‘When We All Feel Welcomed, Valued and Engaged, We Flourish’: The Importance of Associate Groups

At TJX, Associates across the United States have access to eight active Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), which are organized to provide networking opportunities, as well as to aid in the development and support of Associates. 

Every year, each ARG develops an annual business plan that lays out its goals and objectives and each is assigned an executive sponsor. ARGs are also provided with annual operating budgets, as well as money for charitable giving and community programming. The various groups host a gamut of events throughout the year, including educational programs, volunteer opportunities, social gatherings, and fundraising initiatives.

To learn more about these ambitious groups, we reached out to Stacey Kalivas, a member of the IT team at TJX who supports the digital and marketing teams, as well as a member of the Women Adding Value Everyday (WAVE) ARG. Kalivas says that her path to joining the ARG was a simple one — a coworker suggested that she reach out to the ARG when she first joined the company, and she has only become more involved as time passed.

“Women are resilient, and so is TJX,” says Kalivas. “TJX has an incredible culture built on the importance of relationships and people. With this focus on people, I find it natural for TJX to invest and support ARGs, such as WAVE.  When we all feel welcomed, valued, and engaged, we flourish.”

Here, Kalivas shares more about TJX’s ARGs, including WAVE, as well as the other ways in which the company supports women in the workplace. Here’s what she told us.

How have you used your role to help lift other women behind you? How do you build time into your schedule for this kind of work?

I constantly share with peers about WAVE. I find that mentioning the ARG to others who may not have much knowledge opens the conversation for all the great offerings available. I find that speaking passionately about an upcoming speaker or networking event allows those interested in the platform to engage in conversation and learn more. 

I firmly believe that continuing the conversation provides TJX Associates with the platform to approach me with any questions, and I can then champion their message upwards, too.

What has your ARG accomplished that you’re most proud of? 

I am most proud of our ARG’s ability to connect TJX Associates from across the U.S. and Canada through our content. We are leveraging technology to act as our unifying platform and, by doing so, we have been able to expand our network beyond our Home Office to include Distribution Centers, regional offices and even engaging with store management!  WAVE has embodied the “One TJX” mindset.

How is your ARG reflective of the overall culture?

Our ARG’s mission is centered around personal and professional growth as well as fostering valuable connections via networking and mentoring. WAVE’s mission has aligned with our company’s values on sharing our stories and building and valuing relationships above the tasks. The emphasis on people within TJX allows for Associates to feel empowered to join and participate in various discussions and events led by our ARG.

How has TJX engaged with or supported their communities? Is this done on a global, national or local level? 

Caring for others is an important part of the culture at TJX. Throughout our more than four decades, we have worked hard to be a good corporate citizen and bring value to people’s lives — not just in our stores, but in our communities, where we work to enrich the lives of others.

Our corporate giving follows our global philanthropic platform and is focused around four key themes: fulfilling critical basic needs, providing education and training, supporting research and care for life-threatening illnesses and empowering women.

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