Three ways to involve male colleagues in Women’s Network initiatives

We often work alongside Women’s Employee Resource Groups who struggle in engaging male colleagues in ERG initiatives.

Here are some simple event ideas to allow them to get an idea of the group’s work and mission, without jumping in the deep end!

You can find more ideas in our downloadable resource here.

Plus One: A simple way of encouraging people to show up is by being a plus one, to simply spectate in an ERG event. Encourage each member of the network to invite a male colleague along, this is even more effective if they are a leader. You could host a ’Spectator Session’ which welcomes newcomers but with no expectation of them getting involved (unless they want to). This presents the opportunity to learn about the ERG’s work without the fear of making mistakes. To make it easy for ERG members, compose an email template they can share with colleagues inviting them to be a plus one. Communicate the benefits and make it clear they can just come along and spectate. Simply showing up is the first step towards allyship.

Run a 'TED Club’: Like a book club but less time-consuming! There are a wealth of TED talks and panel discussions online, from experts in the field of gender equality (or any type of diversity). You could set up a Lunch and Learn session in which participants watch the talk/panel and in small groups discuss a few simple questions. Share the link to the talk in advance along with the questions, so folks can prepare if they wish and again set expectations on contribution so it doesn’t feel intimidating. A great place to start is Michael Kimmel’s talk ‘Why gender equality is good for everyone - men included.’

Create a Male Allies Sub-ERG: If there are already male allies within your ERG, they might consider setting up a sub-group where male colleagues can connect and focus on their allyship. They may find a ‘male only’ space feels more comfortable, at least to begin with. In creating this space they are leveraging their privilege to rally more male colleagues, using their position to amplify the ERGs mission and shouldering some of the burden. This would be especially impactful with buy-in from senior male leaders.

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