Should White Male Employees Be Allowed to Form an Employee Network Group?
By Lila Kelly
For a case study in my Managing a Diverse Workforce course, I had my students respond to a managerial dilemma, "What to do when a group of employees request to form a white male support network group." Their responses intrigued me. Here are some of them.
"If management allows the women to have their own support network, (with membership being based solely on gender), technically management should allow the men to do the same. However, if management allows a group to be formed with membership based on multiple criteria/characteristics, in this case gender and ethnicity, where does it end, e.g. the 'African American Baptist Women's Support Network'?"
"I would try to explain that the diversity initiatives and the support networks are geared toward minority groups within the company and respectfully deny their request at this time. Euro-American men most likely make up the largest percentage of employees within the company and therefore are not considered a minority employee group. I think the line needs to be drawn somewhere, otherwise it may get to the point that everyone would feel entitled to their own support network for their own specific groups and expect that they be able to meet on company-paid time."
"I would not limit the Euro-American group to that of men only. I would open up the door to that of Euro-American women as well. The other groups at the company consist of both men and women, like the gay and lesbian and the African American support network groups."
The question of whether white males need or should be allowed to form an employee network group, also referred to as employee resource groups (ERGs), affinity groups, or support network groups, has come up often. Responses have varied, and some with quite a bit of emotion to them. The discussion with my students prompted me to find out more. I decided to pose this same question to long-time professionals who have worked in the diversity field. Following are their responses.
"Yes some [corporations] have white male groups, such as [names of three corporations.] They should be intentional in their group's purpose and make it explicit. Also important is whether the meetings are open to anyone. In most cases they should be, in my opinion, as most employee groups meetings are."
— Male, white, national Diversity Consultant and Author, working with white males and diversity.
"I think there absolutely should be a Euro-Male [Employee Resource Group]. Organizations need to set up good ERG guidelines so that all such groups must support diversity strategies and goals. Given that, this type of group is just what we need-race issues are white people's to unlearn, gender is male's, etc. If the group forming isn't willing to first discuss the reaction and fears of others that this will be another old-boys-network that further advantages white male privilege, then I'd say the group isn't committed to the stated goals of ERGs. It would be a kind of litmus test, and they'd need an excellent facilitator for the discussion."
— Female, white, Diversity Manager
"From my experience, the purpose of affinity groups is to act as a support group, helping a particular community that has been traditionally oppressed or under-represented. They work to help one another and the company to improve its support of a diverse workforce. This has taken shape in programs to help recruit, mentor, develop, and lead women, people of color, or the GLBT communities within companies.
By this definition, there is really not a compelling reason for there to be a white-male support or affinity group. This population has always had the power and has held the great majority of leadership positions. There has never been a problem recruiting white men, and there is no lack of role models or mentors that represent this group. Therefore, I'm not sure why there would be a need for one.
There is, however, a compelling reason to allow such a group to form-as a way to explore, as a white-male group of employees, their biases and how their privilege as white males has and continues to benefit them within the institution they operate. It would further benefit the institution if this group also focused on how to reach out to the diversity within the organization in a manner that equals the playing field, and supports the objectives of the other affinity groups.
The cynic in me would say that the chances that a group of white men within a company would get together for the above stated reasons are quite slim. The danger is that a white men's affinity group would most likely get formed as a reaction to the formation of other affinity groups, to protect their turf, or identify forms of reverse-discrimination, as opposed to supporting the other affinity groups and a truly improved work environment for a more diverse company culture."
- Male, white, Talent Acquisition Director
"I would say that the Euro-American male group should be included in the diversity mosaic. They should be held to the same standards and practices of other diversity groups (rules, operation/purpose, accountabilities/measurements, etc.). Just as it's good for men and women to meet separately to talk through issues, it's a good idea for white men to do so if such a group will allow them to express things they may be fearful of expressing in another group.
I have one [comment regarding the use of] the term 'reverse discrimination.' The 'reverse' of discrimination is actually no discrimination at all. Many people use that term, but my profession does not recognize it because it is not accurate. Discrimination is simply discrimination-no matter in what form it reveals itself."
-African American male, JD, Director of Workforce Diversity
"[My company] does not have a white male affinity group. To my knowledge, no one has ever tried to organize one. Generally speaking, our guidelines for forming a company sponsored employee network require that the group requesting to form has historically been disadvantaged in the workplace."
-Female, white, Manager of Corporate Diversity
"If a company has a policy for group formation, and they are helping the group or groups of people and also the company, then one should not discriminate if a Euro-American male group wishes to form a network. If we do not allow them to express their needs, then the power of any diversity causes fails. ....it is not about 'Carpe Deim' (seize today) but is about helping the world with 'Carpe Mañana' (seize tomorrow-before tomorrow seizes us). It is with this in mind that I say this: 'Inclusiveness allows us the opportunity for a dialogue; exclusiveness allows us the opportunity for conflict; both dialogue and conflict are useful ways to address and resolve issues...however, the dialogue route is easier on mind, body and soul of all parties.'"
-Male, East Indian, VP Global Product Management
"I agree that [white men] should be given the same opportunities and requirements as any other resource group in the organization. Provided they follow whatever guidelines the organization has, then they should be allowed to form. I would go further and say that they should be encouraged to form! I think the whole area of white male privilege has long been overlooked and it's great that some white guys finally want to do something positive to address it (assuming that is indeed what they want to do!).
-Male, white, Diversity Consultant at a large corporation
"Yes, as long as they write a proposal, like the other groups have to, and include what their goals are and what they hope to accomplish.....None of this really works unless upper management is involved and at the table. I have yet to see any organization that has been able to make this work."
-Female, African American, Diversity Coordinator
"When I worked at [organization name], we had a Euro-male group form. Like all networks, they had to adhere to the diversity vision for the networks, which included the acceptance that their existence was not just for themselves, but to work in cooperation with all other networks to achieve the full inclusion of all employees.
To this day, that is a fundamental belief of mine, when I hear of companies starting a network program, I always say, that is great, but any network that forms must be willing to support the concept of inclusion of all of the other networks. Further they must show this commitment by participating in events hosted by other networks and working to support them.
I went to the Euro-Mens group a couple of times. I saw two distinct groups there, those that were progressive and wanted the group to look at their 'issues' like privilege and those that went because they felt angry with diversity efforts that seemed to shame and blame them as the root of all that is wrong. The first group….probably identified [themselves] as feminists and progressives, the second group, simply wanted to crush the system that they felt was removing their power and status.
The group had a short life, but the [organization] was able to say that they gave it a chance. Just like the work places that allow 'Christian' groups to form-most stop meeting when they learn that they must support the inclusion of others. There was a challenge at one place where a Muslim group claimed they could not support the GLBT and some of the women's networks' efforts. Wisely this particular workplace then said, 'Well, then you are not an official employee network.'
So, I think that it is fine with proper understanding and guidance. Clear diversity program policy and vision is important."
- Male, white, Senior Director, nonprofit GLBT resource organization
As this diversity management consultant conveys, there are still many questions remaining around this topic. He states many of those questions here-as food for thought.
"The question becomes more.... 'What role does a Euro-American male group play in advancing diversity in the workplace and how best can they do that?' Another question for you to consider is: what is the role of support groups within an organizational structure? Is there a clear definition regarding their purpose, process and payoff, or is it something that merely exists because different groups want to form? How does it fit with the organization's overall diversity strategy?
My take on the question that's being posed is something that I don't think many have a clear understanding around for any number of reasons. For example, do they really understand why and how other support groups were formed? Do they see diversity strategy as an approach focusing on 'inclusion' vs. something other? I think these need to be addressed since I think that your question may assume a certain level of competence/understanding in diversity, which may or may not be the case."
-Male, African American, Diversity Management Consultant
As you can see there is a range of responses from a variety of people. Most are in favor, some are skeptical, and some clearly show that there are many "unknowns" about white male network groups.
How could white males benefit from learning about diversity? Here are comments from two white male students who were in my Managing a Diverse Workforce course that describe the benefits that they received from learning about diversity in a supportive environment.
"I will start by saying that I see these issues brought up in class and in case studies differently than I did prior to taking this class. That being said I also think the frequency of these types of situations happen more often than I had first thought. What has happened to me is a transformation. It's like having bad eyes for years and suddenly getting a new pair of glasses that allow me to see many things that I have never seen before. At first I was afraid to wear these glasses for fear of what I might see. But I have not been able to keep them off. Some things I see are small and appear harmless. Other things are much more obvious and stand out. There is still a lot I need to see and understand but the basis is there and will help me."
"In most of the classes I have taken, there has been what I call dry learning. To me, dry learning is when the text book is the only educator. Text books are useful, but they rely on research and statistical information; there is no emotion or first hand experience with that type of learning. In your class, the use of the videos, guest speakers, and the research myself and the other students have to do, is very good way of learning the material. Learning the material through people's testimonies and life stories is the best way to learn; it gives the material meaning and emotion. This class is a lot of work, but I feel the work I have done in this class is something I can apply to real life situations. Isn't that the whole point, to learn something you can actually use? I never thought a class could heighten my awareness, and this class has definitely done that."
These students mention fear, emotion, transformation, and heightened awareness. They came out of the class seeing the world in a different light and just as important, if not more important, realizing that there is still more to learn. I believe that once people get a good "basis" for learning about diversity, they will not be able to turn back, or as my student said, not be able to take the glasses off. There will be struggles and a lot of hard work to learn about diversity not just for white males, but for everyone. Keep in mind that diversity includes more than just race or ethnicity (see my article titled "What is Diversity?"). A white male employee network group is one format we have available to allow this kind of learning to take place.
A goal for an organization is to receive helpful input from their employee network groups on how the organization can become more inclusive and successful in an increasingly diverse marketplace. It seems that it would be beneficial to include a white male employees' perspective on what changes need to be made-both on an individual employee level and on an organizational level. When properly organized, managed and facilitated, a white male employee network group could be a powerful step toward truly creating an inclusive work environment.
— Copyright © 2010 Lila Kelly Associates. Diversity and hiring strategies since 1992, www.lilakelly.com. Not for duplication without permission.