In choosing an executive sponsor, it’s important to find someone who is willing to put their own privilege and access to resources on the line for the ERG and is personally committed to the success of the group. Employees naturally build relationships with one another, but ERGs are a great way to facilitate connections that are both positive and productive at the same time. I also act as a London Enterprise Advisor to the Mayor of London, helping to build equitable processes and career strategy within schools in my local community of Hackney, East London. This has resulted in pinpointing more than 30 high-potential individuals at the VP level. In order to truly empower and support ERGs, I think it’s important to give the ERG the autonomy to define the scope of their group, to define membership eligibility and most importantly, to define what success means to them. Employee resource groups also serve as a valuable source of powerful stories, which helps advance DE&I both internally and externally. They will empower them and give them visibility within the community and help them work towards success. I am an associate alumni of Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University. While ERGs are a vital part of any D&I programme, they must not be the only action companies take. With support from W@M, more women can take the next step toward their dreams. Happy workers mean a higher level of engagement. This white paper on executive sponsorship of ERGs is a great resource.

Open lines are vital to the success of these groups, as well as honest communication. Encourage D&I champions. They're fighting to bring awareness to how difficult it can be to reintegrate and are offering solutions and opportunities to ease the process.

This can be avoided by encouraging ERGs to pursue different goals.
In fact, I think having a passionate leader at a less senior level can be more impactful than a very senior leader with less personal commitment. Make sure that strong ERG performers are regularly included in talent reviews, as well as intentionally developed. Interested in understanding how your employees view their relationships with their co-workers, managers, and leaders? What’s to be done?

By offering channels by which to engage in company issues, ranging from product development to marketing, ERGs allow members to advance their skill-sets in engaging problems beyond their day jobs. Employee Resource Groups (or ERGs) are employee identity or experience-based groups that build community. What value do ERGs bring to their organization? ur 12 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups that focus on shared identities/affinities and experiences, and that look to apply those perspectives to initiatives that create value for all of Johnson & Johnson. So how do companies approach the project? The groups foster a sense of belonging and inspire conversation, bring new ways to look at issues and drive innovation. Once objectives have been defined within the ERGs, it’s important for leadership to be roped into the conversation as well. And the world is talking, and googling, about them.

Today, 90% of Fortune 500 companies have ERGs and about 8.5% of employees in US-based companies belong to ERGs (this number drops to 4.3% in organizations headquartered outside the US). The first tool in the set defines what an ERG is, describes how it can benefit an organization, its members, and employees. This white paper on executive sponsorship of ERGs is a great resource.

I am a specialist on one of the most challenging and radically empowering matters of our time: Diversity & Inclusion. Don’t limit participation. Executive sponsorship is an important part of a successful ERG program. Fostering communication between ERGs ensures that all team members are working toward the same goals. Sponsorship from the executive team shows that the organization stands behind the ERGs and offers their support: guidance, budget, mentoring, visibility and networking to support the ERGs in their success. Many executives at companies with ERGs find that they're a critical resource for gaining deeper insights from their Trust Index™ survey results.

Nitasha Tiku recently reported on the state of Black ERGs in global tech companies, noting that Black employees struggle to balance their 9-to-5 responsibilities with the added (but rewarding) work of managing and participating in ERGs. Women at Microsoft is held up as one of the greatest recent ERG success stories. 4 Leadership Tips for Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners. Establishing SMART goals keeps the practice from feeling like pigeonholing demographics and more like promoting and highlighting diversity. You may opt-out by. They likely don’t have the same first-hand experiences or perspectives as their reports. With over 12,000 members, it is the oldest ERG at AT&T as well as its third largest. Other benefits include the development of future leaders, increased employee engagement, and expanded marketplace reach. Stay up to date with the latest marketing, sales, and service tips. ERGs are typically developed based on shared identities or experiences. October 10, 2019 | One option is to explore including ‘‘diversity and inclusion” competencies in performance review criteria.

There’s a sensitive nature to ERGs. And, on a more sympathetic note, it’s sometimes just really nice when a colleague, who may not be in the same boat as you, is still willing to offer a hand. Since the 1970s when they were first introduced for Black employees in the US at emerging tech companies like Xerox and AT&T, ERGs have served to unite employees around shared lived experiences, they’ve improved recruitment and retention among these groups and have established stronger dialogues between underrepresented employees and leadership. Here are some of the largest and most notable employee resource groups today. Participants in Community NETwork partner with the company’s Executive Advocate Program (called Champions) to identify and cultivate high-potential leaders. One best practice is to ensure that each ERG has a senior leader as their executive sponsor and full participant. can only flourish when employees feel safe bringing their whole selves to work.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), also referred to as business network groups or affinity groups, have served and supported the culture of corporate America since the 1970s. I am the Founder and CEO of Variety Pack, a. I am a specialist on one of the most challenging and radically empowering matters of our time: Diversity & Inclusion. Catalyst has more than 20 years of experience working with employee resource groups (ERGs) across a variety of industries and regions. I’m a Content Writer at Bluleadz. With the examples above, you can start developing a plan to implement employee resource groups that will help your teams win.