Hospitality business BaxterStorey has launched a employee resource group (ERG) as part of its strategy to empower and support parents and families across its workforce.
The ERG was developed in response to the growing number of conversations around the challenges faced by working parents and carers in balancing professional responsibilities with family life, dealing with feelings of guilt, and the constant search for a healthy work-life balance.
A need was identified for a network where people couldconnect, share experiences, and provide emotional support as they navigate the complexities of balancing careers and family life. Operations manager Lily Bell and accounts manager Jonathon Cannon-Gierth, both working parents, volunteered to lead the group. Their vision for TRIBE is to create a community where all definitions of family are welcomed, and everyone’s unique path to parenthood is valued.
The group is committed to fostering open discussions, hosting community events and sharing resources, ensuring that every parent and caregiver has a place to turn for support within the company, and making the experience of balancing work and family life more transparent and manageable for all employees.
To do this, the aim of the ERG is not only to create a strong support network but also to drive meaningful change by sharing knowledge and advocating for policies that make it easier for parents to thrive both at work and at home, breaking down any barriers or stigmas associated with being a working parent, and helping everyone feel confident and supported in their roles.
The launch will see a variety of engagement events over the coming months as well as additional training and educational resources being made available. These will include a partnership with pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s, which will be providing pregnancy and parenting at work training to staff, covering family planning and parenting to handling complications and losses, and support for every step of the pregnancy journey.
BaxterStorey will be rolling out a buddy programme to support parents and carers through transition periods, including parental leave, and TRIBE coffee mornings each month to encourage team members to connect in an informal setting. Regional parent networks will be developed across BaxterStorey, led by regional champions, to foster localised networking and support.
The business has also partnered with charity Sal’s Shoes to allow team members to donate their second-hand but still wearable children’s shoes to families in need.
Employee resource groups (ERGs) are internal communities of workers with shared identities and interests, which consulting firm McKinsey & Company has said are “key to inclusion at work”. This will sit alongside RISE (Women in hospitality), SHINE (LGBTQIA+), WOW (Well-being). All these ERGs are part of Dive-In which brings all the inclusion networks together.
The additional resources and support provided by TRIBE will be underpinned by BaxterStorey’s existing policies and processes to support parents. As part of its benefits package, the company also offers grandparent leave, and secondary carer leave, in addition to the company’s enhanced maternity leave.
The business is also committed to continuous policy and process reviews and improvements.
Lily Bell, co-lead of TRIBE and BaxterStorey operations manager, said: “TRIBE is about building a supportive community where everyone feels seen and valued.”
Accounts manager and co-lead Jonathon Cannon-Gierthadded: “Due to my own personal struggles, I saw an opportunity to support other secondary parents and families alike.”