New Employee Resource Group supports working women at all levels of their career

The Women’s Employee Resource Collaborative (WERC) is a new employee resource group (ERG) at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital on a mission to support women working in all areas of the hospital at all stages of their careers.

The group, led by Program Manager and Manager of Performance Improvement Sarah Levitin with support from Executive Sponsor and Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services Cori Loescher, MM, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, meets monthly via Zoom.

Levitin has been involved in several ERGs at the Mass General Brigham level in her previous roles within the system. Upon joining the team at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, she was motivated to establish a new ERG on this campus with her colleagues because she knows first-hand just how valuable these types of groups can be. “ERGs give people a voice in the workplace. Whether it’s empowering you to speak up during a meeting or giving you the confidence to advocate for yourself and your colleagues, ERGs can help you find confidence and establish your place within an organization,” she says.

For Loescher, her involvement is a new experience. “When Sarah first came to me, I knew very little about the concept of an ERG. But I’ve learned that it’s a wonderful way to bring women in our workplace together, and to also mentor and sponsor them in their career development,” she says. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to support, collaborate with and engage in this group to help make it a valuable resource for our members.”

ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that serve as a resource for members and organizations by fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organizational mission, values, goals and business practices. The group will begin by focusing on the 4C ERG model, which consists of four key pillars: Career, Company, Community and Culture. “Career-focused initiatives may include workshops and guest speakers. Company-focused initiatives may include providing input on Mass General Brigham-wide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion service development and supporting diversity efforts. Community-focused initiatives could see us volunteering at non-profit events. And culture-focused initiatives might include networking and social events within the hospital,” says Levitin. “These are just some of the ideas the group has begun brainstorming.

Interested in learning more about WERC or attending an upcoming meeting? Email bwfhwerc@partners.org.