How to sustain the work of Employee Resource Groups: Engage with and value differences

By Lori Nishiura Mackenzie

With Dr. Vrnda ‘V’ Boykin and Hannah Yanow, Ed.D.

As polarization rises, leaders are seeking ways to value the many perspectives and views within the organization. Yet, tensions across differences can affect how employees experience the workplace. Groups (Employee Resource Groups, Business Resource Groups, and Affinity Groups) can offer a safe space to connect, process and find strategies to continue onward.?

Although Groups are often designed with affinity as an aim, it’s important to remember that members also present many differences. Thus, the work of making space for affinity while also acknowledging differences can be challenging. The importance of this work has benefits far beyond the Groups themselves. “In order to support the highest productivity, loyalty, and happiness of employees, Groups need to be supported and encouraged to build community and belonging within an organization," explains Hannah Yanow, Ed.D. , Lab Diversity and Inclusion Consultant.

In order to support the highest productivity, loyalty, and happiness of employees, Groups need to be supported and encouraged to build community and belonging within an organization. --Hannah Yanow, Ed.D.

Hannah recently joined forces with Dr. Vrnda ‘V’ Boykin (Dr. V), Development PM at HubSpot , to facilitate a conversation with Group Leads from 27 organizations.?

The session was an example of collaborative work at its best. As the co-moderator of the session, Dr. V sums up, “One of the most remarkable things was watching this group of talented women brainstorm the best ways to find consensus among different opinions. It was like watching superheroes at work.” The ability to engage with and value differences, as learned by many Group Leads, was palpable in the room. “The empathy, global awareness, and desire to include all voices in the solution showcased the strengths of women leaders,” added Dr. V. We hope this article helps more Group Leads enhance their skills in this area.

This is the final article in the Lab's four-part series on supporting the work of Groups and is on the importance of engaging with and valuing differences.

Challenges for Groups in engaging with and valuing differences

Many Groups are convened to create a space to build affinity amongst employees with common interests, backgrounds and/or identities. Yet, even within affinity groups, people have differences for which Groups aim to make space. Further, Groups often seek to create bridges between people in a variety of roles, functions and geographic locations which may have little or no understanding of what Group members experience. Thus, gaining skills to engage with and value differences within Groups and even across Groups within the organization is a valuable capacity to build. Here are challenges to engage with and value differences faced by Groups:?

• Addressing issues the Group may not have the expertise or authority to change. Some Groups face differences in expectations about what issues the Group should address. They must balance the demand to do more with their often-constrained capacity to create change.?
• Feelings of isolation. Many Group Leads feel like they cannot succeed with a huge task while being under-resourced. In these times, joining forces with other ERGs can help Leads find common goals and synergies – as well as not feeling alone!?

Strategies for success

In the session, we workshopped ideas to effectively engage with and value differences. Here we share two key

Find strength in numbers; collaborate with other Groups.

• Advocate for policy change. Working together with multiple Groups can bring to light the breadth of people being impacted by workplace policies and practices. The more voices involved, the more momentum there is to create change.
• Amplify each other. Try collaborative approaches to leverage each Group’s expertise and strengths. Co-sponsor and promote events hosted by other Groups

Building capacity to engage in respectful practices around cultural differences. This includes starting by acknowledging cultural differences.

• Listening is key - consider how you can listen, putting judgment aside, so you can truly appreciate the other’s perspective. How can you listen for things which are different, fresh, and new? Here is a good question to keep in mind: “What new perspectives is this person bringing??
• Find common ground. Seeking commonalities can build a communal framework for the Group. As Dr. V., summarizes: “One of the main points that came up during our discussions is how impactful it can be to start each conversation with common ground. This allows people to engage and share ideas that lead to the best outcomes. Focusing on commonalities before tackling differences sets the tone for collaboration.”

One of the main points that came up during our discussions is how impactful it can be to start each conversation with common ground. This allows people to engage and share ideas that lead to the best outcomes. Focusing on commonalities before tackling differences sets the tone for collaboration. -- Vrnda Boykin, Ph.D.

Resources for Groups

While the work of leading Groups can sometimes be lonely, coming together left many Group Leads with optimism, as well as practical ideas to try in their work. Building on this shared knowledge, we share these resources:

• An article: Inclusive Practices: From the boardroom to ERGs, explaining how to use leverage board practices?
• From the Board Playbook: Engage with and value differences, which explores the value of using a DEI lens to unleash the power of the Group?
• Articles in this series: How to sustain the work of Employee Resource Groups: 1) Build strong relationships, 2) Facilitate effective meetings, and 3) Mentor new members

Lori Nishiura Mackenzie is Lab Co-founder

Dr. Vrnda V Boykin is Development PM at HubSpot

Hannah Yanow, Ed.D. is Lab Inclusion & Belonging Consultant