. A comm cell starts with wellbeing check‑ins. It then covers performance objectives, yesterday’s performance, learnings, and key weekly messages. Every site displays metrics, wellbeing temperatures, and updates on comm cell boards. Written communication isn’t always effective for our workforce, so comm cells are a much more accessible and engaging way to keep people aligned."

Severn Trent's priorities for the year ahead

Keep the culture strong

"Keeping the culture strong and consistent is our top priority. That’s what delivers high performance. Every HR intervention must enhance culture, not diminish it."

Financial investment

"We’re delivering £15 billion of investment over the next five years in the Midlands, which has major people implications. Our organisation has grown from 5,000 to 11,000 in the last five years."

Automation, technology and AI

"Culture is our north star. If you keep the culture while navigating new technologies, people will find ways to innovate and be more productive."

A word from Laura

Laura Drakeford, Inclusion Partner at FAIRER, shares her key takeaways from Neil's interview.

Fairness means removing the barriers that limit people’s ability to thrive, many of which exist before recruitment. Inclusion must be addressed across the wider community and ecosystem, not just within hiring. Furthermore, DEI should be framed not as a moral or 'nice to have' initiative but as an operational performance system that enables people to contribute, decide, and perform better - placing it at the core of HR’s business agenda. Treating DEI as a separate strategy or function from HR creates duplication and confusion, when in reality, employees experience one workplace so the approach to inclusion, wellbeing, and performance must be unified.

If you'd like to be considered for an expert interview, or want to further discuss any of the themes covered in Neil's interview, please get in touch.