Set Your Employee Resource Groups Up for Success (Step 2 of 7) - Build Your Coalition

Welcome to the second of five posts from my forthcoming whitepaper, "7 Steps to Set Your Employee Resource Groups Up for Success." Last week, we set the stage with "Identify Your Why," which speaks to a critical first step of defining the reasons for launch an employee resource group (ERG)*. This week, we move into a step that's short on words but no less vital to the journey of ERG creation.

7 Steps to Set Your Employee Resource Groups Up for Success:

1. Identify your why
2. Build your coalition (…of truly dedicated volunteers and sponsors) (This is where we are today!)
3. Define roles and responsibilities
4. Execute
5. Execute
6. Execute
7. Review and refine

*Note: you may see or use terms like “business resource group” (BRG) and “employee network group” (ENG). There does not appear to be a standard, and for the purpose of consistency, I will use the term “employee resource group” (ERG) here.?

Second note: this document is written with a North American lens, which will likely not be completely applicable in other regions - that said, the fundamental steps will be broadly relevant to anyone who is looking to launch an employee resource group.

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Step #2: Build your coalition

At the outset, it is critical to have a dedicated working group who will drive the strategy and execution of your ERG. While it would be ideal to have a diverse, representative group (i.e. variety of ages and gender identities for a parents ERG, members of all branches of the military and their spouses for a Veterans ERG, or representation from South, East, and Southeast Asian ethnic groups for an Asian ERG), the critical element is to find people whose passion for the cause and commitment to action are unquestioned.

In addition, executive sponsorship and middle manager support along with championing from your DEI team (if you have one) will be vital to ensuring organizational support. Executives will be able to provide much needed visibility, sponsorship, and cross-organizational connections. Managers will bring experience across an organization and with respect to running teams.

If you find yourself without people who look/sound like you in your company’s executive or middle management ranks, then engage other ERGs within and outside your company for support. Obviously, it’s easier to have people at your company. But when it comes to speakers, panelists, and partners, enlisting support from any source will be critical to your success.

In my next article, I'll address how to?define your roles and responsibilities to ensure your committed leaders, members, and sponsors aren't bumping into one another and quickly frustrated by the lack of clarity. Join us next Monday for that post!