With the UN International Day of Persons with Disability upon us on 3rd December, and disability employee resource groups (ERG)/ networks ready to take part in #PurpleLightUp as a mark of respect, this month is all about connecting employee communities and celebrating the third phase of culture change.

The introduction of rights-based legislation is what we call the first phase of change. In some parts of the world that is still on the move.

The second phase is the process where employers tap into the enabling products and services that help them to create better policy, practice and procedure. That phase continues.

Meanwhile, the third phase of change has begun. Where employees with disability build inner confidence, lean into their careers and create meaningful conversation about how to get ahead at work. The creation of high-performing disability ERGs and networks are at the vanguard of this movement. 

December is all about employers celebrating their progress by showcasing the work of their disability ERG / Network and the change community of leaders & allies. We know you will be busy with your own events but make sure you are ready to take part in #PurpleLightUp. Here are some things to help:

Learning and development opportunities in December

Maximise your PurpleSpace membership by accessing all of the exciting learning and development activities coming up this month:

• Read one of the 10 #PurpleLightUp Story Board slide decks about how organisations have leveraged the global movement in order to drive meaningful change. Start to think NOW about how you create your own Story Board so that you can be part of the ‘show & tell’ library of open resources to support other employers to understand the return on investment of taking part
• Learn directly from an extraordinary disability ERG/Network leaders in our ‘Spotlight On’ series. 

And finally…

Do you know the story of the starfish? 

Take a look on the internet for the full story. There are different versions though it seems that the original story came from “The Star Thrower” by Loren C. Eiseley in 1968. 

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference for that one!” The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

When you first acquire a disability or health condition it can be enormously challenging to make sense of life, and to feel confident about work and your continued work path. 

If every disability ERG/Network helped just one person think about that global impact. 

We never know the impact we have signposting just one individual to the workplace adjustment / accommodation process. Or the life-long benefit of helping someone to share their story of disability. Or helping an inexperienced line manager to support one of their people. 

The fact is disability ERG/Networks help thousands of employees to navigate what they need to work productively and confidently. And they also work tirelessly to help employers build a better working world by supporting the creation of the right policies, practices and procedures.

As an ERG / Network leader, if it feels hard and lonely, remember the little girl starfish thrower. Keep going. You are doing mighty fine work.