Five Ways HR Leaders Can Support Employee Resource Groups
As an HR professional, you boost employee engagement when you support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in your organization.
Not only does this help you meet inclusion goals, but it also prevents employee turnover.
Are you following Employee Resource Group best practices?
ERGs can help your organization become a safer, more desirable workplace.
90% of Fortune 500 companies favor ERGs in the workplace.
However, companies of all sizes can benefit from camaraderie and workplace satisfaction.
You can help your ERG generate a sense of belonging and togetherness as an HR leader.
So, what can you do to support them?
Here are five ways that HR leaders can support ERGs.
Ensure time spent on ERG work is part of the day job.
Help managers understand the importance of the ERG’s work and how it helps the business.
Ensure ERG leaders are rewarded for their efforts.
Encourage managers to include ERG work in performance reviews.
Fight for their budget.
1. Ensure time spent on ERG work is part of the day job
Nothing is worse than being asked to do extra work on your own time.
If members are expected to complete ERG tasks on their own time at home, joining or starting an ERG at work soon becomes a punishment.
Soon, the members are not only fighting for their representation at work but are essentially paying for the privilege to do so.
As an HR leader, you can ensure that ERG members are allowed and encouraged to spend a certain number of hours on ERG work every week.
2. Help managers understand the importance of the ERG’s work and how it helps the business
Let's face it – sometimes, even the most well-intentioned managers get grumbly when they don’t understand what their employees are up to.
Telling a busy manager that one or more of their team members needs some hours to work on what seems like a ‘club’ or side project can result in resentment and miscommunication.
That’s why you must help managers, especially at the most senior levels, understand the goals of the ERG and why it exists.
In addition to highlighting how the ERG helps meet the company’s Diversity and Inclusion goals, you should also point out how it improves retention.
Remember – an engaged and respected employee is far more likely to stay with the company long-term than someone who feels marginalized.
Of course, some managers might initially balk at the idea and complain about ‘wokeness gone mad.’
You might have to take the time to walk them through the concept and show them how it will improve – not hinder – the company’s bottom line.
3. Ensure ERG leaders are rewarded for their efforts
One of the best ways to boost morale and keep people motivated and excited about starting an ERG at work? Ensure they are recognized and rewarded for their efforts.
Some of the ways that you can do this include:
Offer employee perks, such as a great parking spot or extra days off.
Reward them with gift cards or dinner paid by the company.
Pay for catering for their meetings.
Give them development opportunities, such as attending conferences and speaking engagements.
Arrange a mentor that can help them with their career goals.
Of course, while applause and accolades feel good, there is nothing quite like being financially rewarded for your efforts.
Consider a small stipend or bursary available to the ERG leader and perhaps even all members.
This helps ensure you are compensating your ERG leaders appropriately and gives them a special perk.
4. Encourage managers to include ERG work in performance reviews
There is no better way to legitimize an employee’s ERG work than by including it in their annual performance review.
You can encourage managers to take ERG work seriously as an HR leader.
Ask them to consider it when giving both positive and negative feedback.
However, be sure that managers don’t take this as permission to criticize the ERG’s goals and work, especially if they aren’t familiar with it.
If the manager has an ERG-related issue, they should consult you or another HR leader before approaching the employee in question.
5. Fight for their budget
Lastly, HR leaders must fight for the ERG to have a healthy operating budget.
There isn't much they can do without enough money to carry out initiatives, hold events, and buy supplies.
At a 2020 DE&I gathering, ERG members complained, "there's more spent on the bagel budget than the ERG budget,” and the “company may offer a $100,000 donation to a racial justice organization but put only $500 into the ERG budget.”
Your company must put its money where its mouth is when funding the ERG.
Publicly claiming you support diversity and inclusion without investing in it at home breeds resentment and frustration in employees at all levels.
Looking for more ways to support your ERG?
If you’ve never supported an ERG before, getting some tools from someone who has can be helpful.
We help HR Leaders build employee resource groups aligned with their organization’s People and Talent strategy through our 12-week program.
If you work in HR or Diversity and Inclusion, you can find out more by attending one of our upcoming events.
