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.

Well, this says a lot about the company you work for.

A responsibly run business don’t simply respond to those who shout loudest.

It’s the networks’ job to make their voice heard. It’s your company’s job to listen to everyone.

Ha ha
I am self employed
But I follow Tribunal Tweets

For the most point I think these networks and attending these meetings are for people who don’t have enough work to do. I work for a similar organisation and it’s relentless and I’m always being badgered to join or contribute to a network or attend an event. No thanks. I have plenty of actual work to do.

@Talkinpeace you are self employed, so in other words, you have no idea what you are talking about? lovely
tribunals are when things go wrong - in the vast majority they don’t
a bit like a person saying cars are evil and should never used because they saw some accidents….

No because my work means I am constantly checking the procedures and controls of public sector bodies.

I therefore see it going wrong at dozens of places per year
as well as what I read by following Employment Tribunal outcomes

If you think that the current situation with the National Library of Scotland puts staff networks in a good light "you have no idea what you are talking about"

Dozends of tribunals a year at your work? because of employee networks? with all due respect, there is something deeply wrong with your workplace, and its not the employee networks…..

@itsabeautifuldayjuly
I do audit
I work with hundreds of workplaces
and out of professional duty I read every relevant ET judgement summary
to try to save clients the eyewatering fees

If you are not aware of the financial and reputational harms caused by some employee networks
I can only suggest that you educate yourself

I fully agree that it's helpful to discuss things with people and realise that yu're not the only person who feels like that but do you really think you need to do that in work time? I don't think you do. In my workplace we talk about our menopausal symptoms plenty - in the staffroom on lunch breaks, or in passing as we are struggling to find the word for something simple and joke about it with a colleague . Does it REALLY need an official network?

Even if I DIDN'T feel able to discuss it with anyone at work, what about outside of work? Most people have female friends or relatives who they have heard talk about "the Change", or discussed their own symptoms with them. There is plenty on the internet and there was even in 2017.

They won't be costing the taxpayer if it's a private company and I haven't seen many public sector workplaces doing this. Also, you said "BAME networks exclude the wrong type of minority" - which would be who?

You can say leave you prejudice at home but we know that people don't, just because something is illegal doesn't mean it doesn't happen and isn't prevelant. Disabled people face many barriers going into the workplace, on applications if they disclose it or ask for accommodations and we should care about all disabilities, whether that be physical and you have a wheelchair or a mental illness or a sensory condition (blind, deaf) or neurodevelopmental conditions or chronic illness. If you look at the Disablity Pride flag you'd see that all colours are represented for all disabilities and we should focus on making the workplace accessible for all disabilities not just having a ramp.

Many workplace groups will help the executive when writing policies and also to reformat policies around equality. I know many groups have also done training sessions for executive and employees as a whole, many help HR with work experience programs and how to get rid of barriers they may have faced as working class young people going into that role. I'm not saying they are perfect at all, but in some workplaces they may be more performative and in others they may help to change the cultures have good talks to help those groups with networking or as pp mentioned a talk on burnout for autistic people which they're more likely to experience or talks on education on biases during recruitment, they also often do events for the companies corporate social responsibility so it helps them out there.

Well maybe you consider that a microaggression because you make so many and thus make people uncomfortable and also make the workplace less functional. On colleagues 'wasting their time' if they meet the duties they need to elsewhere, it doesn't concern you how much time they spend on it as long as everything else is done. In workplaces I know off, most of the work is done by HR employees responsible for Equality practices or hiring and a little is done by colleges outside of HR but not that much, a few meeting here and there and the events other than massive ones like IWD are done in a way that doesn't disrupt the work that needs to be done. Maybe you should join said networks and learn something.

@TheLivelyViper
Look up the SEEN networks
then look up Sussex Uni and Open Uni and NHS Fife and Cambridge Council.

Look up the reputational damage happening right now to the National Library of Scotland because of an out of control staff group

Workplace groups should NEVER EVER write employer policies
that way Isla Bumba lies.
Model policies are at ACAS and the EHRC
do not hallucinate your own

I seem to remember a staff network was heavily implicated in Allison Bailey's tribunal as well.

What exactly is the need to have that network at work? Things have gone too far. I understand that some people may have experienced miscarraige or child loss but that is an issue between them and HR (and their manager). Any actual discussion around that in terms of resolving their own trauma etc could surely be done out of work time? Otherwise you could argue a case for a network for every possible life scenario, and that already exists. It's called The Internet.

I am eligible to join several networks but I haven’t.

I find the networks, at my workplace at least, don’t actually achieve anything except put meaningless articles on SharePoint and send us emails.

A recent article from the Older Employees network stated, that through group discussions, it emerged that older employees said they wanted to feel valued. No shit, Sherlock. So do all other employees.

It feels like a virtual signalling exercise to show how inclusive the company is. I’m positive it’s all written by AI anyway.

@thelivelyviper

How naive!

They only "change the culture" if it fits the banks strategic direction.

That means it is moulded so that the banks reputation meets the cause of the year.

They really really do not care about the diversity of staff or any challenges the staff face. They only care about the impact on shareholders and their return on equity.

I've seen this in practice.

No network meetings?

I'm glad you feel that your disability is adequately accommodated.

My workplace is excellent for inclusivity but even then I have not yet found or heard of any large organisation which does not have any problems with racism, sexism, or ableism. I have certainly never encountered a workplace where everyone is completely educated and up-to-date on neurodiversity or chronic illnesses.

If you don't see the need for the networks, feel lucky.

Don’t! My bank emailed to invite me to some stress and time management seminars today. It must be someone’s job to organise this stuff. What’s wrong with just being a bank. When did we all become incapable of just staying in our lanes.

I started wearing a hearing aid earlier this year. I joined the hard of hearing group at work and it has been really useful. People have advised on using the headset with a hearing aid, how to set close captioning and auto transcription on some of the specialist software we use, and other tips which make a difference. I could have submitted a ticket to IT, but it is really helpful to I ask on the group and get a detailed reply from someone who uses the programmes regularly.

Our groups don't seem to be very active, but they are very handy.

There is no prejudice these days in most workplaces like ours yet weirdly still many tribunal cases and settlements

I’d join, and no doubt find the ‘Menopause Network’ and ‘Women’s Network’ useful, but they are open to all including those that identify as women. So no, I’m not going to enable men’s euphoria and joy at my expense.

Same where I work. They're box ticking exercises - nothing more, nothing less.

I was deputy chair of the women’s network where I used to work, traditionally and in terms of employment figures, a very male-dominated environment (policing). Just a few of the initiatives we worked on: successful recruitment campaigns to increase the number of female police officers; a promotion and mentoring programme to give female officers the confidence and knowledge to apply for promotion or move into roles where females were very underrepresented; introduction of menopause and endometriosis policies to enable better understanding and provide workplace support; introduction of better female-fitting kit such as vests and trousers; enhanced return to work following maternity leave; I could go on. All practical measures which improved the work environment and opportunities for women in the workplace. I worked with all of the various staff networks and they all had similar work programmes. There was celebration of events, of course, whether religious, Pride, International Women’s Day etc., but it was never empty virtue signalling - there always had to be a tangible outcome or impact on policing e.g. Pride events were used as valuable recruitment opportunities. Staff networks can be wonderful tools for empowerment and improving the workplace, not just for their members, but for everyone.

The Police who were ruled to be in breach of the PSED by their participation in Pride marches
those Police ?