8) Presenting the Case for Formal Recognition
The business case (Terms of Reference) may be delivered to managers orally, at a meeting, perhaps after a short presentation, or written down in a structured fashion. Discuss this with the appropriate manager/HR contact at an early stage to help you shape your approach. Remember Transform Work can support you throughout this process!
Dealing with Objections
An initial approach to managers to establish a Christian Workplace or Employee Resource Group, may well elicit a response along these lines:
‘Aren’t staff networks for those groups which sometimes experience
discrimination? Christians aren’t discriminated against, are they?’
It is therefore important to make sure that basic groundwork has been undertaken before putting this request forward. It is often helpful to start informal discussions with managers about the possibilities of formal recognition. This will ensure that they are aware of the potential request at an early stage, thus enabling any concerns to be talked through openly. It may be beneficial to invite a sympathetic senior manager to attend a meeting of your group and to seek advice on what concerns or issues managers may raise. The 'hearts and minds' approach often pays dividends!
Another issue that some groups might encounter is the question from management:
'Why should we support a single faith group?
Wouldn’t it be better to have a multi-faith group or forum?'
There is no standard response as to whether a Christian Group should or should not participate in a multi-faith forum. Any such proposal requires careful thought and prayer. There are however, a number of factors that groups should consider in determining their response. These include the following:
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Does the multi-faith forum allow individual faith groups to effectively represent their specific views, or does it inadvertently reduce the individual identities of the respective faith groups?
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There should be no reason why an organisation cannot support more than one faith group.
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Different faiths may wish to support their believers in different ways. In particular, there are some aspects of faith that can only be addressed with like-minded believers.
In the main, people of different faiths are happy to work alongside one another. This working relationship may take place inside or outside a multi-faith forum. It is something that the respective faith groups will have to discuss together. However, if a multi-faith forum exists within the organisation, Christian Workplace Groups should do their best to engage with this positively. Whenever possible though, Transform Work recommends that Christian Workplace Groups should seek to exist as a uniquely Christian group.
Find out more about Multi / Inter Faith Networks in Workplaces.
| What is God saying, at the start of this process take time to listen. |
| Tips on how to find other Christians in your workplace |
| Who will lead? What roles are needed? |
| All equality, diversity and inclusion frameworks, principles, policies and
procedures of any organisation are first and foremost governed by the Equality Act 2010 |
| Now you've understood Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, hopefully you are ready to learn about being a recognised group called a Staff Network or Employee Resource Group. Find out more |
| Time to create your business case or terms of reference. Be totally transparent so management and all staff know what your are endeavouring to achieve. |
| Frequency, time and venue, agenda, leaders and supporting leaders... |
| This is one of the most important roles of a Christian Workplace Group. Let your light shine so they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. |
| Christian Workplace Groups can be at several stages of development and knowing where your particular group is can help in the process of achieving employer recognition. |
| Watch this short video as Matt explains how the Christian Workplace Group started in a local authority in Oxfordshire.
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