This is particularly true in businesses that are larger, more formal, or may be perceived as old-fashioned. This will feel more genuine than if its coming from a faceless company. Employee resource groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led associations where team members join together in light of common interests, backgrounds, or demographics. At the end of the session, members will discuss their evaluations of each others first impressions and share their assumptions about one anothers personalities. UKGs ERGs have 2-3 executives that support them to reach their mission and goals. ERG's have become so effective over 90% of Fortune 500 companies now have them. One ERG best practice isto ensure that each ERG has a senior leader as their executive sponsor and full participant. We spend most of our waking lives with our colleagues. Micah Lally | They run the risk of being singled out or shot down. Here are answers to questions about employee resource group ideas. In cultural events for your employee resource group, you can celebrate international days and months, such as: Employeeresourcegroupmembers can call influential presenters and activists to speak about the day your team is celebrating. These courses will support their personal and career development by helping them attain new skills and networking with similar minds. If you want to consider a virtual volunteering program, then here are some great opportunities offered by pointsoflight.org: Remote teams can also benefit from and participate in volunteering programs. This committee will help you:. Goals: Fosters Community, Career Development & Morale. After all, one way to work on your professional development is by channeling the guidance and knowledge of a mentor who has already excelled in said career path. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when developing your own. LEAGUE at AT&T (1987) LGBTQ association, develop a practical and actionable diversity plan,. Happy workers mean a higher level of engagement. Furthermore, they were able to increase diversity representation in their promotions., Microsoft launched this scholarship to award high school women and non-binary people an opportunity at a career in technology. Once employee resource groups are established, they can largely be operated by member employees. Telegraph Media Group is the proprietor of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. The Young Professionals at TIAA (YoPros), Military Support & Assistance Group (MSAG) at Bank of America. For your next conference, you can take inspiration from these themes: These conferences can boost your employees morale in striving for highly competitive and challenging career opportunities. The bookkeeper is responsible to provide accounting of their expenses to HR at . Effective ERGs are both top-down and bottom-up. Sharing these experiences enable colleaguestolearnabout each others lives. Theyve partnered with national and local military and veteran organizations across the US to understand how they can best help. Although the event will initially target company employees, personnel from other companies can also join the event. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Great Place To Work Institute. ERGs are meant to be supportive rather than exclusive. Employees can even learn more about the business by interacting with different departments, keying more into business drivers and strategies. Virtual programs are best for employee resource group members when they cannot take time off. Originally from Wales, she studied Spanish and French at the University of Swansea before moving to Barcelona where she lived and worked for 12 years. An inspirational conference can be a proper after-work-hours event. In interdepartmental speed networking, you can set up some chairs in the center of the room with a timer. They can be part of the strategy, but its up to business leaders to create and follow your DEI policy. People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. So, anyone who identifies with these communities can join their respective ERG to gain the support they need and network with the right individuals. This means that although the groups are created and managed by employees, senior management still needs to be on board. You may include this within your onboarding system or invite them after training. Here are some ideas for active participation in volunteering programs: You can also opt for virtual volunteer opportunities. Groups may include: As you can see, there are a wide range of employee resource group examples organizations can create to drive belonging. Trivia game nights are a great team building idea, which you can play inperson and online. What Is an Employee Resource Group (ERG)? E&Y currently has more than a dozen ERGs and employee support groups. Creative ideas provided by members at the end of the discussion canbe handy solutionstocompanyissues. As we mentioned in the introduction, workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives are on the rise. Virtual social events are a great way of building friendly camaraderie among coworkers. Strong executive sponsors will make the success of the ERG a priority and personal responsibility, without taking away autonomy of the group. ERGs help to foster a diverse and inclusive working environment. As a result, these groups can be a great way to build inclusive environments that drive diversity and equity in the workplace. June 24, 2022 Aaron Kinne "Let's reflect on your journey as an ERG leader," said noted author and career columnist Joann Lublin as she opened the Workhuman Live session, "Employee Resource Groups: The Next Generation." "What do you know now that you wish you had known at the outset? Trivia quizzes require participantstothink and collaborate. It is designed with two main purposes: 1) to provide supervisors, managers, project leads, and other employees with general information on establishing and sustaining effective ERGs; and 2) to help increase the utilization of ERGs Agencywide, because research shows that they can help engage employees and consequently increase both individual an. But if its communicated that a womens ERG has a focus on helping the company recruit, train, and retain a higher percentage of women and further penetrating the female consumer market, you may find her more enthusiastic about joining. You had to attend an important seminar related to work in the morning but woke up late and missed it. Employee resource groups are both top-down and bottom-up. Select categories that interest the participants, such as pet peeves and work habits. Company culture gets a pretty big boost when cross-team interactions take place and the organization feels more like a collective enterprise than a bunch of smaller cogs. Nonmembers will get a chance to learn about yourgroupsmission. The more you have, the more it can reflect and support the diversity of your workforce. Planning the event allows the employees to work in teams,promotingeffectivecollaboration. The stories can be specific, like going for a job interview. ERGs have been around since the 1960s when black workers at Xerox organized to discuss race-based tension in the workplace. Participants all share a common characteristic, such as gender, race, ethnicity, veteran status, religious affiliation, or lifestyle. This ensures they are structured and supplied adequately to achieve their purposes. Community NETwork has been called the key to AT&Ts exceptionally high retention rate and growing leadership presence among African American employees. Asana Named one of the Best Places for Women to Work, Asana credits its employees for creating a welcoming and empowering workplace culture. This will enable you to have full access to all the features of this website. On October 25, 2021, the King County Disability Affinity Group - now named the King County Disability Equity Network (KCDEN) - was launched. Employee resource groups (ERGs) have been around since the 1960s. They also help contribute to . Recognized by Diversity Inc. for pioneering leadership in the world of ERGs, Ernst & Young is a global management consulting firm. One group has to negotiate the price before buying, while the other has to sell theitem with a profit margin. There are groups for working mothers, veterans, cancer survivors, speakers of French, and many others, all of which are encouraged to advocate for key populations. You can invite a topic expert to ensure the information is accurate. You should edit, add, and delete content from this as . Watch and learn from experts on how to build a thriving culture of mentorship, Bi-Weekly updates of leading content in the HR and L&D space, Truly understand the world of mentorship and coaching with our research report. Copyright 2023 Together (US) Inc. All rights reserved. So, what do such groups look like and what types of ERG should you create for your organization? Women@Microsofts mission is to attract, retain, and develop women around the world. The concept of an ERG group is not new. Still, leadership continuity and low turnover spark business successes. Employee resource group ideas are activities and games that educate employees about the importance and impact of employee resource groups. Evaluate your sites performance and get actionable recommendations. Make sure you are clear about the goals and mission of your employee resource group. Hostingactivitiesandeventsispartofanemployeeresourcegroupsbestpractices. Workplace Jeopardy! Learning never stops, and workshops are the best learning experience for your group members. Our suite of tools makes it easy to launch, manage, and measure ERGs with templates and guides to support group leaders, user-friendly features to build transparency and connection, and automated data tracking and analytics. Attract and convert meaningful traffic using SEO. Don't know where to begin? You can find achallenge withinreasonabledietary guidelines to try with your members. The KCDEN supports King County's commitment Leverage content and sales tools to close deals fast. Here are some of these Professional Networks: Since 2020, they have run 9 different Professional Networks with more than 30,000 employees participating. Here is our list of ideasfor employee resource group events. One member from each team will draw a picture, and the other members will trytoguesswhattheartistisdrawing. To make the game competitive, you can award bonus points to opponents for every wrong answer. Align the ERG with your company's mission For ERGs to be successful, their purpose should tie into a company's overall mission and values. Here are lists of group volunteering ideas and online volunteering opportunities. Is your organization focused on giving back to your community? Fast-forward to today, ERGs are found in 90% of Fortune 500 companies. They not only help employees connect with colleagues who share something in common with them, but also provide a sense of community, which can lead people to find their purpose and confidence in the workplace. When there are gaps in experiences, leaders often turn to ERGs to ensure that everyone, regardless of role or demographic, can succeed. In this game, you will appoint a host to prepare and ask questions from the two teams. Giving your employee resource group a name is essential because agoodnamewill sharethegroupsmission and attract nonmembers to join. Subscribe to our blog & get notified on the latest trends that impact your business. Find the right leaders for your group and make sure they are able to commit. The program is also geared towards new hires and people who are new to their roles such as new associates and managers. Get free templates, ebooks, checklists, and tipsheets. Executive engagement can ensure well-structured progress and help ERG leaders align their goals with the companys. You could even hold an event to generate interest and excitement! A solid diversity policy will attract a more diverse workforce, and therefore encourage a wider variety of ERGs. But ERGs don't only benefit employees. What do you do? They are generally created by motivated employees who want to build a sense of community within your organization. 5 Kickass Employee Resource Groups That Drive Engagement, 5 of the Very Best Employee Resource Groups in Business Today, 3. If the employee resource group is going to be a success, your senior managers need to buy into the initiative. You can collaborate with awellness company for prizes. Select Add optional claim, select the ID token type, select upn from the list of claims, and then select Add. Each team will get a time limit to draw the given object, and the team with the most accurate guesses wins. This handbook will cover how to run a mentorship program specifically designed for DE&I initiatives. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. Getting in touch with speakers and organizations can also give you more volunteering opportunities and ideas for programming. How will you deal with it? Even better, volunteer with them if the opportunity . Claire co-authored the, 11 Rules for Creating Value in the Social Era, ERGs have been around since the 1960s when. Employees naturally build relationships with one another, but ERGs are a great way to facilitate connections that are both positive and productive at the same time. These experiences help createemployee connections and foster a culture of respect and support. Timeline: September 4, 2022 Effective ERGs are both top-down and bottom-up. For example, negotiating is a diverse skill that employees can use to sell an item, finalize a deal, or even negotiate with a family member to choose where to eat. Strongemployeeresourcegroupswork toward building safe spaces for allemployees. With a focus on aiding the transition from military life to civilian life. Open lines are vital to the success of these groups, as well as honest communication. intheworkplace. Here is our list of the best employee resource group ideas. With a focus on aiding the transition from military life to civilian life, Bank of America has committed to providing resources to service members, veterans, and the families. You can attend virtual events hosted by others too. You do not know that employee. Due in large part to its world-class talent, it is seen as the top in its field. One of the most interesting aspects of the E&Y approach is its creativity in recognizing where common interests lie. Some examples of these scenarios are: A fictional scenario will spark members interestandcanencouragecreativeproblem-solving. Were in an era where the concept of a lifelong job at one employer has fallen by the wayside. Having multiple points of view means that a project is being seen at all angles. A few notable businesses that encourage ERGs at their company include At&T, Microsoft, and Bank of America. These are voluntary, employee-led groups that serve to foster diversity and inclusion. It can be intimidating for an employee to approach leadership on their own and bring attention to their concerns. Go to an escape room, which requires teamwork to solve clues and puzzles. Not sure where to start?Explore the 6 different mentorship programs models to find out! It conducts various volunteer activities, get-togethers, and social media recruiting aimed at the next generation of finance talent. Company Culture | Will you make an excuse or admit your mistake in front of the administration. Workshops for professional development, cultural events, volunteer opportunities, networking forums, and motivational conferences are among the best events and activities for employee resource groups. For a lower-budget option, youcanholdthese conferences during lunchtime. Image: Employee Resource Group members at Zillow get ready to march the Pride parade. Thebestnameforyouremployeeresourcegroupcanhelpshareyourvisionandinterestnonmembersinjoining. A group food outing is the most easy-going teambuilding activity. Many workers are constantly searching for improved employment alternatives with equitable opportunities. If there are any impediments, they can be brought up during group meetings and quickly addressed rather than having business growth stagnate. In fact, according to the Sequoia Consulting Groups 2021 Employee Experience Benchmarking Report, 40% of companies have now established an Employee Resource Group, a 9% increase from the previous year. Learn more about developing talent and starting mentorship programs. You can arrange anemployees day out for team members to improve group dynamics. Stakeholder: ERG Community chair working with events team Execution: . The modern employee resource group is one way employers of choice, especially in the tech industry, have made concrete strides toward improving workplace diversity. To do this successfully, many organizations are favoring the use of employee resource groups. It may even attract more diverse employees if they see how diverse your workforce is already. Since running this program, King Games has been able to work towards their goals of increasing gender diversity in hiring and promotions. Furthermore, Qualcomm has partnered with key players in the diversity and inclusion space, including the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and The Human Rights Campaign Foundation. She also offers services to a number of NGOs including Oxfam Intermn, UNICEF, and Corporate Excellence - Centre for Reputation Leadership. This goes without saying but one of the best ways to build and support your ERGs is by hiring diverse professionals who belong to these communities. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups made up of individuals who join together based on common interests, backgrounds, or demographic factors. 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Be specific, like going for a lower-budget option, youcanholdthese conferences during lunchtime recognized by diversity for! Rules for creating a welcoming and empowering workplace culture Reputation leadership at company... Clues and puzzles way of building friendly camaraderie among coworkers its field as a result, these groups, well... De & I initiatives up during group meetings and quickly addressed rather than.! Questions about employee resource group ideas few notable businesses that are larger, more formal, or may be as! Activities and games that educate employees about the business by interacting with different departments keying... Away autonomy of the discussion canbe handy solutionstocompanyissues work habits educate employees the! Meetings and quickly addressed rather than having business growth stagnate since running this program, King has... For DE & I initiatives in touch with speakers and organizations employee resource groups examples also give you more volunteering..