Employee Resource Groups Are in the Spotlight During Black History Month But Require Support From HR All Year

Black History Month is a popular time to focus on an organization’s DEI practices, including employee resource groups (ERGs). Since these groups are often employee-led initiatives, HR must balance supporting employee efforts without taking over.

As North America continues to celebrate Black History Month, many organizations are looking inward to examine their current DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies and initiatives. Employees from a diverse range of backgrounds want connections in the workplace with one another through common interests and shared experiences, says leading global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company. This has led to ERGs emerging within organizations. According to the firm, since ERGs are frequently initiated by employees, HR has a delicate but crucial role to play in their long-term success. To guide HR and organizational leaders in their efforts to support ERGs, McLean & Company has released its newest blueprint, Create a Pathway for Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to Connect to Organizational Support.

Presently, HR teams are observing that job applicants are considering more than the traditional compensation priorities, expanding their list of primary considerations to include an organization’s stance on social and ethical practices. This makes investing in the success of ERGs a particularly timely focus for organizations seeking to improve attraction and retention of top talent amid not only Black History Month but also a challenging labor market in uncertain economic times.

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“Employee resource groups contribute to employee engagement, recruitment, retention, and a sense of belonging,” says LynnAnn Brewer, director of HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. “Organizations seeking to improve in any of these areas have a vested interest in ensuring ERGs have support from both leadership and HR. To achieve this, HR must seek to understand the needs, interests, and goals of the organization’s ERGs to understand their current state and where they may require additional support.”

McLean & Company’s latest industry resource suggests that HR leaders create a pathway for ERGs to receive formal support from the organization. Should the groups choose to become formalized within the organization, this may look like budget, recruitment, and the empowerment to run or support key internal initiatives. While many ERGs may connect racially marginalized communities, such as those that support Black employees, they may also focus on groups with disabilities, those who identify as LGBTQIA2+, and women, for example. HR leaders can align with and support ERGs by following the firm’s recommended three-step process:

1. Understand the current state of ERGs – The first step requires seeking to understand the different types of ERGs and the role HR plays in creating a pathway for them to form. It also asks HR leaders to review the current state of DEI and ERGs within the organization and prepare to design the structure, tools, and processes for ERGs.
   
   
2. Create structure, processes, and tools to support ERGs – Step two includes finalizing an overview of the governance framework to communicate to ERGs. This involves establishing a formal application process to share with groups seeking the organization’s support and outlining executive sponsor roles and expectations. Next is preparing resource guidelines, curating tools, and planning for communication of available resources for ERGs.
   
   
3. Establish metrics and plan for sustainment – The third and final step involves establishing ERG metrics to monitor progress, identifying opportunities for HR to provide ongoing support to ERGs, offering additional resources to support their sustainment, and discussing the future evolution of ERGs within the organization.

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McLean & Company cautions that HR’s role is to plan and provide a pathway with guidance and resources for ERGs to increase effectiveness and sustainment rather than taking control of group management. Supporting grassroots ERGs through formalization without taking control of the groups themselves can be a delicate process. Sometimes ERGs may wish to refrain from receiving organizational support, and it is important to remember that ERGs will take on many forms and do not always require support from the organization.  

To support HR teams and leaders seeking both to learn and to educate employees about DEI during Black History Month, McLean & Company is sharing research-backed resources throughout February. The timely resources can be accessed via social media and through the firm’s member newsletters, which will focus on key steps and elements of DEI in the workplace.

McLean & Company also provides its members with various levels of support designed to meet organizations’ unique HR needs, including DIY toolkits, guided implementations, workshops, and dedicated consulting.

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