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Starting an Employee GLBT Group
April 2002, rev. 1
[email feednack to a_pansy@hotmail.com]
Introduction
This white paper is intended as a resource for employees seeking to form a
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender employee group at their workplace. It
contains an overview of the process, some things to consider and questions to
ask, and some issues and opportunities that can arise.
The Process Itself
Fact-finding
and information gathering
- Is there a need for a group? Is the group forming in response to a
particular situation, or is it primarily for networking and socializing? Could
your group achieve what it needs to outside the framework of an employee
group?
- Find out what efforts have been made already to form a group at your company
- Find out if your company has a diversity policy, or a policy on forming GLBT
or any other employee group. Why or how was the policy developed in the first
place?
- Find out how other companies are doing it
- Is there an informal group already?
- Are there other employee groups already in existence (sports teams,
Toastmasters, women’s networking group, etc.). What is their structure or
relationship to the company?
- Is there someone in management who will support this effort? Is there a
diversity leader or champion within the organization?
Get
people involved
- Call a meeting – get input from everyone
- Draft a proposal, which might include the following sections:
 | Proposal – to form a group |
| Background – what’s been done already |
| Purpose – what is the purpose of the group? Some examples: |
-
To foster a workplace environment where all
employees may achieve maximum productivity regardless of sexual
orientation or gender identity
- Contribute to the corporate effort to recognize the value of diverse
employees and a diverse workforce
- Provide support and information for new and prospective employees
- Provide points of contact regarding events:
- Professional networking and mentoring
|
What do we want? – What does your group want
the company to contribute? Some examples: |
-
Monetary resources (or not)
- Non-monetary, company-owned or provided resources such as:
- MS Outlook mailbox for communication with group members & to
answer inquiries
- Website space
- Permission to use meeting rooms for group meetings
- Space for informational flyers
- Photocopies
- Other
- Point of contact in Human Resources
|
Plans – what activities does the group plan to
sponsor and/or participate in? |
- Monthly meetings
- Periodic e-mails or newsletters to members
- Notification of company and community GLBT events
- Participation in professional GLBT networking organizations such as
the Out And Equal Leadership Summit
- Networking with other local corporate GLBT employee groups (through
Tucson Corporate LGBT Coalition)
- Establish GLBT groups at other company sites, locations or branches
- Encourage member involvement with community GLBT organizations
| Goals and objectives – strategic thinking or long-term goals |
Running
it up the flagpole
- Get buy-in from management and other leaders. Get sponsorship if possible.
- Run the proposal by HR
| Strategize over the best person to receive your group’s proposal. |
| Have a well-developed case in favor of forming a group. |
| Set a deadline or timeline on a response back from HR. |
Get
it off the ground
- Based HR’s response, on what the group hopes to gain from an employee
group, and on the policies of the parent organization, what structure would
the group logically take? Employee groups of private corporations probably
wouldn’t qualify for 501C-3 status.
- Write by-laws, a charter and mission statement.
- Elect officers or establish points of contact.
- Communicate about the group’s existence
- Keep it running
- Publicize your successes as appropriate
Follow
up
- Keep records – measure your success, track your budget. How do you know
when you’re done?
| How much money is spent? |
| How many visitors to the website or the booth? |
| How many new members have joined? |
| Feedback received |
| Are the goals that have been set being met? |
- Periodically review the group’s progress, spending, charter, mission and
vision.
- Don’t forget to observe budget request deadlines, if applicable.
- Provide progress reports to management and HR as applicable.
Issues and Opportunities
- There are not enough people in the workplace to form a group.
- People are reluctant to be out by joining the group.
- No one wants to drive the group, or there is not enough interest to keep
it going.
- There aren’t any problems at my workplace and we don’t need a group.
- The group is not sanctioned by Human Resources, or my company won’t
permit the formation of a GLBT group.
- My company doesn’t have a clue about how to go about helping us form a
group.
- It’s unclear what relationship the GLBT group would have to other
employee groups.
- The goals of the GLBT group conflict with the goals of another employee
group.
- How do I get buy-in from management that an GLBT group is a good thing?
 | Tie in the forming of a group to corporate initiatives, values and
goals. For example, if your company values and rewards innovation, stress
the value of divergent thinking and viewpoints. Find research on the value
of diversity. |
- How do we handle other groups wanting to form?
| HR may want to establish an overarching policy on the types of groups that
can form with official sanctions. For example, only groups with a history of
member discrimination or under-representation in the workplace, etc. What
"categories" are approved/not approved (for example race, gender,
sexual orientation, etc.) |
- How do we handle anti-gay or religious groups wanting to form?
- How do we publicize the group without being accused of solicitation?
| Some possible solutions include mailing only to members who have requested
to join the list, only adding members to mailing lists upon requests,
retaining records of requests to join the list, establishing an approved
bulletin board or flyer area, etc. |
Resources
Websites
Books
Articles
People
| Human Resources |
| Diversity managers or staff |
| Employee groups at other companies |
| Linda at Raytheon |
| Phil at Raytheon |
| Steve and Greg – Raytheon Tucson |
| Jeff – IBM Tucson |
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