Don’t be a bystander. Learn how to be active and effective when colleagues need support.
In moments of collective distress for underrepresented groups, it’s often a company’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that are both affected by crises and expected to respond to them. That’s why these groups need allies both in and outside their ranks. This is a common scenario, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there are ways to be prepared to help.
- ERGs should plan for how they will support each other.
Jamie Bergeron, Associate Director, Americas Diversity, Equity, & Inclusiveness Center of Excellence at EY, spoke about ERGs at Catalyst’s 2024 enERGize conference. She advised, “I really think that building into your ERG annual plan the ways that you show up for other ERGs, or having a crisis response plan as a group, is a really important endeavor. When something happens in the news or globally that might impact a community that your ERG is not necessarily representing, […] what can your ERG do, and how can you activate quickly?
“[…] Having some real planning around that and thinking through what kind of collaborative ally you want to be among the entire ERG community at your organization is an investment of time and strategy that I think makes it possible for us to show up authentically, connected with one another, so that in those moments of crisis we’re not doing the strategy and planning then.”
- Empower employees to check in on each other individually.
A one-on-one check-in can make a big difference for an ERG member dealing with a crisis, according to Nicole McCormick, Senior Manager – National Assignment & Indigenous News Team, CityNews, Rogers Communications. She said, “Often people think allyship and supporting ERGs has to be this big show. It doesn’t. […] It can be […] a Teams message. Say, ‘Hey, I’m aware of what’s happening in the world right now. How can I support you?’”
Bergeron said that her Business Resource Group created a one-on-one check-in how-to guide. She said, “It seems like it should be a natural part of how we connect among colleagues. But what we see over and over is that people really freeze. They really hesitate to […] ping someone, send that email, walk over to their desk.” They reframed checking in to be “a really intentional and proactive action that we should incorporate not just in times of collective distress but all of the time so that we actually are more connected in real ways to what we each actually need.”
- Offer to temporarily ease workloads.
If employees notice that colleagues are struggling, Bergeron said that “those are great opportunities for an aspiring ally to get really tactical.” She advised that in addition to asking, “What can I do to support you?” you can also ask, “What can I take off your plate?” Bergeron gave specific examples like, “Can I call the caterer?’” “Can I book the room?” “Can I print the newsletter?” and “Can I send the calendar invite?” She said that this results in “taking some of that workload toward activation so that those in community can focus on one another, on caring for one another, and still get to the thing that needs to get done. “
Bergeron noted that, “Clearing space and time for people in moments where they need to focus their attention on themselves, their families, or their communities, is one of the most important and impactful ways that we can show up for one another one-to-one or ERG-to-ERG.”
- Create space for emotion.
Perhaps the most important thing in a truly difficult time is giving people a safe space where they can be together. This is McCormick’s go-to strategy in times of crisis. She said, “For me it’s about creating that safe space for the emotion. So, what does that look like? Is it a smudging ceremony for 15 minutes? Is it just a big, honest Teams meeting where everybody joins and we allow and give space to the ERG that’s being affected at that time, time to emote. Right? Sometimes the chair, sometimes members of the ERG have so much to say, you know?”
Conclusion
A crisis is a high-pressure time so it’s essential to have a strategy in place to support colleagues before one occurs. Here are some key takeaways:
- Creating a plan before a crisis happens allows employees to be more proactive in the moment.
- Checking in with colleagues in crisis and offering to assist with their workload sets the stage to become an active ally instead of a well-wisher.
- Creating a space for colleagues to express their feelings will ensure that they have the psychological safety they need.
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