As organisations look to employee network groups for workplace insights and business intelligence, are they inadvertently placing too much responsibility on the very employees they are seeking to empower? Hear from FAIRER Consulting's MD, Dan Robertson, as he explores the evolution of employee network groups (ENGs), employee resource groups (ERGs) and business resource groups (BRGs) – and why organisations must balance employee voice with wellbeing. Watch the video or read the article below.
Some of the reflections that we at FAIRER have been having in recent times is around the utilisation of employee resource groups (ERGs) .
If we think about the historical structure – or the original purpose – of what we used to call employee network groups, they were effectively designed as safe spaces. They were spaces for women and other minority groups within an organisational context.
Historically, what we’ve seen is a shift away from that safe space dynamic towards ERGs, which have started to play slightly different roles. They now contribute more to business thinking, strategy, and policy formation. What we’re now seeing is a further movement towards the BRG – the business resource group.
This isn’t necessarily a scaling back of the ERG’s safe space function, but more a leveraging up towards becoming a strategic player. So, if you are part of that network, what is your role in supporting the business not just to develop its ED&I strategy, but also its wider thinking on innovation, product development, and customer insight?
That’s why I see the future of these networks leaning much more towards the BRG model. One important safeguarding question, though, is making sure that colleagues who are part of these networks still feel a sense of value and recognition. If corporates are going to move in this direction, there needs to be a clear consideration of how colleagues’ time is being used – and how that contribution is recognised.
We have to remember that most individuals playing this role are doing it on the side of their desk. It’s typically voluntary. So, if corporates want the BRG model to deliver on its promise of being more strategic, there has to be some form of strategic recognition – whether that’s through allocated time or financial compensation.
One of the things corporates need to be mindful of – particularly as we move towards this BRG model – is how they engage with diverse colleagues and what they expect from them.
Having colleagues contribute to business strategy is useful, and encouraging that input is important. But one thing corporates often do, perhaps unintentionally, is ask people to share their experiences. Part of that narrative is valuable – we want people to share their experiences so we can better articulate the biases and barriers that have existed, both historically across communities and individually.
However, there is a real risk in the constant resharing of trauma and past negative experiences. If this is not managed effectively, it can have quite profound consequences – not only for individuals, but also for the collective wellbeing of diverse colleagues in corporate spaces. Repeatedly revisiting these experiences can take a toll.
So, it’s really important for corporates to think carefully about the connection between how they utilise employees within these network structures and the wellbeing strategies they put around that engagement. The aim should be to ensure that trauma is not relived in a negative way, but instead is managed thoughtfully and effectively.
As organisations continue to evolve employee networks into more strategic business resource groups, it's important to ensure that inclusion efforts don't inadvertently create new wellbeing challenges. While lived experience can provide valuable insight, organisations must be mindful of the emotional labour that can comes with repeatedly asking employees to share personal stories, educate others, or relive difficult experiences. Without the right support structures, this can place an additional burden on the very colleagues organisations are seeking to empower.
That's why workplace wellbeing cannot be treated as a standalone initiative. Increasingly, wellbeing, inclusion and organisational culture are interconnected. To create environments where people can thrive, organisations need to understand the symptoms of poor wellbeing alongside the cultural and structural factors that contribute to it.
Our Driving Business Performance through Inclusion and Wellbeing programme helps organisations explore the relationship between inclusion, psychological safety, organisational health and employee wellbeing. The programme examines the root causes of workplace ill health – including the emotional tax often experienced by diverse colleagues – and provides practical tools to build cultures where people can contribute, belong and thrive.