What Are Employee Resource Groups? And Why Are They Needed in the Workplace?

What Is an Employee Resource Group (ERG)?

Sometimes called affinity groups, employee resource groups (ERGs) are "voluntary, employee-led groups that foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, business practices and objectives," according to Catalyst. "Other benefits include the development of future leaders, increased employee engagement and expanded marketplace reach."

What Are the Benefits of an ERG?

• Members of ERGs share knowledge.
• Peers in ERGs support one another in dealing with issues that come up in the organization.
• ERGs have power in numbers that can change the organization for the better.
• ERG members can develop leadership skills by taking initiative and working together.

How Can You Start an Employee Resource Group?

1. They may not be as effective as other diversity and inclusion efforts.

"Over the past several years, I have witnessed the advent, maturation and demise of numerous employee resource groups," wrote Isaac Dixon, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, associate vice president of HR at Lewis & Clark College, for the Society for Human Resource Management. "Many were founded with the admirable intention of giving employees who represent a protected class under the law a 'safe' place to air ideas, issues or concerns. Some had very prescriptive work baked into their charters, while others were less specific in their objectives.

"Soon enough, however, objections cropped up. Resource groups for women and minorities were challenged by white men who felt excluded, for example. This type of dissension led employers to try to sharpen their groups’ missions or purposes. The real problem, however, is that ERGs seem like relics of a bygone era. Organizations large and small, public and private, are reshaping these groups into diverse teams that are far more strategic and inclusive. One need only look at the proliferation of diversity, equity and inclusion committees to see how much of the work that ERGs used to do has broadened in both scope and depth."

2. Participants aren't all always active.

Dixon said that many members of ERGs lack participation, and they've cited the need for greater, effective leadership direction and commitment. He argued that employees of varying ethnicities and genders have different notions of success, which makes it difficult to achieve real benefits from ERGs' diversity and inclusion efforts, despite their intentions.

3. They give the false impression that the workplace is free of discrimination.

The mere existence of ERGs can give the false impression that a company’s diversity problems have been "magically solved," Dixon added.

"For example, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that white men perceived the mere presence of diversity councils, targeted mentoring and affinity groups as evidence that all employees were being treated fairly," he explained. "This perception persisted even when the men were presented with anecdotal evidence of discrimination and information that challenged the effectiveness of diversity initiatives at their companies."

This article reflects the views of the author and not necessarily those of Fairygodboss.

What’s your no. 1 piece of advice for starting an ERG? Share your answer in the comments to help other Fairygodboss members!