The Anatomy of Belonging:  ERGs as the Head, Heart, Hands training helps participants better understand the dynamics and characteristics of a culture of belonging and how ERGs can drive belonging and connection.

Belonging is being accepted for all of who we are – no need to hide or change. But that sense of community can be harder to find for employees who are not part of the dominant social group or do not easily conform to organizational norms. ERGs can be instrumental in providing that community and fostering belonging.

Having a sense of belonging is one of the most important fundamental human needs and is directly tied to our physical and emotional wellbeing. Most people define themselves by their group membership and associations with their family, their spiritual group, local sports team, interests, even their political affiliations. The social connection that is fundamental to our sense of belonging is a protective factor that enables people to overcome challenges, manage stress and cope more effectively with difficult times in our lives. Almost every aspect of our lives is associated with belonging to something – and our workplaces are no different.

Respect is a prerequisite for a healthy, inclusive and professional workplace where all employees feel appreciated, valued and safe. We can help create a culture of respect by thinking inclusively with our heads, supporting respect and inclusion with our hearts, and acting respectfully with our hands.

As a leader in the organization, you’re probably pretty accustomed to driving the strategy – but as an ERG executive sponsor, your role is to serve more as an advisor– and it can be difficult to find that right balance. Your primary responsibility is to provide enough guidance and autonomy, so ERGs have the tools and direction they need to lead successfully on their own.

Creating an environment where ERG leaders are empowered to make decisions and lead confidently requires the active, empathetic and engaged support of the Executive Sponsor. Here are some tips for empowering ERG leaders.

The ERG Executive Sponsor Roadmap provides a framework for executives to evaluate and prepare for the role of Executive Sponsor.

Executive Sponsors can use this evaluation checklist to help them and their ERG leadership team determine if there is business value associated with the event or program they are evaluating.

Despite what is being reported in the media, much of what we are seeing from organizations and hearing from DEI leaders is more of a reset or recalibration.  After the murder of George Floyd, many companies set lofty goals, increased the size of their DEI departments, and quite frankly bit off more than they could actually do.

Media headlines about the creation and then elimination of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) positions at Big Tech companies have generated plenty of buzz. This kind of coverage can raise doubts about whether companies are committed to DEI in the long term. But these headlines aren’t telling the whole story.

The authors of this article identify three criteria that make DEI programs most risky and offer solutions to help organizations mitigate legal risk while maintaining the core project of building a more just future.

While managing DEI opposition can be challenging, CEOs and chief human resources officers (CHROs) can view this as an opportunity to reinforce their leadership roles by creating an inclusive and equitable culture linked to their business strategy.

Over the past year, corporations have grown more cautious about following through on DEI efforts as businesses cut costs and conservative activists, lawyers and lawmakers seek to purge the concept from workplace life. That caution, along with the Supreme Court’s ruling last year ending affirmative action in college admissions, has created more speculation over how DEI work might change – and what might be lost in the process.

The Understanding the Impact and Power of Micromessaging Virtual Classroom is a 90-minute training that explores micromessages, the impact they can have in our workplaces and what we as individuals can do to mitigate the impact of microinequities and contribute to a culture of inclusion.

Microinequities are those small, commonplace things we do or say that make people feel less-than, uncomfortable or hurt.  Because the impact of each act on its own appears minor, microinequities often go unnoticed by everyone except the target – and therefore can be difficult to address. As the name suggests, microinequities may seem small; but compounded over time, they can have a profound impact on the target’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.  Here are some tips for addressing microinequities.

As individuals we need to be more aware of how the little things that are said or done on an individual basis impact overall corporate culture and personal well-being. We must stop tolerating microaggressions in our workplaces.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that Women’s ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that Veteran ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that LGBTQIA+ ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that Indigenous ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that Hispanic/LatinX ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that Disability focused ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that Black/African American ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

Here you will find sample trivia questions that AAPI ERGs can use as part of their Heritage month offerings and to build awareness across the organization.

For our Inclusion Learning Loop quarterly ERG Leader Learning Circle we engaged participants in an End in Mind Innovation exercise. We presented a desired future state (The Dream Outcome) for ERGs and asked participants to think backwards and ask themselves what challenges might get in the way of reaching that dream outcome. Participants worked in small groups to turn those challenges into problem statements and then worked together to brainstorm solutions to each of those problem statements.

This tool outlines a full calendar of events that ERG leaders can use as a guide when planning.

Are you committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace? This guide provides a roadmap for effectively using eLearning as a tool for building DEI awareness, competency and buy-in.

This microlearning and discussion guide explores the concept of bias, why we have it and what we can do to manage the impact of our biases using our STAND model.

This short, interactive microlearning and discussion guide will help participants understand unconscious bias and what they can to do to mitigate the impacts of bias.