At Ritchie Bros., we understand the importance of creating a culture that fosters respect, inclusion, and growth opportunities for all. And our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a big part in helping to make Ritchie Bros. a place where everyone feels like they belong.
Our first ERG, Women’s LINK, was established in 2018 and it continues to live up to its mission of providing empowerment and support for all through connection, community, and development.
Michelle Grant, Travel Administration Manager, has been involved in Women’s LINK since its launch and has served as Co-Chair of the group for the past two years. As her time as Co-Chair comes to an end, we’d like to recognize Michelle for her accomplishments and contributions by sharing her journey at Ritchie Bros. and with Women’s LINK. Michelle shares more about her journey below:
‘I continue to have an amazing experience at Ritchie Bros.’
I formally joined Ritchie Bros. in 2008 in the newly created position of Travel Administration Manager. However, my initial experience with the organization was when I was working for a travel management company as the lead travel consultant assigned to support the Ritchie Bros. travel program. I ended up moving into the Ritchie Bros. Burnaby office as an on-site travel consultant and, even though I was technically working for another company at the time, I was welcomed with open arms from the day I stepped through the door. It’s why I was so excited for the opportunity to become an official Ritchie Bros. employee back in 2008 and why I’m still here today!
I’ve been through / experienced a lot with this company, from going public to acquiring and merging with many other businesses, so needless to say there’s never a dull moment. What has remained constant, though, is the sense of camaraderie I’ve experienced since day one. Ritchie Bros. has some of the most dedicated people who are great at what they do, but they’re also just great people. I’ve made some truly amazing friends and I continue to have an amazing experience at Ritchie Bros. which is why I’m still excited to start my work each day.
My journey with Women’s LINK
I had never heard of an Employee Resource Group (ERG) prior to Women’s LINK being formed at Ritchie Bros. in 2018. For those who were like me and may not be familiar with ERGs, they’re employee-led, company-sponsored groups that promote a diverse and inclusive workplace through bringing awareness to issues affecting and providing support to the community of interest they serve.
At the launch meeting for Women’s LINK, I was in awe as the mission, goals, and initiatives for the group were outlined. The messaging really resonated with me because I love the idea of growing and empowering people, particularly female leaders, within an organization and in broader society. That’s why I initially signed up to become a member. Then, I became a LINK Champion promoting involvement in the ERG to other colleagues, was invited to be part of the Steering Committee to help determine the strategy and future direction for the group, and my journey with Women’s LINK came full circle in 2021 when I was asked to lead the group.
LINK stands for Lead, Inspire, Network, Know and it continues to be clear that Women’s LINK helps promote each of these values through its work—not just for women at the organization, but all colleagues. Although it’s called Women’s LINK, men are welcome and are encouraged to be a part of the ERG too. It can be enlightening for men to hear about the barriers women may experience in their career journeys and life in general and it’s great to see them support their female colleagues as we all work to remove those barriers and provide equal opportunity for all. In fact, our current Women’s LINK Co-Chair is male and a Vice President within our Operations part of the business at Ritchie Bros. I’m very proud of that and I’ve been honored to lead the group with him. It’s been extremely valuable to have someone from that level of leadership so invested in our ERG and we’ve benefited from the unique perspective he brings to the table. And I think he’s learned a lot as well.
I may be stepping down as Co-Chair for Women’s LINK, but I will continue to be one of the group’s biggest advocates as we continue to create a culture at Ritchie Bros. that fosters respect, inclusion, and opportunity of growth for all.
Connect, learn, and grow
There are a lot of opportunities for women at Ritchie Bros. to connect, learn, and grow and Women’s LINK plays a big part in that—through our Circles that bring together small groups of colleagues to learn from one another, book club, speaking engagements on topics of interest for our members, conference sponsorships, and community giving efforts. Whether you’re looking to take the next step in your career or simply connect with and get to know other colleagues, Women’s LINK has something to offer.
Some of the accomplishments I’m most proud of during my time as Co-Chair of Women’s LINK include helping the group navigate through the pandemic as we all adjusted to the new ways of working and connecting with one another, the launch of our Spotlight Series that promotes women’s visibility at Ritchie Bros. by showcasing real life experiences and stories, and the recent rollout of our conference sponsorship program that provides opportunities for members to attend conferences budget may not have previously been available for. We continue to be creative about how we connect with each other and develop as professionals, and I look forward to watching the network grow as we consider what other initiatives we can engage in to support our members, colleagues, and the organization.
Ritchie Bros. now has three other ERGs—The Black Lives Matter Committee, Pride (LGBTQ+), and SERVE (Military)—and Women’s LINK started it all which is quite amazing! I’ve been at Ritchie Bros. for a long time, and as big as we’ve become, it still feels like family to me. As much as I appreciate all the amazing opportunities we’re given and the support we get, including from ERGs like Women’s LINK, the best things about this company are the long-lasting friendships and relationships we build and the fun and inclusive culture. We care about each other and that’s what I love most.