The 4 pillars of successful ERGs, BRGs and affinity groups

While DE&I work is picked apart and politicized, squeezed and scrutinized, the work continues for internal comms pros who understand how the mechanics of fostering an inclusive culture enhance employer brand.

During Ragan’s Employee Experience Conference in Nashville last month, two leaders from the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) explained how their work functions around the same principles of inclusivity that make employee resource groups (ERGs), business resource groups (BRGs) and other affinity groups effective.

Kasey C. Wood, associate director of organizational effectiveness and Meca B. Mohammed, PhD, VP of operations and talent explained how these voluntary, employee-led groups  align the interests of individual identities to business goals, offering fresh perspective on where those efforts stall and how they thrive.

“We at GLISI might be biased, but we see how the power of affinity groups to produce desirable outcomes beyond even that critical foundation of building community is strengthened by, or even dependent upon, the intentionality and ability of leadership to contribute very key ingredients,” began Wood.

Mohammad then shared her five core pillars of any effective affinity group.