Employee resource groups (ERGs) can be wildly powerful tools for companies. These groups, which connect employees of similar interests or backgrounds, often offer support to these workers, and an additional sense of belonging. They can also be leveraged by company leadership to get more insight into how workers are feeling, and used to help influence the company’s business strategy.
But they can only make an impact if they’re taken seriously by the organization and given the required resources and agency. One huge part of how influential an ERG can be is how its leaders are rewarded for their work. Without the time and help required to lead an affinity group, these leaders—often just a single non-executive employee—work for the ERG in their spare time on top of their daily job duties.
