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Five Fundamentals of Equitable Employee Resource Groups

The Feminuity Team

What is an Employee Resource Group?

Employee resource groups (ERGs) play a vital role in an organization’s equity efforts. ERGs are employee-led groups that people often organize around a shared interest or identity. While work relationships and informal groups often develop organically as coworkers learn more about each other, providing more official forums in the form of ERGs can provide employees with an opportunity to build a shared community and to receive support, while also advancing equity goals.

Equity in Employee Resource Groups

While ERGs can play an important role in the workplace, methods used to create and maintain these groups can further inequity if people do not design them thoughtfully. In all designs, we can either exacerbate existing inequities or make things better for everyone.

In all designs, we can either exacerbate existing inequities or make things better for everyone.

If your company currently has ERGs, the following tips are guiding methods for equitably elevating them. If you don’t have ERGs yet and want to start, keep these tips in mind as you begin to shape them. 


1. Single Interest Meets Intersectional 

Many ERGs are formed based on a single interest or common identity categories, such as gender identity, socialized race, or sexual orientation. While there can be value in this, we are all made up of a complex set of identities, interests, and desires. For example, how is a woman who is also Jewish and a lesbian to choose which part of her identity is at the forefront? This can be an impossible and unfair choice for many.  

Intersectionality reminds us that individual experiences sit at intersections of multiple and overlapping identities and systems of oppression, power, and privilege. Therefore, ERGs developed around one identity category, such as “women,” can be troublesome.  Too often, women-centric spaces paint all women with the same brush, advocating for a homogenous set of solutions instead of solutions that consider different experiences of womanhood. The needs of women who require spaces for prayer, for example, are distinct from women who may not have a religious practice. Without paying attention to people’s nuanced experiences and identities in the workplace, ERGs can elevate experiences for some while ignoring others. 

If you’re a startup or scale-up or an organization just getting a budget for the first time, use company data to determine which ERGs are needed immediately.  If your company is not at the scale to have multiple ERGs, ensure that the ones that you do have are intentional about intersectionality. You can do this by facilitating learning opportunities and teach-ins, making sure the ERGs you have are connected, collaborating, and supporting membership growth. 

2. Voluntary But Not Volunteer

Participating in an ERG must be voluntary for employees. People need to have an enthusiastic and consensual choice to be involved instead of being pushed due to their identity or association. Too often, members of groups experiencing marginalization are carrying out this work behind the scenes, without compensation.

Participation in ERGs should be both voluntary and fairly compensated. Not compensating ERG members can exacerbate existing wealth inequities or hierarchies, while also devaluing the work and insights they provide. 

To address this, larger organizations need to budget accordingly, so all leaders and members are compensated. Smaller organizations can find the means by scaling back other expenses, such as the alcohol budget for a holiday party, or by sharing benefits, such as gift cards or tickets to events.

3. Off The Side of My Desk 

Too often, people who care deeply lead this work off the side of their desk, meaning they do this work on top of their existing workload.  

This can create issues when participation and performance in other roles are hindered by the time spent doing ERG-related work. Consequently, giving time to the ERG can cause fear of repercussions and feelings of guilt.

To address this, participation in ERGs should be tied to an employee’s role within the organization. This means a percentage of their job should be allocated to their work with an ERG. When we tie these efforts to an employee’s job tasks, it allows discussions about ERG involvement to also be a part of an employee performance or promotion review and acknowledges their contributions to the workplace. 

4. Aligned But Autonomous

ERGs are often aligned with company goals and can be key drivers in moving a company's equity efforts forward. For example, they can be great to expand the pipeline and build partnerships. 

However, ERGs must also have the autonomy to create safer spaces for people to come together. Allowing the group to do so, provides space to take a break from practices such as code-switching, processing trauma, and fostering stronger bonds. 

While ERGs are typically expected to align with organizational values and goals, they must also be given the room to push boundaries. Having ERGs lead their own path and make their own decisions helps them collectively imagine new ways to push the envelope and enhance the equity strategy.

5. Listen and Level-Up 

ERGs are a powerful way to prioritize employee's wellbeing and strengthen the organization's cultural intelligence and ability to work across differences.

Valuing your people means listening. Listening actively to their needs, barriers, and proposed solutions that come out of an ERG.

With support, ERGs are also a key opportunity to “level up” your people. It provides growth, advancement, sponsorship, mentorship, and many other tangible and intangible benefits.

Important Note

This blog is not meant to be a static guide, but rather a compilation and reflection of our learnings to date. Everything changes - from technologies and innovations to social norms, cultures, languages, and more. We’ll continue to update this blog with your feedback; email us at hello@feminuity.org with suggestions.

About the Author

This blog was written collaboratively by members of the Feminuity team.

Give Credit Where Credit's Due

If you wish to reference this work, please use the following citation:

Feminuity. "Five Fundamentals of Equitable Employee Resource Groups"