By Blake Fussell
Did you know…
The Granite List got its name from The Granite Cutters Union which was founded in March 1877 in Maine? The trade union had a strong sense of their identity and purpose and created an organization which provided support for the hundreds of working men working in the granite quarries.
They were the first organization of their kind to offer sick benefits to their members. And not only did they have an open forum to discuss working conditions, they also collected donations for those who were injured, so that the man, who couldn’t provide for himself or his family, could still survive.
Through the years, the Granite Cutters International Association of America kept meticulous minutes of meetings as well as published a monthly journal called, “The Granite Cutter’s Journal,” which was a monthly newsletter sent out to members across the country.
Sound familiar?
We were so inspired by their sense of community, education and welfare support for one another – it inspired what we are doing at Connect Healthcare Collaboration and the platform we were building – so we paid homage to their name. We have the education platform, we have the weekly newsletter, and we have the feeling of community – we just needed the real deal.
“We are thrilled to partner with Forj to build out the community aspect of The Granite List,” says Leigh Dill, VP of Operations for CHC, creators of The Granite List. “It will be the perfect platform for our members to really get to know each other and learn from each other. Everyone has so much to share, The Granite List community will be the one-stop shop where all stakeholders within the employee benefits space can connect – through forums posts, chat and live events.”
The Granite List Community ("TGL Community") will be a community of practice which is “a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly," according to Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger who coined the term. It’s designed to be an interactive platform that spans far beyond traditional social media channels like Facebook or LinkedIn, giving participants a unique engagement experience and allowing for participants to curate the content they consume.
With more content comes more engagement and visibility. Through peer-to-peer communication, like that in TGL Community, search engines are more likely to show the conversations compared to a social media post, according to recent studies.
Leading the charge in building a benefits community
Forj, a technology company that specializes in member experience and creates stronger communities through their leading-edge Member Experience platform for associations and professional organizations, has been brought on board to build out the community.
“We believe in the power of technology to connect people, increase access to learning, and enable communities of practice to make an impact in our world,” said Kristen Wright, Chief Experience Officer of Forj. “In communities of practice, there’s a culture of reciprocity of learning where members share experiences, build relationships, grow their careers, and help to advance their field.”
Members of TGL Community will all have their own profile page and will share equal abilities to grow their business, collaborate on projects and receive expert answers to common questions. TGL Community will include an open forum which is proven to be 36 percent more meaningful than a social media post, according to Global Web Index.
Unlike social media platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook, TGL Community gives users the opportunity to communicate solely with others in the benefits management space. While you work hard to make a difference with your company, there may be someone else with a different expertise that could use a hand or lend one.
“While The Granite List Community provides many tools for its members, it is the member base itself that makes it special,” comments Dill. “By drawing together a wide net of innovative, forward-thinking individuals within benefits management, there are endless possibilities to explore between the connections made. We look forward to serving as the springboard for these discussions.”
We need you.
Want to learn more or be a beta thought leader? We are accepting applications now for those who want to help us lead the charge. Click here to indicate your interest.
To learn more about The Granite List, please visit www.thegranitelist.com