Finding a place to belong and grow in a workplace can feel challenging at times. When Miranda Mayer, a senior training and documentation specialist at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE), started her new job, she felt lost and didn’t know where to start to get involved with people she connected with.

In 2021 a mentor encouraged Mayer to develop her leadership skills with one of BCBSNE’s employee resource groups (ERGs). BCBSNE has eight ERGs, which support diversity, equity and inclusion and provide opportunities for employees to connect with one another.

Mayer decided to join Fearlessly You @ Blue (FY@B), an ERG supporting the LGBTQ+ community. During her first year with FY@B, Mayer became the president of the group.

“I don’t know why I made so many excuses for so long because I loved it from the moment I started and the community that we have here, even just through our Teams channel, is great,” Mayer said. “I knew it was where I was meant to be.”

The importance of feeling safe and accepted in the workplace environment is a passion of Mayers.

“I think I just always tie my involvement in Fearlessly You @ Blue back to when I first started and my excitement of seeing BCBSNE represented at the Pride parade,” Mayer said.

In the past, when Mayer got a job, she would conceal details about herself out of fear of judgment or retaliation.

“I think so many people who aren’t queer or aren’t of a minority in general don’t realize that it’s hard to do work and it’s hard to focus when you aren’t even comfortable being your full self,” Mayer said.

There are every day small actions that the BCBSNE community takes to make Mayer feel more comfortable and the environment more inclusive.

“Putting your pronouns in your signature is a huge way to provide that inclusive environment because it makes others feel comfortable to put their pronouns in their signatures,” Mayer said.

The company’s annual Belonging at Blue Summit supports inclusion as well. The summit is a week-long company-wide event featuring daily seminars and celebrating BCBSNE’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The summit provides an opportunity for all of BCBSNE’s ERGs to host an informative session to give all employees time together to grow and celebrate diversity and inclusion.

“One of the biggest things we can all do when somebody says they’re not comfortable with something or they’re afraid of something is to not diminish it, to not trivialize it,” Mayer said. “Listen and ask questions. A quote from Verna Myers that I always try to live by is that ‘diversity is inviting people to the party, but inclusion is really asking them to dance.’”

Today, Mayer continues to support FY@B as the ERG board’s secretary. She continues to encourage others around her and help make BCBSNE a comfortable, safe work environment.

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