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Webinar Insights: Culture coffee morning

Published: 10 Oct 2023

A group of people sit around a table having a discussion

Our National Work Life Week webinar series kicked off with our Culture Coffee Morning. Our fantastic panel, consisting of Denise Priest, the Executive Director of Customer Experience at Bright Horizons, Christiana Rose, Founding Co-Chair for the Parents and Carers Network at Middlesex University London, and Orianna Caruso, the Co-chair of the Citi Families Matter Network shared their passion as well as practical ideas for creating cultures where everybody feels understood and valued. Here are the key takeaways from the session: 

Prioritise listening 

  • The panellists agreed that listening is the bedrock of creating cultures where everyone feels understood and valued. It helps gain insight into what is helpful in their lives, highlights gaps in policy and enables employers to be responsive to the needs of parents and carers. Meeting people where they are is important, for example, people in different roles and locations will have different needs.  

Shout about it  

  • Once you have listened to your people, initiate ‘You said, we heard’ to communicate your understanding and make yourself accountable to taking feedback forward. Also ensure that you are amplifying the support available to raise awareness and encourage take up.  

Start with belonging 

  • The notion of ‘belonging’ can be very powerful to foster inclusivity. Think about how language can be used to break down the idea of gendered roles and reflect the diversity of modern families. Centre wellbeing in practices and policies and think beyond the emotional to include physical and financial.  

Develop robust policies  

  • Clear and coherent policies are the best way to be consistent about supporting families. Think beyond parental leave policies to include policies around dependents leave, bereavement, fertility, and flexible working. 

Think outside the box 

  • There are many ways to celebrate diversity and break down stigma, so that people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. The panellists shared some fantastic initiatives such as a Festival of Neurodiversity, celebrating ‘Coming Out Day’ and awareness events around male suicide.  

Real models 

  • The panellists agreed that using real models is the most powerful way to demonstrate that flexible working and other family-friendly practices work, and encourage others to take up the opportunities available.  

Evolution 

  • Creating an inclusive culture can never be seen as a job done. It is a process of reviewing what works and what doesn’t and being responsive and willing to adapt. Providing people with an opportunity to participate in the narrative will develop an effective learning cycle. 

Plan ahead 

  • Thinking about the year ahead will enable you to schedule talks, events, awareness days, and regular opportunities for feedback from parents and carers. Encourage cross-collaboration between different specific networks where possible to reflect and address intersectionality.  

Evidence  

  • The best way to overcome resistance is to make a strong case with information. Collect and share data on ROI, impacts on engagement, staff retention and sickness. Enrich facts and figures with real life examples, which is also an effective way to make the point with less expenditure.