An Interview with... Kirsten Whitworth
For Kirsten Whitworth, Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Network at Sky, winning Outstanding LGBTQIA+ Network at the British Diversity Awards was recognition of the people, passion and commitment behind a network that is helping to shape a more inclusive workplace.
In this interview, Kirsten explores what makes an employee network genuinely effective, the challenges faced by the volunteers who lead them, and the support organisations need to provide to ensure these communities can thrive. She also reflects on the role networks play in wellbeing, retention and innovation, and why visibility can be so powerful in helping people see a future for themselves within an organisation.
Employee networks are key to diversity and inclusion. What makes an employee network genuinely effective?
An effective employee network is one that has a clear purpose, listens to its community, and delivers meaningful impact. While important, it needs to provide more than a calendar of events or a communications channel. The best networks are intersectional, create connection, provide support, raise awareness of issues that might otherwise go unheard, and help organisations understand the experiences of different communities.
They are also most effective when they are empowered to be honest. Some of the most valuable work networks do involves challenging assumptions, identifying barriers, and bringing difficult conversations into the open. A network shouldn't exist to make an organisation look good; it should help make the organisation better. That means focusing on real outcomes rather than performative activity.
Finally, effective networks create visibility. People need to be able to see others like themselves succeeding. Visibility helps people feel they belong and gives them confidence that they can build a future in the organisation.
What are some of the biggest challenges employee resource groups or networks face today?
Networks are operating in a more challenging external environment than they were a few years ago. Many minority communities are facing increased scrutiny and hostility, and employee networks are often a major source of support during those periods. That means they are not just organising events; they are helping colleagues navigate issues that are deeply personal and sometimes frightening. In many cases, network steering committees are made up of members of these minority communities, and carry out this work while navigating these issues themselves.
One of the biggest challenges is that the work is entirely voluntary. Network leads, committee members and champions balance this work alongside demanding day jobs. As expectations and needs grow, there is a risk that a small group of passionate people end up carrying a disproportionate amount of responsibility without the time, support or capacity to do everything being asked of them.
Recognition is another significant challenge. Employee networks are often expected to deliver outcomes that support culture, inclusion, wellbeing, recruitment, retention and external reputation, yet the people doing the work do not always receive formal recognition for the time, expertise and emotional energy they invest. Much of the work happens behind the scenes and can be invisible to those who benefit from it. When people feel their contribution is taken for granted, it becomes harder to sustain long term. This is particularly true when network leaders are supporting colleagues through difficult or sensitive issues on top of their normal roles.
Another challenge is demonstrating value in ways that satisfy organisational expectations. Inclusion, belonging and psychological safety are hugely important, but they are not always easy to capture through traditional metrics. Some of the most important outcomes are the hardest to measure: someone feeling comfortable enough to come out at work, finding a supportive community, raising a concern, or deciding to stay with an organisation because they feel they belong there.
Networks can sometimes find themselves caught between supporting their community and challenging the organisation to do better. The most effective networks are willing to raise uncomfortable issues, identify barriers and ask difficult questions. That can be challenging when resources are limited or when there is pressure to focus on visible activity rather than the underlying issues people are experiencing.
Everyone is under ever increasing time pressure, and it can be challenging to create time and space for employees to participate in network activities. Buy-in from managers makes a big impact: when people know that they can take an hour to attend an event, they are empowered to do so, and this helps grow develop community and inclusion.
How can organisations better support inclusion efforts led by employees?
The first step is simple: listen. Employee networks often have a direct understanding of the experiences, challenges and opportunities facing their communities. Organisations should treat that insight as valuable rather than expecting networks to justify their existence or fit into predetermined roles at particular points in the calendar.
Leading by example often requires fairly small steps, but can have a big impact. These include adding pronouns to emails, attending employee network events, encouraging other leaders to attend events, and encouraging employees to attend events during working hours without making them feel like they’re not fully committed to their day jobs.
Recognition of the contribution made by employee networks to an organisation’s culture, largely through giving up free time, can boost morale and reinforce an organisation’s support of affected communities. It can also protect them from psychological harm and burn out.
Strong executive sponsorship also makes a huge difference. The most effective sponsors are visible, engaged and prepared to use their influence to remove barriers, open doors and amplify issues that matter. They don't take over the work; they help create the conditions for success.
Practical support matters too. That includes funding, access to communications channels, leadership engagement and recognising that running a network requires time, effort, and emotional labour. Organisations that genuinely value this work invest in it appropriately and consider what demands are made of the volunteers running these networks.
In your experience, how do strong employee networks influence retention, wellbeing and innovation?
Strong employee networks help people feel that they belong. In the current sociopolitical climate, where many underrepresented groups feel under threat or attack, they can help create a working environment which provides a temporary respite from external threats. For many colleagues, particularly those from underrepresented groups, knowing there is a supportive community around them can have a significant impact on psychological safety, confidence, wellbeing and engagement. It can be the difference between feeling like you have to fit in and feeling like you can genuinely be yourself.
Networks also help organisations attract and retain talent. People are more likely to stay where they feel seen, valued and supported. In my own experience, the visible presence of a strong LGBTQ+ network was one of the factors that attracted me to Sky in the first place.
On innovation, networks bring together people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. They create conversations that might not happen otherwise and often identify issues, opportunities or risks that are not visible through traditional organisational structures. Better ideas tend to come from a wider range of voices being heard.
Ultimately, strong networks help create workplaces where people feel safe to contribute, challenge and collaborate. That's good for individuals, and it's good for organisations.
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