Development Framework

Christian Workplace Groups (CWG)

Click Here to download this article as a PDF

Stage of Development	Characteristics	Development Opportunities
Early Formation Step A Step B	A number of Christians have made contact with one another within the workplace. There is a desire amongst these Christians to meet within the context of the workplace and explore how they might support one another. There is a desire to explore how to bring a positive influence to bear within the organisation’s workplaces. At this stage managers do not formally recognise this group.	1. Meet informally (possibly outside the workplace) and share ideas about why you want to meet and what you would like to do. 2. Clarify the aims and objectives for your group. 3. Identify how your leadership will work. 4. Think about how people will become members of your group, particularly those who are not yet Christians but are interested in finding out more. Be as inclusive as possible. 5. Don’t rush into a meeting with managers with a wish list. Do your thinking first. 6. Identify the potential opportunities and benefits for the organisation. 7. Identify some of the barriers to acceptance of the group by managers and how you can resolve them. 8. Think about questions that might be raised about your relationships with other faith and diversity groups. 9. Identify a manager in the organisation who might be a potential champion for you. 10. Have discussions with that manager before putting a formal proposal. 11. Arrange a formal meeting with a senior manager, possibly HR, to discuss what your ideas for the group are. At the meeting be clear what you are looking for in way of support from senior managers. 12. Seek help from others who have gone through the process of establishing a CWG. 13. At all times be prayerful!
Organisational Recognition	Managers have accepted that there are a number of Christians within the organisation who would like to meet as a group and have agreed this. This involves making office accommodation available for Christians to meet in.	1. Having asked for facilities to meet, make sure you make good use of them. 2. Think about how you will publicise and invite people to your meetings. 3. Keep senior managers in the loop about what you are doing, in particular how you might publicise your association. This may involve asking for notice board space. 4. Where there is an intranet/e-mail system present in the organisation, this can be a powerful means of communication, but make sure you have clearance from managers and clarity about the parameters within which you can operate. 5. Make sure that you keep other diversity groups on board. Identify a contact in these groups so that any potential difficulties can be worked through by means of face to face dialogue. 6. Identify a programme of events that can be which can involve other people such as hot cross buns at Easter or a carols at Christmas. Be inclusive! 7. At all times be prayerful!
Organisational Integration	Senior managers have accepted that the Christian Workplace Group can be a positive influence to the organisation. Consequently, the group is now recognised as part of the diversity framework and involved in regular meetings with senior managers and other diversity groups.	1. Try to get in place regular meetings with managers and other diversity groups to share information about what activities you are engaged in. Provide formal reports. 2. Pro-actively ask senior managers what you can do to help the organisation. 3. The organisation may not be readily able to identify ideas for a positive contribution so be prepared to identify activities or projects that you can undertake that might be useful to all colleagues in the workplace. For example looking at how workplace pressures can be managed. 4. Be bold and seek opportunities to comment on the development of organisational policies that have diversity implications. 5. Identify if senior managers are prepared to make any funds available to your association for development activities and publicity materials. Be prepared to make this approach in conjunction with other diversity groups. 6. Think about establishing formal mechanisms for prayer, both for Christians and non-Christians and the organisation. This might include praying for regular meetings which may take place within the organisation e.g. senior management team. 7. Think about establishing a newsletter on your activities for the wider organisation. This is a good way of demonstrating externally that the CWG is being active. 8. Keep your group structure under review and be prepared to change it as things develop. 9. Think about how the group needs to be structured to ensure succession planning so that it has longevity. 10. Be prayerful at all times!
Organisational Celebration	Senior managers see the contribution that the CWG makes as a positive opportunity to develop the organisation internally and to also use as an exemplar of good practice with external bodies.	1.Think about organising an event /conference in which senior managers can be involved. Consider how other diversity groups might be involved. 2. Work hard to establish external links with other CWGs and bodies that might assist you e.g. Transform Work UK. 3. Identify external speaking engagements which provide opportunities to tell others about your CWG and also affords the opportunity to talk positively about your organisation. 4. Look for opportunities to support other ‘young’ CWGs. 5. Be bold! 6. Be prayerful at all times!

TWUK March 2008