Employee networks: How to balance celebration and purpose

Employee networks: How to balance celebration and purpose

By Jo Faragher on 28 November 2024

There’s no denying that employee networks and resource groups are making an impact on diversity and inclusion policies worldwide. They feed into policy development supporting HR and senior management, they offer useful feedback on workplace culture and experience, and often represent their company’s brand on the external stage. But there can be a delicate balance at times, where network leaders and members become so useful that an organisation bombard them with requests. And given the majority of network participants do this unpaid in addition to their ‘day’ job, it can be easy to forget some of the positive, celebratory aspects of why they exist in the first place.

“When you rely heavily on a group of people who aren’t experts, it’s easy to blame the network if nothing changes,” says Cherron Inko-Tariah MBE, author of The Incredible Power of Staff Networks. “The murder of George Floyd had a huge impact globally and it was great that race networks got face-to-face time with CEOs. But it was also a missed opportunity because we needed to counsel them on how we make this a continued priority.” She points out that networks in different companies span a huge spectrum of focus – if a network goes to the extreme of only celebrating its members then the organisation wonders ‘what’s in it for us?’, while others go the other way. “You’re just expected to know how to find this balance and it’s a skill – it can feel like a tightrope sometimes,” she adds.

Often, as was the case in 2020 post-George Floyd, networks must open their doors and act as a supportive ‘safe space’, but that does not mean they cannot also celebrate the diversity of their members and support the business to achieve its goals. “Networks often start from the point of ‘let’s get people together who share this affinity’. Now that you’ve done that, what do you want to do with what you’ve heard? You can build on what you have rather than be stuck in that ‘safe space’. At some point people need to see movement,” Inko-Tariah explains. And while networks often get a budget to spend on events, these need to have a wider purpose: a follow-up reflection on what has been learnt, for example, or mini-reminders around the year rather than a ‘one and done’. Spending money on training or making a video about members’ lived experience could be a more sustainable use of that budget, too.

Everyone involved

Plant-based food developer THIS is just at the start of its DEI journey, and has an umbrella employee network known as THIS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group that launched earlier this year. “Their role has been to listen to the feedback from our team, devise a manifesto and strategy and deliver a calendar of DEI celebration, education and discussion including sessions with external speakers and trainers,” explains Catherine Allen, people director. “This year’s focus has been on educating ourselves, raising awareness and creating a safe space for challenging discussion.” So far, the group has been instrumental in helping the company implement internal processes and strategies, and establishing mechanisms for feedback and evaluation of its DEI initiatives. Allen believes that celebrations such as Pride cannot happen in isolation. She adds: “We recognise that we are not as diverse as we would like to be, so lived experiences may need to be communicated by a visiting speaker or bringing in resources that convey what the group can’t. The whole team needs to be involved in celebrating and challenging. Where systemic behaviours or views need to evolve, this needs the loud support of the leadership team and practical solutions built in.”

Chandra Robinson, vice president in the HR practice at analyst company Gartner, describes employee networks as the “boots on the ground” of an organisation, and notes that their roots began in times of civil unrest (Xerox famously set up a race network to take action against riots in the 1960s). Today, too, they face multiple challenges in terms of supporting employees but companies place high expectations on them. “Mapping network participation back to the core goals, and tying opportunities back to these goals can generate direct gains,” she explains. “You can see where people in the networks are meeting enterprise competencies and that can drive goal conversations with them. Perhaps they have become better communicators, for example.” Executive sponsors and senior allies getting involved shows how they “show up” for the core values of the organisation, that they prioritise what the networks are doing. Recognising the contribution of networks can also help sustain their activities, she adds. “This is a labour of love for some folks, so find opportunities to recognise them in different forms. Ensure their line managers acknowledge their contributions and see opportunities for career advancement.”

Commercial contribution

Services company Sodexo has eight employee networks that play a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive environment. Each network is run by a committee of volunteers from across the business. Raj Jones, head of diversity, equity and inclusion, Sodexo UK & Ireland, says they play a “pivotal role” in helping the company to achieve its D&I targets. “For example, Sodexo’s Origins network has been instrumental in supporting the 10,000 Black Interns programme, which we’ve been part of for two years,” she explains. “This includes creating mentoring circles that enhance the participants’ experiences while demonstrating clear pathways to success within the organisation. This summer we welcomed 39 interns into paid roles across a variety of teams, including HR, tech, finance, and communications. Since then, six of these interns have secured ongoing positions at Sodexo.”

But while the networks have made impressive commercial contributions such as this, Jones also believes passionately that they should celebrate diversity. “Employee networks often emerge from a place of passion, which can sometimes lead to differing priorities between the network’s ideas and the organisation’s broader DEI strategies. We’ve successfully navigated these dynamics by fostering strong relationships with our networks and working collaboratively to develop and deliver their plans in alignment with organisational goals,” she adds. By taking a collaborative partnership approach, networks can effectively tackle complex challenges while maintaining that core purpose of celebration. Jones concludes: “Employee networks are powerful drivers of change. Their ability to both celebrate diversity and confront difficult issues is vital for addressing the evolving needs of businesses and society. Our networks exemplify how fostering inclusion not only benefits employees but also drives better outcomes for clients, customers, and the communities we serve.”

Culture and wellbeing

Similarly, Central Co-op’s five inclusion networks serve multiple roles at the retailer. “The networks are suggesting great new ideas, they provide feedback on what we could do better as a business, and to ensure that our EDI progress is continuous and evolving,” says Naomi Smith, inclusion and wellbeing manager. “As a demonstration of our commitment, each network is sponsored by a member of our executive team. They provide active support and raise the profile of each network. Acting as a space for both sharing and collaborating, the networks help us to remain responsive and adaptable to evolving D&I needs.” Events such as Pride and National Inclusion Week not only celebrate diversity but also boost wellbeing, she argues: “We’ve found that these networks are fostering real engagement and inclusivity. Through the power of storytelling, our networks are breaking down barriers and encouraging individuals to bring their authentic selves to work. This has also positively impacted our engagement scores and helped reduce colleague turnover.” The company’s colleague engagement score moved from 3.99 in October 2023 to 4.11 in May 2024, ethnicity disclosure rates increased by 10%, and disability disclosure rates increased by 14% – so celebration is also impacting business goals. Smith believes the multifaceted role of Central Co-op’s networks will continue to help it achieve its diversity targets into 2025, “but most importantly they’ll help us to create a place to work where everyone feels welcome and included”.