What’s an ERG?
In a world full of division, employee resource groups (ERGs) strive to bring people together.
Also known as affinity groups (e.g. Dog lovers, K-pop fans), networking groups (e.g. San Francisco State University alums), and/or identity-based groups (e.g. Latinx or LGBTQ+ folks), ERGs are voluntary, employee-organized associations that organize events, socially convene, and celebrate people and issues of common interest.
ERGs exist for lots of overlapping reasons:
- Attracting members of a particular community to your company, either as customers, clients, or job candidates
- Providing opportunities to engage members of / allies of said communities
- Strengthening a company’s expertise on culturally-specific issues
- Signal-boosting relevant events, holidays, and causes
- Networking with community members from different companies
- Finding your new work bestie
- Learning about each other
- Trust falls, group hugs, and snacks (okay, let’s just stick w/ #3)
What’s the business case?
And for you data-driven folks, here’s the business case for ERGs:
- ERGs provide opportunities to voice opinions, leading to 4.6x likelihood for employees to feel empowered and perform their best at work.
- ERGs foster and grow diverse teams, which make decisions up to 87% more efficiently than their more homogenous peers.
- ERGs attract diverse talent, as 67% of job seekers (72% of women, 89% of Black people, 80% of Asian people, and 70% of Latinx folks) cite diversity in the workforce as a crucial factor in considering job offers.
- ERGs increase diversity visibility, in a time when diverse companies have a 22% lower turnover rate compared to less inclusive peers.
Qorporate, Out in Tech’s corporate council.