Every day, Maxim Healthcare Services’ teams work diligently to improve patients’ lives through compassionate care and quality service. Yet we recognize there is always room for growth – to better understand different experiences, foster inclusion, and leverage diverse perspectives. Three years ago, a group of female leaders saw an opportunity and formed the Women’s Affinity Group, a network committed to empowering women at all levels through support, development opportunities, and advocacy.
To learn more about the goals and impact of the Women’s Affinity Group, or WAG, we sat down with Laura Riddle, Area VP of the Northeast region, and Lauren Cann, Talent Acquisition Lead. Laura and Lauren serve as the chair and co-chair of WAG. Their efforts demonstrate Maxim’s ongoing dedication to fostering a warm, understanding environment for those we serve and those serving them.
About the Women’s Affinity Group
WAG aims to create informal networking groups and a safe space for women to come together to develop, discuss personal and professional matters, and support each other and numerous company initiatives. The group convenes virtually once a month for an hour. With approximately 500 members in total, each meeting will see around 100 attendees, depending on members’ availability. The group is open to women and allies at all levels and job families.
Each meeting focuses on a theme, often tied to a monthly observance like Women’s History Month or Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The agenda features an educational presentation about the topic, a HERstory presentation by a WAG member, and breakout discussion sessions. Upcoming topics this year include Infertility Awareness Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Girls Just Wanna Have Funds and Silencing Self-Doubt in the Workplace.
Maxim is committed to our values, and the Women’s Affinity Group supports them. Lauren shared, “I feel like servant leadership is such a big one. I think the whole basis of the group is to put other women first and put ourselves first. Kind of – everyone eats, everyone wins, but it’s really about lifting those people up that need it the most in that moment.”
Laura echoed this idea and added, “One of our core competencies is communication. I think we try to give people a voice and encourage people to communicate.”
Making an impact on the Maxim community
The Women’s Affinity Group has made a positive experience for the women of Maxim. Professional development is a significant focus of the group and women across the company have been moving into more leadership roles.
Laura commented, “There’s quite a bit of professional development that we do [for example] how do you properly advocate for promotions or merit increases. It’s a tool that a lot of people don’t know how to do and the person who should be teaching you is the one you’re having the discussion with. So there’s a whole group of women who just sort of sit there and don’t know what to do. So I think teaching people to communicate and share your feelings is a big part of it.”
Group members have gained valuable insights, including information on benefits and FMLA leave. They also receive advice on managing pregnancy, motherhood, or family caregiving alongside a professional career – topics that can be challenging to discuss with a male manager.
Being a leader in WAG has benefited the leaders as well.
Lauren shared that it encouraged her to think about leadership in different ways. “It’s encouraged me to approach my own team differently and have different conversation that I may have personally even felt uncomfortable to have but just knowing that they have to be had and different ways to go about it and getting advice from other people in leadership.”
Laura added, “I think it has it has made me appreciate and enjoy the company in a different way…just sort of seeing how many wonderful, talented, amazing women there are in this company. It’s always uplifting every time I hang up that call I just can’t believe what a wonderful, amazing group of people we actually have in this company.”
Join the Maxim team
Maxim has a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives beyond the Women’s Affinity Group. Our Multicultural Affinity Group, LGBTQ+ Affinity Group, D&I board, and various committees empower employees to actively contribute to our D&I efforts.
A common misconception among candidates and new employees is that they need to hold a particular position or have a certain tenure to participate in these groups. Lauren commented, “So I think the biggest focus now is just encouraging everyone at every level to want to get involved because the more that we have people that want to get involved that aren’t a part of the board, the more that these affinity groups come up and the more that we can create more of a community.”
We invite you to explore our careers site for further insights into Maxim’s culture, benefits, and ongoing diversity and inclusion endeavors. Discover exciting career opportunities and stay informed about company updates by browsing our open positions or joining our talent community. Your journey to a new opportunity begins here.
