Employee Resource Groups are key to creating more inclusive, successful organisations. Here’s what you should know.
What a difference a new leader can make. Case in point: Twitter. We all know what’s happened since Elon Musk took over the social platform.
A quick recap. In less than a week, Musk:
The impact on °Ő·Éľ±łŮłŮ±đ°ů’s culture and remaining employees — if they choose to stay — is enormous. °Ő·Éľ±łŮłŮ±đ°ů’s chief of people and diversity officer and its chief consumer officer both , and top-level executives .
But Musk also did something that no leader should think is good for business or people. He reportedly shut down °Ő·Éľ±łŮłŮ±đ°ů’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which included Twitter Women and Blackbird, the ERG for Black employees.
What are ERGs?
ERGs are groups where historically marginalised employees have gathered to offer support to one another. These voluntary, employee-led groups aim to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organisations they serve. They exist to provide support and help in personal or career development and to create a safe space where employees can bring their whole selves to the table.
°Ő·Éľ±łŮłŮ±đ°ů’s is now in question. Musk’s rollback of its flexible work policy and undoing of key ERG groups has made the company less inclusive in a matter of days.
Sioban Massiah, who served as the global events chair for Blackbird, :
"My heart is broken in a way I can’t explain. It was announced that the new person running Twitter dissolved all the BRGS. Blackbirds technically doesn't exist at the company anymore. I knew changes were coming but never saw this as an option.
For many Black people, Blackbirds is the reason they chose to work at Twitter. We supported Black people who had never worked in tech to excel in their new spaces... We built something special. Blackbirds is more than an ERG/BRG, it’s a community. What we built can never be dissolved."
The presence of ERGs is an actionable way to tell your people that you care and are committed to employee well-being, inclusion, and belonging. Eliminating them breaks trust, reduces retention, and has a host of negative implications for your business.
At average workplaces, 21% of employees feel lonely and 34% don’t feel like they belong. At the UK's Best Workplaces™️, 90% feel like they can be themselves at work. Employees at Best Workplaces are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work through ERGs and other DEIB programs. These companies are focused on ensuring every employee feels included. They’re creating a workplace for all of their people, regardless of gender, role, or ethnicity.
ERGs help marginalised groups and remote workers feel connected through a common cause or interest.
For example, creating gender-neutral restrooms and improving physical or visual accessibility for employees.
Conversations can flow freely and everyone can feel comfortable sharing their experience.
ERG leaders can help identify emerging talent that might otherwise go overlooked due to unconscious bias. Participants can find new opportunities to connect with mentors and supportive colleagues across business units.
ERGs designed to address a specific topic or issue can help keep leaders in the know about issues or wins that are top of mind for the group members.
ERGs can help surface an issue that might be too risky for an individual to share alone. This can help address problems quickly and alleviate toxic work environments.
Innovation flourishes when employees feel safe sharing their ideas and bringing their whole selves to work.
Employee well-being increases if people feel like they can bring their authentic selves to work. And employees who experience high levels of well-being are three times more likely to stay at their companies, and three times more likely to recommend their workplace to others.
Getting ERG groups up and going —and successful— isn’t always easy.
Our research at Great Place To Work shows that many executives are unaware of the challenges ERG groups have to really make an impact. As a result, they’re missing opportunities to make the most out of these groups. Challenges for ERGs include lack of budget, resources, authority, and allies, but these can be overcome if they’re structured properly.
Yes, there are challenges with ERG groups - just like there are with any program. But shutting ERGs down does not serve the interests of businesses or their people. Great companies are investing and engaging with ERGs, not shutting them down.
For those former Twitter employees who now find themselves in the job pool, let us help. We want everyone to #lovewhereyouwork and encourage those following that hashtag to check out opportunities at Great Place To Work-Certified™ companies. They’ve proven that they put employees first and create great cultures for their people.