Setting your ERGs up to succeed is setting your business up to succeed. And part of that is ensuring that each one has an ERG mission statement.
Two-thirds of ERGS have two leads who spend up to 3 hours per week managing their group.
It’s therefore no surprise that ERG leaders are increasingly getting compensation for their work. In 2022, 42% were compensated, up from 6% just two years earlier. On average, the compensation is just over $2,000 per year.
ERGs are so effective that 90% of Fortune 500 companies have them according to MicKinsey, and 100% of the DiversityInc Top 50 have them.
To get the most out of them, you need an ERG mission statement. This keeps everyone, from employees who are part of the group to your senior executives, onboard with them. They explain what the group adds to the business and ensures that no one thinks it’s ‘just’ a diversity initiative.
An ERG mission statement also helps employees decide if a particular group is right for them, as they know what goal(s) they’re working toward.
Why you need an ERG mission statement
To keep everyone focused
When you have an ERG mission statement, it helps keep everyone rowing in the same direction.
To attract new members
A clear ERG mission statement shows new hires, and even longer-term employees who have been skeptical in the past, what your employee resource groups are all about.
It gives them a clear signal whether a group is a fit for them and how they might be able to contribute.
To show the business benefits
When everyone in an ERG is working toward the same thing, it’s a lot easier to measure the business benefits because it’s clear what the goal(s) of the group are.
To attract the right executive sponsor
Your executive sponsor can help with everything from recruitment to budget to group participation. How invested they are can depend on what the group is trying to achieve. Outlining it clearly in an ERG mission statement ensures your executive sponsor stays engaged and on track.
How to create your ERG mission statement
When it comes to designing your ERG mission statement, it’s important to include your group members (or the people who will become members).
Have an open, respectful discussion where everyone can speak about what they want from the group and think it could achieve. Otherwise, the people directly involved in the group won’t be as invested in its goals.
Jot down core values that (could) drive your group without filtering them. This ensures everyone feels heard and you’re not blocking the best ideas from coming through.
Filtering ideas when you’re brainstorming can lead to blockages. Ideas are like a tap—the longer it’s turned on the more easily they come through.
Values could include advocating for each other, knowledge sharing, mentorship opportunities, etc.
Refine your values into 3-5 that you can easily articulate for your ERG mission statement. Then, consider potential (or current, for an existing group) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Map out your stakeholders and potential activities, too.
Once you have that, consider what you could achieve that’s in keeping with those values and the business’s goals. How can you line the two together?
For example, a car company could have a disability ERG that supports the business to design vehicles that are more accessible for disabled drivers.
Next steps in creating your ERG mission statement
As for articulating your goal, think about how you’d tell someone new to the company about your ERG. It shouldn’t require further explanation or elaboration. If it does, you need to get more specific in your ERG mission statement.
When you write your goal(s) down, think of it/them as stretch goals: ambitious but achievable. Keep things too small and there’s no motivation there; aim too high and people will lose momentum because they know it can’t be done.
Next, consider breaking up your goals into objectives. For instance, if you want to connect more women in the workplace, how could you do that? Monthly meetups in the office? Virtual networking? LinkedIn training to help them connect with people outside of the office?
Other things to consider for your ERG mission statement
While it helps to sum up your ERG mission statement in a sentence, you also need to consider things like:
Who can join?
While you don’t want to be discriminatory, obviously each group has to be aimed at a certain type of person—that’s the point.
Who runs them? For how long? How do you choose them?
Your group’s success depends on who’s in charge, which means you need a clear process for how leaders are elected and how long they lead.
Do they stay in position until they choose to leave, or do members get to vote on who’s in charge?
While you don’t want to cause conflicts within your organization, getting members to vote on group leaders can mean that they’re more involved and understand what the leader wants to achieve, how they plan to lead the group and shape the business.
While this doesn’t need to be part of your ERG mission statement, deciding it is key to structuring your group.
What compensation do you offer group leaders?
Do you offer leaders compensation for the time and energy commitment of running a group?
Any group lives or dies by the people running it, which means you need the right people in charge. You also need to consider how it will affect their existing responsibilities.
As discussed above, almost half of employers now pay group leaders for running groups. While this isn’t a huge amount, in the current climate, a little goes a long way.
Not to mention it shows that you value ERGs and how they contribute to your business.
It gives your groups, and their leaders, a level of importance that a free group doesn’t have. This can also mean that your leaders take it more seriously, too, as it’s something that they’re being compensated to do.
How often will you update your ERG mission statement?
If a group achieves its ERG mission statement, then what?
Or if the leader changes and wants to take things in a different direction, how will you decide on that?
How can the group help the business in the short- and long-term?
Ultimately, your ERGs will get more investment if senior leaders in your business can see them driving business impact. That starts with your ERG mission statement and group leaders, and trickles down to your group members and how they support the business. The clearer you are about these goals, the easier it is to get everyone focused.
Conclusion
Your ERG mission statement shows everyone within your business that your ERG is here to stay. It’s a serious business investment that matters to your organization and your employees.
If you want a tool that can help you manage your employee groups, check out Workrowd. You can put everything your employees need to know in one handy place, making your groups an even better opportunity and resource.
Plus, with one-click signups, automated event reminders and surveys, and even analytics, you’ll be fully equipped to make the most of your ERGs and other employee programs. Get in touch today to learn more and schedule your free demo.
