Cultivating a Culture of Belonging

Join us as we explore Chelsea Kirk's profound perspective on EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) and, above all, the significance of belonging. Discover how these principles can transform workplaces into vibrant ecosystems where every individual feels valued, heard, and empowered to contribute their best. Also, we talk about the EDI Coaching Cards and how valuable they can be.

So get ready for a journey that goes beyond the surface, into the heart of creating workplaces that truly reflect the diverse tapestry of the world we live in.

 

Click the image above to watch the full episode on YouTube!

 

You Can Read the EDI Coaching Cards Podcast Episode Below:

Darren A. Smith:

Welcome to the world's stickiest learning. I am absolutely over the moon to have Chelsea Kirk with us. Hello.

Chelsea Kirk:

Hello, thank you for having me.

Darren A. Smith:

Hello how are you doing? It's Friday weekend soon.

Chelsea Kirk:

Absolutely super excited.

Darren A. Smith:

Good, good, good, good. Now we wanted to ask you to come to our podcast because you're an expert on EDI, is that right?

Chelsea Kirk:

That is.

Darren A. Smith:

OK. So Chelsea, would you tell us what you do and in the nicest possible way, why should we listen to you when you talk about EDI?

Chelsea Kirk:

Yeah, of course. So my current position is head of equality, diversity, inclusion at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn been in that post for around 2 1/2 years and done EDI for probably near enough four years.

Darren A. Smith:

Wow.

Chelsea Kirk:

And kind of a generalist for about 8 years in HR prior to EDI. I suppose in terms of listening to me, I've got kind of a lot of experience in sort of that HR field in the EDI sort of field and landscape and.

Darren A. Smith:

OK.

Chelsea Kirk:

We're quite well connected with different sort of professions and different EDI leaders, and I think as well sort of keeping yourself current. It's really important that you know, as the landscape evolves constantly, it is around, how do you kind of keep yourself current? So you know, well connected, you know, net networking with different individuals. It is really important as well. So I would say in a roundabout way that that to sort of summarise. Yes.

Darren A. Smith:

Alright, alright, cool. Cool, cool. So EDI is something that's relatively new to most people, although it's becoming, dare I say, on trend, it's becoming more topical, which is a good thing. So if I new to EDI, would you just summarise for us what is this thing and why should we start understanding it better?

Darren A. Smith:

Run.

Chelsea Kirk:

Why is really important one? I think creating that sense of belonging in the workplace, having that safe space to be their true authentic selves and bring their whole selves to, you know, the workplace. And I think that for me is really, really important. And I think as you know, EDI has really sort of grown over the last sort of few years. I think there's a few topics that have really elevated that. So I think you know the Me Too movement, the Black Lives Matter.

Employees who feel welcomed contribute to a healthy workplace environment

 

Chelsea Kirk:

Have really sort of pushed the dial and organisation.

Darren A. Smith:

There.

Chelsea Kirk:

Sort of. You know, waking up to some of that and, you know, EDI is becoming quite a top priority in organisations and now becoming that golden thread through it all really.

Darren A. Smith:

Yeah, and what about organisations that are still sort of we're too busy, we've got too much on, we're just not going to think about this now, does it matter? Why should they really start thinking about it and caring about this stuff?

Chelsea Kirk:

Yeah, I think it is really, really important. I think because you know similar to what I've said, it's about how do we ensure that our workplace is safe for people to be there, to authentic selves, but also what is creating organisations, EVP, what is making me want to join your organisation. So you know, if I look to apply what is enticing me, what do my, what do the values bring? What does the culture bring? So I think it's really important that organisations have an EDI function.

Darren A. Smith:

Wow.

Chelsea Kirk:

To really drive home that you know, within our organisation, within the AHS, we have a really diverse workforce. So over 70 different nationalities in our workforce alone, you know 27% of our workforce are black and Asian minority ethnic background people. So it's really important that actually organisations have an EDI function within their within their sort of set up. Yeah, yeah.

Darren A. Smith:

OK, OK. And just so you can bring it to life for us, what do you do day-to-day? Because I I get it, but I'm thinking what does, what does Chelsea do? Do you go and talk to what do you do?

Darren A. Smith:

OK.

Chelsea Kirk:

Absolutely. It is really about networking, engaging and talking to people. So a large proportion of my role is leading the staff networks. So we have reach which has raised ethnicity and cultural heritage disability. LGBTQ plus and spirituality. So again, it is about leading the programme of work that's happening in those, those networks supporting the chairs and Co-chairs with delivering some of that piece of work as well.

Chelsea Kirk:

And I think importantly, is around what is it that we're doing? So monitoring that progress and tracking that, but also celebrating the diverse cultures that we have in our organisation. So working with them to go, you know, prize coming up, what are we going to do as an organisation to support that event? The Black History Month, what are we doing to support that? So a lot of my sort of work underpinned by kind of our staff network and driving that, there's a few sort of mandatory elements that we have to do. So when we look at our res and Dez, which is the workforce race equality standard.

Darren A. Smith:

OK.

Chelsea Kirk:

The workforce Disability equality standard that is something nationally we have to sort of annually submit data and track and monitor our progress.

Darren A. Smith:

Yeah.

Chelsea Kirk:

So there's a few things that kind of legislation Equality Act that we have to sort of, you know, guide ourselves with. But there'll be the other stuff that is the kind of staff networks engaging with colleagues around these. These are things that we are doing in the organisation to make it more inclusive. You know, what more can we do building those relationships and connections because communication is so important?

Chelsea Kirk:

To kind of really cascade and share what we're doing as an organisation and how that's making, you know, improvements for our staff.

Chelsea Kirk:

Yes. Yeah. We love an acronym, don't we?

Chelsea Kirk:

Yeah, yeah.

Darren A. Smith:

OK, OK. Res and des, I've never heard of those acronyms. I get it. OK. Yeah. So you the, they're probably quite normal, aren't they? Like resident days everyday. OK. All right. That was brand new to me. OK. And what? What's something that you've been proud of over the last couple of years in this changing of EDI, making people feel more included. What have you done where you go? Do you know that was brilliant.

Darren A. Smith:

Mm hmm.

Darren A. Smith:

Yep.

Chelsea Kirk:

Oh God, there's quite a couple I would say, but we did a reverse mentoring programme and we partnered with an external organisation called Remedy Project. So reverse mentoring for EDI and it was led by Stacey Johnson, who sort of is the leader of the organisation and she's supported it with that programme. And I think we had some real, really powerful moments and conversations and feedback about their experience.

Chelsea Kirk:

So we have senior leaders that were being mentored by junior staff with a lift experience and really kind of how do they share that? How do they know that and how they more aware themselves as a leader? So really put themselves in their shoes and you know, walking alongside them in some of those lift experience elements and that really did spark some really good conversations. Some were difficult, a time for some of them that were in those pairs together.

Darren A. Smith:

Yep.

Chelsea Kirk:

But some were really, really good and we got some, you know, really positive feedback. I think we developed the EDI calendar, which again is really important for me. Education is so important for us to learn and change as people, but also as leaders and managers as well. So that EDI calendar also guides us around, you know what events are really important to our staff and how we going to celebrate that as a, as an organisation, as a network, as a community.

Chelsea Kirk:

But also what is? What is, you know, black history? if I didn't know what Black History Month meant and what the history is, I can go on to that platform. It's interactive and you can find out more about that event or that day or that month in particular. So it helps one that person, but also two helps you know potentially their team because they're more aware of if they do have someone in their team of a diverse background and they could be more aware of different culture dates that would be celebrating, you know, checking in asking those important questions so.

Chelsea Kirk:

I think there are a couple of sort of proud moments really.

Darren A. Smith:

Lovely. And you see, is it Diwali at the moment Diwali, it is Diwali, Diwali because.

Chelsea Kirk:

Yeah. Yeah, Diwali. Yeah. So we had an event this week actually and one evening this week. So again, love culture, bringing it to life and having our staff there celebrating with them. So yeah, happens over 5 days.

Chelsea Kirk:

Yes, that's it. Yeah. Of light? Yeah. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Darren A. Smith:

Lovely. I only know because there's a lot of lights on houses around here which are early for Christmas. I say. Oh,