Celebrating Diversity Month

Benefits of ERGs at Startups

        A Gallup survey found that 45% of employees experienced discrimination and/or harassment in the workplace this past year. Let’s break that down. Almost half of the American workforce has experienced discrimination and/or harassment at a place where they spend a majority of their time. We at BurgeonHR believe that is, quite frankly, unacceptable. As we celebrate Diversity Month, we must consider what organizations can do to reduce this statistic. 

Consider Employee Resource Groups

ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) are employee-led groups that bring together people with shared identity, interests, backgrounds, it provides them a safe space to be themselves, share their experiences and offer support. 

ERGs are one of the great ways to showcase values of DEIB at your startup: 

• ERGs foster inclusivity by providing a sense of community and belonging where employees feel valued, respected and heard
• ERGs provide networking opportunities for employees with internal and external stakeholders. This can help employees with professional development and career advancement, which can support your talent development efforts, attracting and retaining employees  
• ERGs can increase representation of diverse employees at the leadership level. When  employees see individuals like themselves in leadership positions, it can help build trust and belonging within the organization 

How Founders Can Directly Support

As a startup founder, you can support ERGs in several ways: 

• Provide resources and support to enable success. You can provide funding, space and other resources to ERGs for them to organize events, activities and meetings 
• Leadership should listen to the concerns and feedback from ERGs and take any appropriate action and address any issues that arise 
• Founders should recognize and celebrate achievements that are accomplished by ERGs. This can increase morale and engagement within the organization 
• Showcase ERG in both internal and external documents: Company newsletters, website, blogs, etc.

Enabling your employees to create ERGs can be a powerful tool to promote DEI initiatives, reduce workplace discrimination and harassment, all while improving employee morale and productivity. It can create a more inclusive culture, attract and retain talent, and support professional development.

For more tips on how to create ERGs to support your overall DEI efforts reach out to us here.