Employee Resource Groups (ERG) are voluntary, employee-led groups aiming to drive equity and foster an inclusive workplace.

As a designer, director, and experience curator, nothing is more important than the person at the center of it. Being a member and ally of Employee Resource Groups broadens my perspectives and empathy – ultimately making me a better creative.

In 2023, I volunteered to co-lead Thrive – an ERG for employees with neurodiversity and disabilities. Co-leading taught me how to facilitate; along the way, I befriended something unexpected – silence. What used to be an unwelcome visitor became something I took ownership of guarding. A post-question silence to an engaged audience meant they were thinking and formulating a meaningful reply. It is just as important for a leader to hold the silence as it is to acknowledge and thank a member’s contribution. In the future, if silence knocks on your door, let it in for a while.