Dancing towards inclusion at CityFibre

At CityFibre, inclusion isn’t just a policy—it’s a movement.

In a world where equity often gets buried under buzzwords, CityFibre is creating space for real conversations and change. At the heart of this is Connected Voices, an employee-led initiative designed to bring together multiple inclusion-focused communities across the business. Through Connected Voices, employees can connect, collaborate, and share lived experiences in a way that drives meaningful, cultural change.

One of these communities is D.A.N.C.E—a group focused on Disability, Age, Neurodivergence, Carers, and Equity. And for Jess, a long-time employee and co-chair of the D.A.N.C.E Community, this is more than a volunteer role—it’s personal, purposeful, and powerful.

Many companies launch inclusion programs with good intentions, but struggle to maintain impact. What makes CityFibre different is its deep commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and continuous evolution. As diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies everywhere are being re-evaluated, CityFibre shows what it looks like to truly centre employee voices—especially those from marginalised groups.

Through communities like D.A.N.C.E (which stands for Disability, Age, Neurodivergence, Carers, and Equity), CityFibre isn’t just raising awareness—it’s removing barriers, strengthening representation, and giving employees agency over their experience at work.

Building true community

What started as four separate networks in 2020 has grown into a vibrant web of communities. Jess shares, “We realised the term ‘network’ didn’t quite fit anymore. What we’d built was far more connected, more purposeful. These were safe, supportive communities bound by shared goals and lived experiences.”

This shift in language isn’t just a change in wording—it marks a shift in mindset. CityFibre has created spaces to allow colleagues to feel more seen, more welcome, and more empowered to participate. Framing each group as a community encourages deeper collaboration and helps to dismantle the sense of separation between them, in line with their community slogan ‘Together We Belong’.

Amplifying voices

To help Connected Voices reach more people across the business, CityFibre created a dedicated Teams channel of the same name. This central hub acts as a window into each community, where updates, events, and celebrations are shared openly. It invites every employee to listen, learn, and get involved.

By spotlighting community activity across the business, the Connected Voices Teams channel is making inclusion more visible and more approachable. This space takes the guesswork out of getting involved and shows that meaningful conversations have a place in everyday work life.

Removing barriers to entry

Previously, employees had to request access to join a community—a process that felt intimidating or unclear. Now, joining is as simple as entering a code. It’s a small technical change with a big emotional impact.

That shift from formality to simplicity sends a powerful message: you belong here, no explanation needed. It’s a tangible example of inclusion made real.

Spaces for support and connection

Each community now hosts both Open Chats (for general updates) and Private Chats (for sensitive topics). For the D.A.N.C.E Community, this includes spaces for neurodivergence, dementia care, and age-related experiences—all led by employees themselves.

These spaces allow for peer support that’s deeply relevant and respectful. They empower colleagues to share and connect on their terms, in ways that feel safe and affirming.

Collaborating to shape the future

Using Microsoft Loop, each community now has a dedicated collaboration hub. Members can brainstorm, access resources, and co-design the year’s plans together.

This shared space reflects CityFibre‘s approach to inclusion: not handed down from leadership, but shaped collectively by the people it affects most. It’s dynamic, evolving, and genuinely responsive.

Making representation real

CityFibre made three key changes to enhance visibility and support across its communities:

• Introducing Uplift, a new community focused solely on mental wellbeing.
• Welcoming the Armed Forces Community into the formal diversity, equity and inclusion structure.
• Renaming the Disability and Carers Network to D.A.N.C.E, reflecting the diverse experiences within the group.

Each of these changes came directly from listening to employees. They reflect a strategy that’s not static or symbolic, but deeply rooted in the lived realities of people across the organisation.

What employees are saying

“I have felt welcomed in the community and I would not have thought I belonged until I asked to be included. It’s improved me as a person and a manager.” — Guy

“The ability to present ideas in a different way isn’t just accepted, it’s appreciated. It makes collaboration more genuine and the work more meaningful.” — David

A culture of care

Jess puts it best: “Our Leadership Team doesn’t just support us from afar; they’re actively involved, allocating budget, attending events, and championing what we do.”

From the Communications Team amplifying community voices, to leaders showing up with more than words, the culture at CityFibre is one of genuine care and collaboration.

If you’ve ever felt like workplace inclusion was performative, let this be your proof: it doesn’t have to be.

CityFibre’s Connected Voices initiative is a living example of how inclusive, employee-led communities can transform not just company culture, but individual lives.

Want to be part of a workplace where you’re seen, supported, and celebrated?

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