Looking for a new job? Here’s one of the best indicators of an organisation’s inclusive culture

Are you looking to move to a new role with a more inclusive organisation???

How can you tell if the organisation is as inclusive as your interviewers say??

Asking about inclusion in the interview and speaking to current employees (usually selected by the organisation) about the culture will take you just so far. The good news is that there is an inclusion initiative that is a great indicator of where an organisation is on their inclusion journey: employee resource groups.??

What is an employee resource group??

Employee resource groups (ERGs), also known as affinity groups (though these can be less formal), are defined by the Oxford Review as “groups formed by individuals who share common identities, backgrounds, or experiences, such as race, gender, sexual orientation or disability.”?

Who can join an ERG??

This is an important choice that the founders of an ERG need to ask themselves: is the group only for people who identify as part of the group or are allies also welcome? Most organisations start with only people who identify as part of the group and when it is more established, open it up to allies.?

Why are ERGs so important for inclusion??

ERGs benefit both employees and employers: employees gain a greater sense of inclusion and belonging, increased representation, improved psychological safety and faster career progression; employers gain a more inclusive culture which is an attraction and retention tool, as well as greater engagement, productivity and innovative thinking from employees, improved brand reputation and more inclusive policies and procedures.?

That’s an impressive list of benefits.?

We asked boom! members for their views on ERGs and their value. Here is just one quote we’d like to share:?

“Our Women in Supply Chain ERG helps to connect women on topics which may not necessarily be relevant for men. I’ve noticed that women speak up about different topics when we are in a women-only group... Think of younger women who would like to get pregnant but are concerned about their careers. That’s already difficult enough to discuss with a colleague, but these ‘women-only’ events create a safe environment to raise these kind of questions.”?

How do you start an ERG??

The detailed answer to this question is a post for another day but usually they start as grassroots initiatives among marginalised employees and later become formalised and, ideally, integrated into an organisation’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategy. Less frequently, senior leadership recognises the importance of ERGs to an inclusive culture and work with employees to create them.?

Potential issues with ERGs?

Despite the many benefits of ERGs, there are risks too:?

• Some employees may feel excluded by ERGs.?

• Some employees from a minority group may not want to be seen as requiring extra support and/or feel singled out.?

• ERGs are often led by volunteers who are expected to lead and manage the group in their own time with no extra compensation.??

• Lack of engagement from members.?

• Perception that ERGs are a silver bullet to solve all DE&I issues.?

Key to overcoming these issues is on-going education for everyone in an organisation on the benefits of DE&I and active and visible commitment from senior management which includes a well communicated DE&I strategy that aligned to the organisation’s overall business strategy.?

What should I ask potential employers??

Finding out about an organisation’s ERGs may not be a foolproof indicator of how inclusive the culture is, but it will potentially tell you more than asking an interviewer "How inclusive is your organisation?”?

These are some key questions to ask:?

• Does your organisation have ERGs??If so, why??

• How many groups do you have and what are they???

• How active are they??How regularly do they meet??

• What percentage of staff are members??

• Does each group have a sponsor from senior management? If so, how involved are they with the groups??

The interviewer’s answers should give you a feel for the inclusive culture and whether you’d be able the bring your full self to work. Because when you do, #Everyone Wins?

This edition of the Supply Chain 50/50 newsletter was written by Melanie Salter, Director of Supply Chain Research at boom! Global Network.