Maybe you’re looking to increase how many women engineers or people of color your company hires, to bring in more diverse skill sets and voices. I spoke to several people who’ve done it at various organizations for advice for successfully getting your group off the ground.Įvery big initiative starts with an idea. If you’d like to launch one-whether because you’re looking to mingle with like-minded individuals, create positive change in your organization, or support a specific group of individuals in the workplace-you’ve come to the right place. While there are plenty of reasons why companies should promote affinity groups in the office, it doesn’t necessarily mean every company actually has them or has considered starting them. ![]() The Guide How Do You Start an Affinity Group at Work? The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) reports that ERGs can play a significant role in making workplaces more inclusive for those with disabilities, citing that they influence how comfortable employees are in disclosing their disability, help companies retain employees with disabilities, and increase employee’s job satisfaction, commitment, and productivity.Īnd research published by the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University states that a majority of millennials are more likely to apply to and stay at a company that supports ERGs, and that over 75% of millennials “reported that the presence of ERGs would have a positive impact on their level of engagement at work.” What Are the Benefits of Having Affinity Groups at Work?Īffinity groups hold plenty of benefits for employees and employers alike, especially those looking to put diversity and inclusion at the forefront of their business.Ī 2013 study conducted by the Center for Effective Organizations found that employee energy levels are higher when they participate in ERGs and that “ERG membership provides employees with a more engaging and fulfilling work experience.” ![]() ![]() What’s the goal? Tickle likes to bucket the purpose of an affinity group into three categories: There are groups that “are there to drive change” in the big picture, groups that “are there for people to come together and create a safe space to share their experiences,” and there are groups that are there to use “a strength in numbers to help solve particular issues.” While they can be organized and run in various different ways, they usually encompass one, if not all three, of these missions in some way or another. Affinity Groups 101 What Is an Affinity Group?Īn affinity group is defined in Merriam Webster as “a group of people having a common interest or goal or acting together for a specific purpose.” In the workplace, you may also refer to it by its more common corporate synonym, “employee resource group.”ĮRGs or affinity groups can be anything from sports leagues to book clubs to other random groups where employees hang out to share a common interest-but they’re often the most powerful when they’re focused on creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.Īnd they can take many forms: veterans groups, faith groups, women’s leadership groups, women in tech groups, groups for people of color, LGBTQ groups, disability groups, to name just a few examples.
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