Celebrating a firm’s affinity groups is a powerful way to recognize and acknowledge their contributions. But it takes more than one quick LinkedIn post to make people feel appreciated.
It’s now halfway through February – where we acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month and the Lunar New Year. Next month, it’s Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day and Irish American Heritage Month.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of it all – but don’t wait until your affinity group’s month arrives to plan how your law firm will celebrate and connect.
We encourage our clients to find more creative ways to acknowledge different affinity groups at their firm at all times of the year. This is a golden opportunity to connect more deeply and meaningfully with all of your staff, associates and partners.
The most successful initiatives we’ve seen at law firms have three key elements – they are interactive, meaningful, and fun.
Here are some examples –
For Black History Month, one of the firm’s partners brought in a speaker who wrote a book about his ancestors’ history serving as high-ranking officers in the U.S. military. Participants found his story incredibly moving, and each person received a signed copy of the book. The firm also hired a local black-owned business to cater the event.
For Women’s History Month, one firm created a cross-generational event where women associates interviewed women partners about the relationships they had with their most significant mentors. These interviews were featured on the firm’s website and social media platforms throughout the month.
For both Movember and Breast Cancer Awareness month, we’ve seen firms designate a specific day for firm employees to come to work wearing something signifying their support of the cause (for example – wearing a mustache for Movember, or wearing something pink for Breast Cancer Awareness). The firm then donates a specific amount based on the number of participants to a designated organization supporting that cause. One firm held an all-pink fashion show where participants could showcase their creative outfits.
We truly enjoy helping our clients plan meaningful affinity group celebrations. And sometimes, there’s just not enough time for your internal marketing department to handle it all. If that’s the case, let us help you plan something that’s meaningful and fun this year.
