Gil: Well for me it gives you an opportunity for staff who have
similar interests or backgrounds to come together and air their
views about the organisation. And that information can be used
to improve the quality and service that the organisation
builds.
Bridgette: There is strength in numbers, and especially when
putting forward the views of a minority community within your
organisation. Networks also improve the health of your
organisation, especially when forming part of an engagement
strategy.
Julie: At Acas, we know that engaged employees perform to
their best. So your staff networks enable you to create
that culture of greater engagement. It's also important
that when you create staff networks, you enable your
network to have the time and space to meet. At Acas we see a
lot of organisations that will put staff networks in place, but
don't actually give the employees the chance to meet. By
doing that, the message you're sending is that diversity and
inclusion is just a bolt on, it's not actually part of your
DNA. So it's crucially important that if you really want to drive
your diverse inclusion agenda forward and empower your staff
network, you need to give them the time and space to do the
valuable work that they can feel organisation.
Jennifer: I think staff networks are very important on a number
of levels. I think within Acas we talk a lot about the
importance of employee voice and the importance of consultation
and staff networks. Diversity networks give a really good
opportunity to get that opportunity for consultation to
speak to staff about particular topics and get an idea of what
issues they're facing and what they would like to see, what
they would like to work on for organisations to move towards
and to push towards that that positive change. They can also
be a really good opportunity for peer support between staff as
well. If the number of staff facing similar issues, whether
that's in the workplace or outside of the workplace, it
offers that opportunity for peer support and being able to give
that litsening ear as well.
Gil: Three things that organisations can do to increase
inclusivity. The first one is to understand that happiness
increases productivity. I think research shows it's up to at
least 14% of increased productivity that happy staff
bring to the workplace. The second thing is to develop
policies for everyone in the organisation about happiness and
well being. And thirdly is to introduce an hour long weekly
happiness and wellbeing session for all staff, which is
something that I do and in the organisation that it's been
delivered, there's been a phenomenal increase in
productivity.
Bridgette: As individuals, we should put ourselves in the
shoes of the other person and focus on what others can do, not
what they cannot do. And to look, listen and learn from
others. We can always learn from the person next to us, or the
people around us. To make sure that within our networks that
members are supported and valued. And, you know, their
views are taken on board. And also to connect with allies and
other networks so that we can build strong platforms to take
views forward and to make change for those within the network
community, but also for the whole organisation.
Julie: Rather than having individual networks for
different diverse groups, why not have a diversity network
that brings together staff from different backgrounds to talk
about inclusion, and again, give you the opportunity to run past
those networks on changes or policy development. The other
tip is, why not look across your sector and see if you can join
up with other organisations from the same sector, and then maybe
have, say, a race network for your sector or the women's
network for your sector. That way, you're still enabling
increased voice but you're also addressing specific things that
are unique to your sector.
Jennifer: My main tip would be to listen to staff. And if I
would say anything else, it's to make sure staff have the
resources and the ability to communicate with you and to tell
you what issues they're facing and what they're looking for.