Increasing engagement and participation is a common challenge with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
What are the secrets to successful engagement with ERGs?
We asked human resource professionals and business leaders about their most non-traditional employee resource groups, and how they engage employees who are in ERGs.
Here are six engagement tips for employee resource groups.
- Employ Entrepreneurs
- Diversify and Include
- Define Leadership Roles
- Tools Dedicated For Goal Setting
- Make Room For Fun
- Strength In Numbers
Employ Entrepreneurs
I would say that our most non-traditional employee resource group would have to be our GoDaddy Entrepreneurs in Tech group. With our company focused on the online success of small businesses globally, we’ve always believed employing entrepreneurs is the best way to help the everyday entrepreneurs that we serve. This ERG was created to serve and support the entrepreneurs that we employ. The key to their successful engagement is their ability to anticipate the needs of their membership, especially in these uncertain times, and deliver the resources, tools, and mentorship needed to help their businesses thrive. In turn, these members are often better equipped to help GoDaddy’s customers with tools and information that they have acquired and tested in their own businesses.
Ashten Fizer, GoDaddy
Diversify and Inclusion
Our Diversity and Inclusion Council includes a very passionate and diverse group of leaders from across the company. The mission of the D&I Council is to value the diversity of life experiences, culture, and perspectives; foster a welcoming environment that attracts and retains the best talent and engages the full potential of each employee; and champion diversity, kindness, and respect for all of our employees and students.
Jeanne Kolpek, Cadence Education
Define Leadership Roles
Whether a company forms employee resource groups (ERGs) by gender, veteran status, ethnicities, or other commonalities, it is important to identify and assign leadership roles. Without leadership roles, companies may fail at engaging employees to fulfill the purpose behind an ERG. Define the leadership roles, and then challenge the right employees to assume leadership responsibilities.
Randall Smalley, Cruise America
Tools Dedicated For Goal Setting
Our company uses the Rockefeller Habits framework to support our business goals, but we know that the tools are valuable for improving our personal lives as well. We have a private Slack channel where team members post their goals for the week and keep one another accountable for progress towards those goals. Members ask clarifying questions to support the goals and celebrate wins. Groups like these help us become more well-rounded individuals, build trust between members of different teams, and improve our goal-setting skills.
Rob Bellenfant, TechnologyAdvice
Make Room for Fun
When I worked at The American Red Cross in Chicago, we had a group called “The Fun Committee”. It was an employee group exclusively dedicated to providing fun events for staff. I vividly remember one morning I walked into the breakroom and the executive leadership team was making and serving pancakes for staff. It was fun to watch them goof around while serving all members of the organization, AND who doesn’t love a surprise homemade breakfast. I think the secret was giving the committee the power to be creative and the fund to execute.
Katy Smithy, Smallwave Marketing
Strength In Numbers
As a small agency with less than 15 employees, we don’t have traditional ERGs. With that said, we have our own versions of support groups and communities for our employees! Our most unique is “The Keeper of Fun” group. This group of individuals works together to ensure work is always fun and that our employees are feeling appreciated.
Nikitha Lokareddy, Markitors
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