In this next installment of our Employee Resource Group (ERG) spotlight series, we met with Disability, our employee-led group focused on providing support, resources, and education to members of the disabled community that interact with the Bitly product or organization, both internally and externally.
Disability is co-led by Chris Atkinson (Software Development Engineer in Test) and Sabrina Moni (Chief of Staff). They shared some insight into how this ERG is working to create a sense of belonging among Bitly employees (we call them Bitizens) and why “Every Bit Counts” when it comes to creating change and awareness.
What motivated you to become an ERG leader?
Chris: I’ve been a passionate advocate for accessible software practices since very early on in my career. At a local software meetup, I saw firsthand what the experience of navigating the web was like for a legally blind person. I also saw how bad that experience could be if a company didn’t bother to implement its code correctly. That experience galvanized me into disability advocacy.
My professional role is in the software quality assurance field. To me, product accessibility is inexorably tied to software quality. My goal is to ensure the software being delivered at Bitly is of the highest quality, and I have now earned a reputation for filing bugs against pull requests that fail to meet accessibility standards.
I joined the Disability ERG in a leadership position because I saw its creation as a formal commitment from Bitly to take the needs and experiences of the disabled community seriously. We have an exciting opportunity to use the ERG to educate, train, and coordinate efforts to adopt more accessible practices into our products and organization.
Sabrina: It has become an expectation for me to work at a company where its employees share unique perspectives and respect one another’s individual needs, but I understand that creating this environment requires tireless effort and intentionality. I chose to co-lead the Disability ERG because, in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) space, it’s an area that is often overlooked. It is easy to identify the areas of improvement, but it’s much harder to take action and make meaningful changes.
The Disability ERG demonstrates that we not only care about the lived experiences of the disabled community but that we are willing to make the necessary changes to create a more equitable experience for the Bitly community.
What are the key areas of focus for the Disability ERG?
Chris: It is my goal that our Disability ERG will be heavily focused on running discreet initiatives to make accessibility improvements in our products and organization. I hope we can lean on our members to identify areas where we are currently missing the mark, then collaborate with them to find solutions. I want our actions to speak louder than our words.
Another key area of focus is education. In my experience, people don’t actively choose to create inaccessible products and organizations. They simply lack the training or exposure to the relevant information. I think our ERG can go a long way in helping to fill that gap.
Lastly, I want to build a space at Bitly where members of the disabled community can feel heard and catered to. The unique experiences of people with disabilities are extremely valuable to an organization that does business on a global scale. Our ERG will serve as a platform for our disabled peers so that they have a seat at the table as we chart the course for Bitly’s future.
Sabrina: Our primary areas of focus are to create awareness about the experiences of those living with a disability and to ensure our product and our organization are inclusive and accessible. Education is of the utmost importance because you can’t make meaningful changes if you don’t fully understand the problem. With a new level of awareness and understanding, we can focus on taking action and creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace. This includes everything from the way our product is built to the tools we use for hiring and how we build our company presentations.
How does this impact the Bitly culture?
Chris: The creation of a space focused on the needs and lived experiences of the disabled community shows that Bitly is an organization that believes in equity. The interest and participation we have seen so far reaffirm my belief that Bitly is a place where motivated people looking to create some positivity in the world can find a vehicle to do so.
Sabrina: The Disability ERG is still in its early stages but it has encouraged us to view the way we build our products and how we build the business with a new inclusive lens. Creating a more accessible experience for our employees and customers alike is at the forefront of our strategic discussions and ultimately reaffirms our focus on equity here at Bitly.
“Every Bit Counts!” is our tagline for DE&I. What does it mean to you? What does it mean for this ERG?
Sabrina: It can sometimes be overwhelming to think about all of the things that need to change to make the world a better place. “Every Bit Counts” means that it’s not about one person doing absolutely everything but simply moving inch by inch in the right direction. Change takes time and it can feel insurmountable—but “Every Bit Counts”.
How does the Disability ERG bring this tagline to life?
Chris: How can a bit count if it’s not given the opportunity to succeed in the first place? When I think about our tagline, I think of the places that exist in our product, processes, and tools where a disabled person might hit a roadblock because we’ve failed to account for their needs. It is incumbent on us to identify and fix those issues.
Sabrina: The tagline “Every Bit Counts” reminds us that even the small things—like making sure our presentation slides are more accessible—matter. There is so much that we want to do but we simply cannot achieve it all at once. We are a small but mighty group of dedicated Bitizens who are taking it one step at a time.
Visit Bitly to learn more about our ERGs and our mission to be a catalyst for connections for our customers, employees, and communities.