Guide to Employee Resource Groups (ERG): Understanding the Role of Employee-Led Communities in the Workplace
What Is an Employee Resource Group (ERG)?
Employee Resource Groups are employee-led groups within companies that promote community, connection and belonging. ERGs are most often built around shared identity and experience. These groups build internal programming for employees, hold regular meet-ups between members, advocate for community involvement, host events and weigh in on the employee experience.
With a track record of increasing employee engagement, boosting retention and recruiting efforts, and fostering innovative workspaces, it’s no surprise that 84% of companies are increasing or staying steady on their resources allocated to these groups.
Already know the importance of ERGs? Then, head on over to our ultimate guide on how to create & grow an ERG.
A Short History of ERGs
Employee Resource Groups have been around for decades. The first known ERG was the National Black Employee Caucus at Xerox created in 1970. In the midst of the civil rights movements, this was a time when many employees were becoming vocal about corporate inclusion gaps. ERGs were an effective way to bring light to the inequities in our workplaces, spark productive dialogue and suggest paths forward.
Sure enough, soon followed Employee Resource Groups built around women, gender identity, sexual preference and more. ERGs have historically provided safe spaces for people to gather, share perspectives and discuss current events, issues and insight.
As ERGs evolved, so did their purpose, and their scope and size. Following the COVD-19 pandemic, many companies realized ERGs were an incredibly effective way to spark connection and bolster company culture when people could no longer go into their physical offices or headquarters. This was also a time when social movements like Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movements were central to public dialogue. Existing groups like Black ERGs and Women’s ERGs were best positioned to lead productive dialogue about what these movements meant to their employees.
As a result of the rapid change in our workplaces during and post-pandemic, employees started ERGs around shared experiences and identities like remote work, caregiving, sustainability, faith, social mobility, mental health, neurodivergence and accessibility. These were topics that may have been taboo or considered “personal” rather than “professional,” but as our home and work lives blended together during the pandemic, company leaders realized it was necessary and effective to enable employees to discuss their identities and associated needs.
Not only did ERG programs start to expand in number and type of group, but they also started to grow well-beyond the United States. ERGs, sometimes going by different names like Staff Networks or Employee Networks, began to grow in Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, and beyond.
ERGs Today: Why They’re More Relevant Than Ever
Given that context, it’s no coincidence that we’re seeing rapid ERG growth and a growth of their responsibilities within the company. We’re at a critical juncture of what the “future of company culture,” will look like, and it's clear that ERGs are playing a central role.
The workforce now spans several generations, global geographies, and all sorts of identities and experiences that impact how and why people work. Whether it's caregiving status, military service, disability status, race, gender-identity, sexual preference, cultural or faith-based identities - people now expect their employers to acknowledge these identities and experiences in their workplaces.
The most resilient workplaces realize centering human experience and identity is a sound investment in their business. It sparks strong connection, company culture, team loyalty and simply allows people to do their best work.
Why Support ERGs?
Innovation & The Bottom Line
There is no denying that fostering an inclusive workplace means better business. Diverse companies are now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse companies based on profitability, according to McKinsey. There are many reasons for this (some covered below in retention and recruiting), but at the end of the day, reflecting the diversity of the workforce and general population is good for business - especially as ‘minorities’ become the majority of the U.S. population.
Retaining Today’s Employees
With employees facing unprecedented levels of job uncertainty, disengagement and burnout, they are looking for a sense of belonging, well-being, and positive effects on mental health - all benefits of ERGs. The ability of ERGs to create a healthy, attractive workplace are why 84% of companies are doubling down on their ERGs. What today’s ERGs need is support, buy-in and the right tools to execute and be acknowledged for their work.
Recruiting Tomorrow’s Employees
As covered above, if you want to recruit top talent from today’s workforce, they care deeply about inclusion and belonging. Mentions of ERGs in job postings increased 497% from 2019-2023, according to Indeed. 90% of companies say ERGs are an important part of the employer value proposition, and 86% say their company's leadership sees ERGs as critical to culture, according to Benevity.
What about DEI Backlash in 2025?
Despite all the data above, I’m sure there’s a lot of people wondering: What about the backlash to DEI in the U.S. during the Trump administration? The reality is that the DEI space is constantly evolving, especially when it comes to the vocabulary we use across the space. Many companies have shifted their vocabulary to reflect their company values or provide more clarity about what exactly their commitments are. That said, the work that ERGs are doing continues on and even increases as we head into 2026. These days that work often spans several teams, intersecting with Learning & Development, Employee Experience, Workplace Operations and beyond.
How ERG Impact Comes to Life
Let’s put all this hard work into perspective. When we talk about ERG efforts impacting the current and future employee experience, it goes well beyond the point-in-time events that ERGs are often known for. Yes, they certainly do Heritage and Awareness Month events which provides a foundation for community and connection. You can check out our Days to Know Guide (Heritage Months, Important Dates & More) for more on those types of observances.
But, increasingly they are also planning deeper programming that benefits the entire employee base. They might host volunteering campaigns, educational series, contribute to accessibility considerations in the workplace, partner with cross-functional teams, weigh in on product opportunities, and beyond. To learn more about the wide-ranging impact ERGs are having, you can connect with other ERG Leaders & Program managers through our ERG Leadership Community.
Common Types of ERGs
There are many different types of ERGs, and new ones continue to crop up as the appetite for discussing our identities and experience at work grows.
A Note: We use the term “ERGs” as an umbrella term for employee-based communities. There are other common names for employee communities such as affinity groups, CRGs, ARGs, BRGs, employee networks, staff networks, inclusion groups, belonging groups and more. For the purposes of our content, we refer to these communities as ERGs, and functionally the strategy we discuss applies to any employee-based community regardless of what name it goes by.
Identity-Based ERGs
These are among the most common and foundational ERGs. Examples include:
- Black / African-American ERGs
- Asian & Pacific Islander ERGs
- Latinx / Hispanic ERGs
- LGBTQ+ / Pride ERGs
- Women’s Networks / ERGs
- Disability / Accessibility ERGs
- Neurodiversity ERGs
- Indigenous ERGs
- MENA (Middle Eastern & North Africa) ERGs
- South Asian ERGs
- Men’s ERGs
- Gender Equity ERGs
Experience-Based ERGs
These groups form around shared life experiences or stages. Examples include:
- Working Parents or Caregivers ERGs
- Early Career or Emerging Professionals ERGs
- Remote or Hybrid Worker ERGs
- Veterans / Military ERGs
- Interfaith or Faith-Based ERGs
- Immigrant ERGs
- Multi-Generational ERGs
Interest or Mission-Based ERGs
These groups unite employees around shared passions or values. Examples include:
- Environmental / Sustainability ERGs
- Community Service or Volunteer Networks
- Wellness or Mindfulness ERGs
How Companies Can Support ERGs
So, how can companies support ERGs given how important they’ve become in our workplaces?
First, make sure your ERGs have a resilient structure in place. Often, this means putting volunteer ERG leads in place, typically two or three, to lead the group. Support these leaders by giving them training, access to other ERG leaders, and best practices.
Second, make sure you curb burnout by providing recognition, visibility and resources. Ideally, you can provide a budget for these leaders to plan programming and efforts. Provide guidelines on how you can use these resources but allow them to think creatively. Make it clear how to track that budget to make sure it doesn’t go underutilized. Along the way, create moments to highlight their work and provide professional development opportunities through their ERG leadership. Take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Employee Resource Groups on how to build these groups from ground up.
Lastly, have a clear directive as to how you want your ERGs to impact your company. Set high-level goals that align with company strategy. Perhaps you want ERGs to impact employee satisfaction or help shape inclusive policy & benefits or contribute to corporate social responsibility. Create clear, but flexible high-level goals that ERGs can tie their own specific goals to. Our Goal-Setting Crash Course has some examples of how to set great ERG and program-level goals.
Along the way, keep in mind that ERGs evolve and iterate as your workplace changes, so be ready to support them through change and emphasize transparency.
Check out Verbate’s ERG Leadership Community if you’re looking for a way to train your leaders, give them a support network of other top ERG leaders and access to best practices.
ERGs as the Future of Workplace Belonging
At a time of job market uncertainty, historic rates of burnout, and a lack of purpose at work, it’s no surprise that ERGs are taking center stage. These groups create healthy dialogue about our experiences and identities, surface employee needs, foster intersectionality and understanding across the entirety of an employee base.
All of this comes at a time when workplaces are evolving at a rapid pace as companies figure out how to keep up with expectations and advancements, from remote work trends to the usage of Artificial Intelligence.
While ERGs are not a silver bullet, they’re certainly a good start in showing that employers care about their employees. And with the proper support, context and growth, they can be the future of your Employee Experience strategy and differentiation.
For more free guidance and insights for your ERGs, check out our public Knowledge Center.
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