EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP DEVELOPMENT

Employee resource groups often form because they share a common concern, such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability or work/life balance. These groups are an important component of an organization's diversity initiative. They support these initiatives by recognizing the opportunity to partner with organizational leaders, clarify issues and agree on problem solving methods that benefit individual employees, resource groups and organizational productivity.

To ensure the development and utilization of these groups, as well as their ongoing partnership with the organization, we offer both consultation and training. Organizational consultation is focused on inclusion of these groups in the ongoing infrastructure at appropriate times and in meaningful ways. Our efforts focus on the development of a clear mission, leadership and membership structures, issue identification and partnership with management.

We have been asked on many occasions to organize search conferences for these groups. During these conferences we are able to effectively identify issues and prioritize them. Potential solutions are also identified and fed into the change process via whatever mechanism the organization has created (a Diversity Council, President's Task Force, etc.) These conferences can be used as vehicles to build momentum and demonstrate organization commitment.