Have workplace employee networks gone too far

[Holidayheat]

I work in a large retail bank. We have a long list of employee networks we can join. Disability network, LGBTQ+ network, neurodiversity network, women’s network, staff wellbeing network etc etc. I really fail to see the point in them. I’m a nice liberal minded person. My colleagues are all nice liberal minded people. We aren’t bigoted in any way etc etc. I have a colleague who is heavily involved in the running of a network. It’s not in her job description but must take up about 50% of her time, which for an IT professional is a chunk of money for my employer. I just don’t see the point. Deciding how to best decorate the office for pride. Getting the budget right for Eid celebration event. Promoting a ‘how to do presentations for women’ event.

If we were a particularly backward thinking workplace I could see the benefit, but it’s 2025 and this is a modern workplace. no one gives two hoots as to whether someone is gay, or Jewish, or has a stutter or is in a wheelchair, they are just interested in whether someone can do their job. There is no prejudice these days in most workplaces like ours and to claim there is or worry that there is seems a little patronising. It seems a massive investment for what? Nothing.

"microaggressions" are what exactly ?
Not being patted on the head every time you think you have been clever ?
GROW UP
Its a workplace.
You do not have to like the people you work with.
You just have to work with them.

If there is bullying / racism / misogyny / homophobia
those are against the law and should be a matter of disciplinary action
by the HR team
NOT by a self appointed staff network whose outlook will not look at the whole team dynamic in the round.

Well, if you don't want or need them we should probably get rid of them. 🙄

Having said that if you're not exaggerating spending 50% of your work time on a network is excessive and I'm surprised that's allowed. Our networks get 5% of their core officers work time, any extra to be done in lunch breaks etc.

Nobody is forcing you to read the emails. Delete and move on.

Back in 2017 I suddenly started struggling at work. I couldn't remember what to do and was finding it really difficult to learn new things. I was worried sick I was getting dementia. Then I happened to run into a colleague who was setting up a Menopause network and after a chat with her I realised that all the things I was struggling with were caused by hormonal changes. I went to the GP, got HRT and everything started getting back to normal. This was long before Davina McCall and TV coverage of menopause.

Since then I have regularly attended the virtual meetings for that network and heard other women repeat the same story. It has been a lifesaver for so many of us, and that woman set up the network on her own through hard work after realising that so many women before us had gone through it but never told anyone. There were stats showing that a huge proportion of women leave the workforce at that age and although there will be reasons like looking after grandchildren or wanting time to yourself an awful lot of women left work because they thought they were no longer capable.

It's very easy to be flippant and decide that networks have no value just because they aren't relevant to you but there is huge value in realising that you are not the only person who feels like this.

My colleagues are all nice liberal minded people. We aren’t bigoted in any way etc etc

How can you possibly know this? How many people work for your large retail bank?

@WeaselsRising
You could have had the same support through any social group or club.
It is NOT a work issue.
It should not be happening on work time or money.

If you needed adaptations and your employer refused
only THEN does it become a workplace issue.

People take much too much of their personal lives into their workplaces nowadays.

Unless you are Jewish, have a stutter, or use a wheelchair, etc it's not for you to say whether it's an issue.
You'd never know.
It's like saying 'I'm not racist, so racism doesn't exist, nobody is racist.'

This workplace network is responsible for censoring the views of women it disagrees with:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5390792-national-library-of-scotland-censors-the-women-who-wouldnt-wheesht?reply=146376114

The person running the session said that the expectation was to be in the office 3 days a week.
So, in response to the micro aggression comment, he wisely pointed out that surely that would still be an issue no matter how many days you come into the office.

No one is forcing you to read it.

As a BAME person, I still face micro aggressions at work. The company talks the big talk about inclusivity but really they expect conformity. My multiculture network is a safe space to talk about it.

Just because you have a disability, it doesn’t qualify you to say no other minority needs their group.

My DP is autistic and finds the ND employee network at his workplace very useful. They sometimes have talks with guest speakers about particular topics to do with being ND in the workplace. He has learnt a lot and uses what he has learned as a way to manage his own difficulties whilst he is working.

If you don't need those groups then don't use them. Some people do, and get a lot out of them.

I have found it useful to be part if the parent and carer network at times tbh.

But on the flip side, i’m aware of a couple of colleagues who ‘run’ some of these networks and use it as an excuse to do fuck all actual work.

Sounds more interesting than her day job. Perhaps that's much of the appeal?

As a BAME person, I still face micro aggressions at work. The company talks the big talk about inclusivity but really they expect conformity. My multiculture network is a safe space to talk about it.

The company pays you to conform to its rules and regulations.
If there are racist behaviours going on, raise it with HR,
back chatting with others in an exclusive group is not the solution.

There is no legal right to not be offended by the actions of others.
"safe spaces" are for those too immature to get on with what actually matters.

It's a poorly run set up if people are giving so much time to their network in place of work. Everywhere I have been, it's been clear this isn't okay; it's on top of your normal work. There's been flexibility around it; fine to have a meeting about it at 10:00, as long as you're not missing a client meeting or deadline for it, and as long as you do you 40 hours a week (or whatever you're contracted to do.)

back chatting with others in an exclusive group is not the solution.

Why do you think it's back-chatting? Maybe it's, "I've been in this situation and it doesn't feel right, but I'm not sure if it's worth going to HR about it."
"Yes, it sounds like it could be a problem. Do you want some guidance in how to raise it?"

The idea that there is absolutely no prejudice in your workplace makes it very special and unusual - can you share which company this is?

I know a couple of people like that, at work.

They’ve got a job for life with all that bullshit.

@EBearhug Does that need a formal "staff network" ?

Do you accept that some of the 'staff networks' in large organisations
are turning out to be rather expensive for their employers ?

(Sussex University, Open University, NHS Fife, Cambridge County Council, more to come)

The problem is they don't go far enough. These groups used to be far more about activism and pushing for real change. Discrimination is rife is most (if not all) organisations but now networks do very little activism and are simply a nice way for the company to pretend they give a crap, let their members spend time putting up posters and decorations while still refusing the address the gender pay gap, make the workplace truly accessible or tackle racial bullying.

The equality act does protect against harassment based on race though.

The main problem with networks is that they can facilitate 'performative inclusion' - someone ticks a box by following a network, maybe 'likes' a few articles on the intranet - thinks 'job done'. I think networks are valuable for members, as long as those higher up don't use them as a way of paying lip service to inclusion, rather than being genuinely inclusive.

I am inclined to think some of the reasons for them are to be seen to do something, a bit like token environmental initiatives.

Ryanair celebrate International Women's Day (yes I looked it up) whilst having policies that are in my opinion bullying in all but name.

Touché! 😉

A lot of big companies have lots of networks so they can pretend that none if their staff ever face racism or misogyny or homophobia or bullying

Imo a place with a lot of networks is somewhere that either has, or has had, a lot of issues and staff have had to work hard to have the issues dealt with (if they have been as yet)

We have a very similar kind of set up (International software company) and we have a dedicated "employee engagement team" who are paid for this! By this I mean a team are paid to come up with the groups and initiatives but not actually run them. Nope the buck is then passed to whoever has agreeed to run a specific group / initiative. Some are ongoing, some are transient. Employee engagement team have the vital role of providing daily updates on our intranet, sending constant email reminders to show our support for ABC and questionnaires about how successful XYZ was. It's relentless. The employee engagement team border on harassment if you don't respond to their requests (I joke..... kind of). I am automatically signed up to "women in software" which meet on the 2nd Friday of the month. I haven't worked Friday in 7 years? But my feedback is still demanded and my attendance has always been "required" despite me not being there - ever. It's very odd.