ERG groups in your organization: how to harness the power of diversity
Diversity and inclusion are more important than ever, but how do you put them into practice? Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) offer a powerful solution.
ERG’s Injou Organization: How to Harness the Power of Diversity
In 1964, during the civil rights riots, the first group of Black employees at Xerox began discussing their experiences with one another and lobbied the organization for change. Today, employee groups such as Trainbow, Roze in Wit, GLOBE, and HOP participate in the Amsterdam Canal Parade. The first ERG and what it looks like in 2025. ERG? What is that? Employee Resource Groups, an effective tool for promoting inclusion in the workplace that is growing in popularity. In this article, we’ll explain what it is, why you should get started with this in your organization, and how you can take the first steps!
ERG Meaning
An Employee Resource Group is a diversity initiative consisting of employees who share a common characteristic, experience, or interest and who come together to promote inclusion in the workplace. Examples include a group of employees who are all LGBTQA+ or a group of women working in a male-dominated environment. An ERG can also consist of employees who come together based on the same faith or background, or a group of employees who are also informal caregivers. A group of young employees can also fall under this category; they seek each other out to exchange experiences, share ambitions, support one another, gain more knowledge together, and, as digital natives, possibly propose ways to work more productively.
The value of an ERG
Make no mistake: these aren’t just groups that turn inward and find support in one another, but ones that can also support the organization with their expertise. We’ve often discussed the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace—how they help your organization thrive in terms of innovation, profitability, productivity, employee engagement, and attracting talent. ERG’s are a tool for getting even more out of that diversity by allowing employees with specific expertise to join forces.
Such a network helps employees from marginalized groups feel more connected within the organization, find like-minded colleagues, and improve the work environment for everyone. It’s also a great way to consolidate internal knowledge. When the board wants to make new decisions, it can always reach out to the various employee networks to ask whether the new plan works for them or if there are any blind spots.
Another nice bonus, according to Hastwell of GreatPlace to Work, is discovering new talented leaders. An ERG can be a place for employees to grow, as participating in and managing such a group involves a variety of soft skills. But there are also hard skills to be developed in this context, and you can offer additional training when it suits the group.
The effectiveness of these groups shows that having just one employee from a marginalized group isn’t enough. After all, advocating for an issue on your own is much harder than doing so as part of a group. You can bounce ideas off each other, especially when it might be nerve-wracking to share them within a particular corporate culture. As an employee, you’re then not “the one who keeps bringing up the same topic,” but together you share the burden of “needing something different from the norm.”
ERG implementation
Okay, that’s convincing, but what now? Do you remember the first ERG for Black employees at Xerox? Darren Cassidy, who works at the company, shared with Raconteur (Cassidy, 2024) a few steps for starting ERGs, to which we had some additional tips and comments:
: Passionate Employees An ERG starts by bringing together employees who care so deeply about a particular issue that they’re willing to invest extra time in it alongside their regular work. Of course, it’s only fair to give your employees the opportunity to do this during their work hours—after all, they’re making your organization better, and that’s worth something.Especially when it comes to leadership within the group, it’s important to watch out for burnout, because it’s precisely the things you’re passionate about that can lead you to overwork yourself.
Develop a plan
Work with your employees to develop a plan: what will the goals be for this team? As a group, what do you want to invest in that you know will bring about significant changes for the organization? But be flexible and continue to grow as a group. If something doesn’t work out, what will you focus on next? And once the first goal has been achieved, what’s the next area for improvement?
Support from the board
Also bring in someone from the top of the organization to join the group and provide financial support. This will help demonstrate the organization’s commitment to and support for this group. Tip: Have lunch with these groups from time to time. As a board, you can do this with each group individually to learn more from them, as well as with the groups together to identify where their interests overlap.
Collaborating
Because there is value to be found in these intersections between groups; you’re more likely to discover when a solution for one group creates problems for another. For example, not all restrooms can be gender-neutral, because Muslim women need a space to properly adjust their hijabs. But you also discover when you can effectively work together on the same issue. For example, a prayer room for both Christians and Muslims in the company.
This immediately fosters greater engagement among employees, which is important in a climate where we’re quick to talk about each other rather than with each other. These groups offer the opportunity to maintain a dialogue, learn from each other’s stories, and treat one another with empathy—but also to take action. You might also consider opening these groups up to allies: people who may not be directly affected by certain issues but are committed to advocating for them.
Start your ERGs
You may have started reading this article without knowing what ERG stands for, but now you have everything you need to start your own Employee Resource Group. Make your organization more inclusive and successful with this versatile tool!
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