It’s crucial to create a workplace to which team members can feel authentically connected. Consider Built In’s The State of DEI in Tech 2022 report, in which nearly three-quarters of respondents — 73 percent — indicated “a sense of belonging at their employer” as being “very important.”
As Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off, employee resource groups are raising awareness and celebrating at many workplaces nationwide in an effort to strengthen the sense of belonging for Latinx employees and allies. But, as with anything else in a work setting, the success of an ERG demands energy and support to not just exist, but thrive.
James Turnage-Lannan, senior program manager at content development platform Unity, co-chairs the company’s Latinx ERG, one of nine ERGs at Unity. In a recent interview, Turnage-Lannan explained that it’s incumbent on more than just the participants themselves to get behind the efforts of an ERG; rather, it requires a broader backing to resonate.
“ERGs can help bring awareness and education about a culture, so it’s important to have people outside of these communities get involved, especially those in higher positions within a company who can inspire or influence others to do the same,” Turnage-Lannan said.
Below, Turnage-Lannan outlined the fundamentals that make up a successful ERG and why it’s important to get broad participation — plus what Unity is doing to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through the efforts of its ComUnidad ERG.
In your experience, what is required to make an ERG program successful?
In order to have a successful ERG, you need to have a strong ERG leadership team that is dedicated to building a safe and thriving community within the workplace. Without this, it will be difficult to inspire your community to engage with one another or participate in ERG-related events and activities.
Building a strong ERG leadership team also means that the leads can rely and lean on each other. At most companies, being an ERG lead is usually done as a voluntary role, so it’s essential to have other leads to lean on in case someone needs to take time away from ERG duties to handle the duties of their day job.
ERG success also requires the company to give the support and resources needed to build a thriving community. Equipping an ERG with a reasonable budget, executive sponsors who can carry the voice of an ERG to the executive team, and support from a dedicated diversity, equity and inclusion team are great ways to ensure an ERG is built to succeed.
“You need to have a strong ERG leadership team that is dedicated to building a safe and thriving community within the workplace.”
What are some common mistakes companies make when implementing ERGs?
It's very easy and convenient for a company to implement ERGs but expect the people within these communities to do all of the legwork in creating an inclusive and safe space for their members. Creating a welcoming and safe environment requires the effort from the entire company to make this happen and not just a group of people. ERGs can help bring awareness and education about a culture to those who might not know about it, so it's important to have people outside of these communities get involved, especially those in higher positions within a company who can inspire or influence others to do the same.
How is Unity celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month this year?
This year, our Latinx ERG, ComUnidad, is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with several events focused around the theme “Generational Roots.” We want to highlight each of our generational roots in various ways that allow us to appreciate the history of our own heritage. We will be hosting events centered around food, dance and history and wrap it all up by giving back to our community through group volunteering. We're super excited to give our ERG members the opportunity to celebrate their heritage with us as a community.
