Engaging Non-Desk/Hourly Workers in ERGs | André Walcott (Advantis Credit Union)

Intent to Impact: The ERG Podcast is back for Season 2! Join us as Chezie Co-Founder Dumebi Egbuna talks with André Walcott, Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Adventist Credit Union. Andre shares insights on transforming ERGs into "Belonging Communities" and his innovative approaches to engaging all employees, including those in non-desk and hourly roles. Discover strategies to overcome barriers like tech access and time constraints, and learn how to create a truly inclusive environment across all levels of an organization.

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André's Bio:

André Walcott transitioned from academia to the credit union space in 2022. Prior to joining Advantis, he worked at Oregon Health & Science University focusing on increasing representation in higher education. Being at the intersection of multiple historically marginalized identities, André has dedicated his career to ensuring that folks have a voice in every space they occupy. In addition, he serves on the Ambassador Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. André holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Oregon Health & Science University and a B.A. in Neuroscience from Bowdoin College. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his husband, Daniel, finding the best food in whatever city he is in, and riding to some throwback hip-hop songs on his Peloton.

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Key Takeaways:

• To overcome barriers, Adventist Credit Union builds flexibility into ERG policies, engages with branch leadership for feedback, and schedules regular, consistent events to accommodate various work schedules.
• Adventist uses high-performance teams to engage employees in strategic projects and improve cross-departmental relationships. This helps build a more inclusive culture and promotes ERG participation.
• Continuous feedback from employees at all levels, including hourly staff, is crucial for tailoring DEI programs. This helps ensure that programs address the needs and concerns of all employees
• Having a DEI council that includes representatives from various levels and job types, including hourly employees, ensures that programs are relevant and effective across the organization.

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In This Episode, We Cover:

• (00:00) Meet André Walcott
• (03:15)  ERGs at Adventist
• (08:30) Barriers for Hourly Employees
• (12:45) Strategies to Foster Participation
• (16:00) Communicating Benefits to Managers
• (20:10) Tailoring Communication and Engagement
• (23:25) Cross-Functional Relationship Building
• (27:40) Using Feedback to Inform Programming