Why employee resource groups are crucial for well-being and messaging

As organizations grapple with racial and social justice issues facing the world, employee resource groups can be a great way to help advance DE&I both internally and externally.

On a recent Communications Leadership Council call, Ragan Consulting Group President Jim Ylisela noted that while affinity groups, or ERGs, have been around for a long time, employees are now much more likely to come together around identity and social issues rather than just common interests.

“However, we can’t just pay lip service to them anymore,” he was quick to point out.

For 3M, its nine official employee networks go far beyond that.

“They’re not just a ‘nice-to-have’ initiative,” said Sam Sventek, communications director. He explained that each network has a formal process to join and its own board of directors. They report to the company’s operating team and have objectives they are expected to achieve, ensuring that the networks are delivering on their goals.

The company uses Yammer to foster communications within groups, and certain ones, such as its new employee opportunity network have helped to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19. The networks are a helpful resource for communicators to turn to when they need to respond to current events.