Empowering staff networks

The Staff Network Academy is designed to equip and empower staff network leads with the skills and knowledge that are necessary to manage a staff network that stives to be a powerful agent for change.

Staff network leads are a huge benefit for any organisation committed to inclusion with impact. They bring passion, commitment and insight.

When you invest in your employee network groups, through the Staff Network Academy, you are channelling this passion and insight into valuable communication and leadership skills. It is a valuable return on your investment. Our CMI Level 4 Award, Promoting Equality, Inclusion and Diversity, is another way you can invest in your aspiring inclusion leaders; it is perfect for passionate inclusioneers who are taking on roles as inclusion champions and network leads.

The business case for inclusion has never been clearer and impactful employee network groups are an asset for any organisation committed to raising the voices of their staff networks and taking positive steps towards a more inclusive culture.

How to equip your staff networks to thrive

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The Staff Network Academy

Carefully designed by our inclusion experts, the Staff Network Academy is focussed on equipping staff networks to succeed and deliver on their objectives.

The Staff Network Academy programme takes employee network groups through six modules of learning. Empowering staff network leads is the priority, and the themes of the modules reflect this.

As with all Inclusive Employers consultancy and training, our approach is always to work with the specific needs of the organisation. The structure of our Staff Network Academy is outlined below and can be adapted so it is most effective for individual organisations.

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The learning process

The Staff Network Academy is designed to take place over 6 months. In addition to the six modules, we begin with a pre-module focus group.

This facilitated discussion gives our experts valuable insight into how staff network and employee resource group leads feel about both their roles and inclusion and diversity across the organisation. Having this understanding before the learning process begins means our experts are equipped to take the staff networks on the most effective learning journey.

The six modules are delivered online and cover:

  • Inclusive communications: how to make sure inclusion is at the heart of your communication style, no matter who in the organisation you are talking to.
  • Courageous conversations: confidence to have the more challenging conversations that can be necessary to really progress workplace inclusion.
  • Leading your network: how to determine the vision for your staff networks and practical steps to make them happen, including finances and budgeting.
  • Creating the vision and leading with intersectionality: Understanding the ‘why, the how, the what’ of your employee network groups and understanding how beneficial it can be to work in collaboration with other staff networks in your organisation.
  • Stakeholder management: building staff networks that have confidence to influence and inspire stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
  • Meetings: how to have inclusive meetings, where everyone has a voice and feels listened to, and actions are followed up on.
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Next steps towards empowered staff networks

You can learn more about how effective your staff networks are now through the Inclusive Employers Standard (IES), our workplace accreditation tool that measures inclusion against the six pillars. One of these pillars is Empower and staff networks or employee resource groups are a brilliant way to empower your employees. Our blog, Top Tips from Staff Network Leads, shares valuable insight from organisations who have been successful in the IES, particularly with their work in the Empower pillar.

To find out more about how we can work together to empower your staff networks to drive inclusion forward in your organisation, get in touch by completing the form below. If you are a member please speak to your account manager.