WORK / LIFE : MAKING CONNECTIONS
ORGANIZATIONS SETTLE into hybrid work schedules , employers are seeking sustainable ways to keep employees engaged with work and with one another . Employee resource groups ( ERGs ), which have been around for decades , are emerging as a critical connection point , helping employees feel represented in the workplace and connected to their colleagues .
The names vary — ERGs , affinity groups , diversity councils , or at HP , Business Impact Networks ( BINs )— but they serve a common purpose : to help employees build supportive relationships with one another and , in the process , feel more included at work , particularly women , employees of color , and others from historically marginalized groups .
“ ERGs bring a sense of community and belonging ,” explains Amy Baldwin , president of United Partnerships , a workplace culture consultancy , and creator of the ERG Leadership Conference . “ People who may not interact in their jobs meet and partner together in an ERG . They ’ re building stronger , greater networks that yield retention and engagement and increase collaboration , productivity , and innovation .”
Forging bonds and finding opportunities More than informal clubs , ERGs are typically structured organizations with executive sponsorship and support from company leadership — recognition of the value they bring to employees and the businesses they work for . These groups have existed since the 1970s — HP ’ s first , in 1972 , was for African American employees , and the company launched the nation ’ s first LGBTQIA + employee resource group in 1978 . Today , 90 % of Fortune 500 companies have employee resource groups , with the majority focused on African Americans , women ,
BRIGHT FUTURE From left , Next Gen members Elias Limon Santana , Justin Berry , Daniel Teller , and Bethany Cuenod compare notes in the leafy HP Houston courtyard .
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