MongoDB's The Queer Collective

Cian Walsh, Global Lead of The Queer Collective at MongoDB, talks to us about the exciting work the Employee Resource Group (ERG) The Queer Collective is doing to promote allyship, education and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community within their organisation.

Hi Cian, tell us a little about your role at MongoDB?

Hi everyone, I'm Cian Walsh, and I work at MongoDB as a Recruiting Lead for EMEA & APAC. I live in Dublin, Ireland, and work at MongoDB's international headquarters there. I've been with MongoDB for over three years. After serving as an active member and regional lead, I recently became the Global Lead for our LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), The Queer Collective.

And what is The Queer Collective?

The Queer Collective at MongoDB is an open group for all MongoDB employees, consisting of members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies. We have over 350 members across our global offices, with significant chapters in New York, Dublin, Paris, Barcelona, and Gurgaon, India. 

Our vision is to help create a workplace atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work - regardless of gender identity, gender expression, race, religion, age, and sexual preference. We aim to champion LGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace, encourage an open exchange of thoughts, organize impactful events, and provide education to individuals.

We also have a sub-group known as Queeries, which is unique to MongoDB. This is a closed, safe space for folks who identify within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, making this group a great support network for its members

Can you tell us about the work that you do?

Our programs center around four yearly celebrations: Pride, National Coming Out Day, Trans Awareness Week, and World AIDS Day. Our ethos around these is Allyship, Education, and Celebration. 

Allyship: Allyship is a key Pillar for all ERGs at MongoDB. Allship within our ERG fosters a broader sense of community and trust within the employee group. Particularly within the Queer Collective, forty percent of our members are allies and comprise a considerable part of our community and leadership team. Allship within our ERG fosters a broader sense of community and trust within the employee group. For me, it’s heartwarming to have this support network at MongoDB. I've experienced working environments in previous companies where I felt I couldn't be authentic. Allyship is also something that’s top of mind for the MDB leadership. 

Education: The role of any ERG is to provide education to its members and the broader employee base. For the Queer Collective, we arrange guest speakers and panel interviews where members of our community share their experiences, journeys, and workshops. We partner internally with our learning and development, employee benefits, and inclusion teams to provide training and seminars to members and employees. For example, this year, for our Pride celebration, we plan to run workshops around allyship, trans inclusion, and awareness. We aim to educate our broader employees on issues and experiences members of the LGBTQIA+ community face and how they can be influential allies.

Celebration: This is a critical aspect of the ERG, as we want everyone to enjoy being part of the Queer Collective. Every year we host a wide array of in-person and virtual events. Pride is our flagship time for celebrating the Queer Collective, and we work with our global workplace teams to run events across our global offices — so far, New York, Paris, London, and Dublin. Last year we had a hugely successful event at the Stonewall Inn. Other events and key celebrations include National Coming Out Day.

Why did you decide to get involved in The Queer Collective?

I first got involved in the Queer Collective to meet more people across the company that shared my passion for Diversity and Inclusion. I joined MongoDB in March 2020 at the start of the Covid pandemic. The first two years were remote, so joining the Queer Collective allowed me to make friends and build relationships with people across the company.

Why do you think ERGs play a crucial role in a business?

ERGs are vital in providing their member's psychological safety and a sense of belonging. In tandem, it provides education and awareness to its broader community, and allies add to the company culture. The reality is that most members of underrepresented groups have faced some form of discrimination in the workplace. It can be an unpleasant experience and a source of a lot of anxiety and stress. I experienced this many years ago.  

Working within a diverse employee base is one of the most enjoyable experiences a person can have in their career. The collaboration, the fresh perspective of experiences, and the new ideas and learnings everyone takes from them are lovely. My experience working in a diverse and accepting environment is one of the reasons I chose MongoDB and the main reason I stay. It's not only a company that is accepting of employees that are different and from diverse backgrounds, but providing support for ERGs and the work we carry out shows that this is a company that celebrates and encourages us for who we genuinely are.

What do you think makes a successful ERG?

For any ERG to succeed, it needs leadership structure, mission, and goals.

A clear leadership structure and defining roles and responsibilities are crucial for an ERG.  You would only start a new team in a company with a clear explanation of what everyone's responsibilities are. An ERG should be the same. 

A mission statement should also tie in and relate to the vision and values of the company. Goals are clear and realistic. MongoDB has three strategic objectives: People, Profession, and Performance. I advise anyone starting an ERG to speak to people with experience in this area and ensure the goals are for members. A mission statement should also tie in and relate to the vision and values of the company.

What has been the biggest highlight from your time as a member of The Queer Collective?

For me, it was October of 2022 during our annual Coming Out Day celebrations. I got to participate in a coming out day video and magazine article sharing my experience of coming out and my journey since. For me, it was special because it was something I never thought I would do. When I came out, I thought my life was over. I wanted the ground to swallow me up, to be invisible. So the fact I sat down and was able to do a video sharing my experiences was something I never thought I had it in me to do and also marked how far I had come on my journey and how much more accepting society was. Being around people like myself and part of groups like the Queer Collective finally gave me the confidence to participate in such campaigns.

What advice would you give anyone looking to join an ERG?

My main advice is just to do it. By joining an ERG, you will meet some fantastic people, make new friends and develop skills such as communication and leadership. Lastly, be thankful you work for an organization that has ERGs because you are not only accepting of you, but you work for a company that celebrates your differences.