The Power of Employee Resource Groups

How People Create Authentic Change

Farzana Nayani

• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Year: 2022
• eBook ISBN: 9781523001262
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Human Resource Management
• Index: Business

This is the first authoritative book on building employee resource groups (ERGs) to empower underrepresented employees and positively impact diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within organizations and in society at large. In existence for decades, ERGs originated out of affirmative action policies and have evolved into powerful sources of employee activity and engagement. Organizations can leverage ERGs to support business goals, but ERGs can also play a critical role in creating a more inclusive work environment for marginalized individuals. ERGs represent a balance of serving company interests and empowering employees, offering the opportunity for innovative leadership within organizations. This book is a practical guide on how to manage ERGs effectively and how they inspire a deeper connection between employees and companies while helping us progress toward the DEI goals that we aim to accomplish. Participating in an ERG can help professionals of color and other historically excluded groups advance their careers, thereby increasing diverse representation in leadership. Farzana Nayani provides foundational tools for starting ERGs and outlines the five Ps-purpose, people, processes, planning, and priorities-needed to successfully operate them. Unlike other ERG handbooks, this book is people-centric and socially conscious and thoughtfully takes into account the experiences of employees and leaders during current times. It also serves as a deeper call to action around how ERGs can foster authentic change within organizations, creating transformative impact in the surrounding world.

• INDEX •

A

Activision Blizzard walkout, 23

activism, 23–24

advertising, 69–70

advocacy, 6, 7, 14, 47, 89–90, 127

affinity groups, 5, 127

allies and supporters, 2, 8, 127

and future of ERGs, 121

latent ally, 12, 14, 129

participation in ERGs, 88–90

performative efforts, 26, 84, 121

allyship, defined, 127

allyship-based ERGs, 53–54

Allyship for All, 121

anti-Asian racism, 47, 90

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage month, 90–91

Asian and Asian American communities, 47–48, 108.

See also Pacific Islander communities

Asian Leaders Alliance (ALA), 6, 108

Asians, violent acts against, 20, 84, 108

AT&T, 109

B

backers, 12, 15, 16, 127

belonging, 9, 17, 50–51, 63, 127

community and belonging manager, 34.

See also space, preserving

best practices and pitfalls, 2, 93–100

clarity about roles, 93–95

global workforce, 95, 96–98, 100

questions for reflection, 99–100

Bethea, Aiko, 86

Bilal, Rashad, 122

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities, 41–42, 87–89, 122, 127

multiracial and biracial community, 87–88

Black community, 24, 50–51, 84, 86, 89–90, 119, 122

Black ERGs, 86

Black Lives Matter, 21, 107

Brand, Dalana, 43

Brown, Jennifer, 64

budgets for ERGs, 53–54

business case for DEI and ERGs, 19, 114

business resource groups (BRGs), 5, 64, 127

Twitter, 40–41, 43

business value, 6, 7

bystander intervention trainings, 21

C

capacity and skills, building,...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• One: Ergs, Are You Ready? Getting Started On The ERG Journey
• Two: Transforming Organizations: The Time Is Now
• Three: Forming and Operating Ergs: The 5 Ps of Effective Functioning
• Four: The People Behind The Purpose: Engaging ERG Leaders, Members, Advisors, and Partners
• Five: Creating Organizational Impact: Building In Pillars, Drivers, and Metrics For Ergs
• Six: Solidarity and Community Belonging: Preserving Space and Showing Solidarity
• Seven: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Your Way
• Eight: Ergs As Opportunities: Cultivating Creativity and Growth
• Nine: Shaping The Future Now: The Power and Potential of Ergs
• Glossary
• Notes
• Resources
• Acknowledgments
• Index
• About the Author
• About Farzana Nayani, Consulting & Training