Acting as a ‘critical friend’, staff groups provide an avenue for employees to identify barriers, and enablers, that managers are unaware of. Through this feedback, recommendations can be made on how to improve development, progression and retention in the organisation. 

Enabled employees drive productivity, develop better products or services, and trigger innovation. An engaged network can add value by providing support in the workplace, empowering members to share their lived experiences and developing an avenue to bring these insights into the organisation’s culture. 

Establishing frameworks shows the employer recognises the need for staff networks and ERGs to have access to social support. Research linking the impact of mental health on performance and productivity has been well documented (see the CIPD/SimplyHealth Health and Wellbeing at Work survey for more information).

Engaged and supported staff provide a climate to develop social and business connections; in turn these may drive personal development and a wider understanding of the organisation. Over time a staff group may want to expand and connect with other groups, therefore developing insight and reach. A staff group may exist within a single organisation but, depending on the industry, can also be across different organisations. By moving into an inter-organisational model, they can support innovation and sustainability.

Demonstrating support for staff groups, notably ERGs, shows current and potential employees that the organisation has a robust EDI strategy. As the ERG becomes established, it can contribute to the wider organisational EDI strategy by recognising the benefit that diverse collective inputs and perspectives can bring.      

Understand what existing formal and informal staff networks and ERGs are in place. While existing arrangements may be deemed inefficient, supporting and developing these networks may facilitate employee buy-in, while a new network could conflict with established groups. For example, the guide on staff representation and meaningful consultation outlines how trade union representation structures and staff groups can be complementary as part of a “mixed model”, ensuring a wide range of staff views and interests are represented. Therefore, working with staff, under-represented groups should be identified and gaps addressed, ensuring all voices can be heard.

When setting up one ‘multicultural’ ERG relating to race or ethnicity, you must recognise different cultural sub-groups within it, and the uniqueness of each. For example, black and ethnic minority ERGs will have common features, but the experiences of being ‘black’, ‘Asian’ or any other ethnic minority are different. Intersectionality exists, so homogeneity shouldn’t be assumed. In discussing black lives in the workplace, for example, any focus group or listening session specifically wishing to engage with the ERG should distinguish black employees from other ethnic minorities. The historical roots of racism and the experience of black people is different to that of other ethnic groups (there will also be individual experiences within these groups). Avoid lumping all non-majority groups together, as a single ERG will not automatically address the needs of sub-groups.     

Staff groups are established for the purposes of gathering employee feedback and improving organisational performance. They should not replace forums, which have a recognised and more formal purpose. The term staff forum is also used for arrangements under the Information and Consultation Regulations. These forums give employees rights to request their employer informs and consults them about issues in the organisation. In many circumstances it may not be appropriate for a staff network to deal with some issues, such as negotiations affecting staff terms and conditions. In these cases, other arrangements should be followed such as via a trade union or other representatives. 

The people professional should advise the group to draft a document outlining their proposed strategic output. It should include specific information about the benefits and change that are hoped to come from its development. This document should be shared with potential and actual group members to find out what else should be included.   

Careful consideration and consultation with employees should be carried out before a group name and roles are allocated. Organisations with no other representational structure may prefer the term ‘representatives’, whereas those with existing representation may prefer ‘champions’.  

Development of the group strategy and structure should be an ongoing process, with input from both the group and people professionals. Documents should be shared back and forth to shape the content, delivery process and mechanism for achieving strategic goals. 

Identifying staff sponsors for a group demonstrates its importance and business value. Sponsors, or allies, preferably from the business or organisation, should be influential, credible leaders who are committed to employee voice and willing to learn and support staff groups. A suitable sponsor will need to be:   

• committed to actively and visibly supporting the network (both internally and externally)     
• willing to learn along the way 
• able to recognise the network’s value to the organisation.   

The organisation can support the group to establish formal structures for the sponsor and other roles, while the sponsor may need to assist in the recruitment to key roles in the group, either through election or appointment by consensus. Additionally, the organisation may wish to provide training for the appointed employees so they can understand the purpose, and limitations, of their role.   

A sponsor for an ERG doesn’t have to be from the diversity or minority group. Someone from the majority group may act as an ally (see the InterLaw Diversity Forum’s guide for more information). 

A staff network or ERG should be funded on an annual basis by the organisation in the same way that resources are allocated to other business operations. Consider using a proxy amount to represent the average cost of recruiting a key role in the organisation. When recruiting, although there is a cost, there’s also a clear benefit; a key role will be delivered, with the recruit adding value by helping the organisation to achieve its objectives. In the same way, there is a cost to ensuring the ERG or staff network functions effectively, but also a clear benefit to the organisation, factoring in the alternative costs of external speakers, development programmes and modules and learning sessions. Research suggests that black and ethnic minority colleagues value – and would like – further opportunities for learning and development (see Inclusive succession planning: A toolkit for employers).  

Leaders and members of the staff group should not be expected to carry out their contribution to the network or ERG as a voluntary contribution on top of their day job.

It’s important to position the group as a tangible, core, value-add activity to the business that’s afforded time in its own right – in the same way that other business roles and projects are. Time should be allocated according to what the business can accommodate. This could be from two hours to half a day per month, maybe more in the early phases. Agree this with the member’s department as a formal part of tasks, targets or performance objectives, and communicate it formally with line managers. This way, everyone is fully aware of the member’s contribution to organisational goals, and the member won’t need to justify their participation.

It is also worthwhile putting procedures and timescales in place for how senior managers will consider and respond to issues arising from the network.    

Encourage staff groups to develop clear long-term objectives from the outset. Each meeting should be clearly structured, aligning objectives with the established aims and objectives. Meetings should be regular (anything from weekly to monthly) and should each follow a clear, focused agenda. This should include regular agenda items as well as considering a new theme or topic for each meeting. This could include a presentation on a topical issue or an invited speaker that allows a range of issues important to the network members to be discussed. This guidance could cover/outline:         

• a mission statement      
• purpose      
• objectives 
• governance and sponsorship 
• what the group does 
• how the group will communicate 
• how the group will operate; including how often they will meet, how the meetings will be recorded and how the information from the meetings will be disseminated 
• who can join the group 
• budget · what success looks like.

Of course, some time should be set aside for points that staff want to raise, but if the entire meeting is given over to free-form discussion, the group is likely to see little progress made on core issues, potentially resulting in frustration and a decline in attendance and interest. Similarly, while the sharing of personal experiences is important for groups so they can become safe spaces, avoid allowing meetings to be a chance for everyone to share complaints. Ensure the meetings are opportunities for learning and constructive support. Plan for how you will use the experiences discussed to raise awareness and promote tangible change.       

The practice of supporting ERGs relating to race or specific characteristics etc, may also highlight potential unconscious bias on the part of HR and/or weaknesses in HR policies/processes, as well as challenging how the organisation implements policies to resolve such issues. ERG members can also advise HR on ways to make incident reporting more accessible, safe, equitable and fair – improving both the interaction and relationship between HR and the minority group.     

Historically, organisations have required EDI groups – already made up of under-represented, non-majority, marginalised groups, individuals and cultures – to justify their existence or any financial investment. This is a form of microaggression. The executive leadership team, HR and EDI should already be able to proactively recognise the value of diversity and inclusion, and, therefore, place a related ERG on a solid business platform. 

ERGs can be established for any diversity or marginalised characteristic. Research indicates that black and ethnic minority colleagues (for example) may have not felt heard or safe when approaching HR to raise an issue of potential discrimination. This could be from a manager or colleague, or through repeated micro-inequities (the subtle, often unconscious, messages that devalue, discourage and impair workplace performance, conveyed through facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures, choice of words, nuance and syntax). They often report feeling that HR supports the line manager or organisation, rather than fully considering the issue from the perspective of the employee. By engaging with ERG members in this case, HR can reflect on how their black and ethnic minority colleagues appraise the HR role, function and position in responding to – and taking effective action on – such issues when they’re raised. 

The Barts Health NHS Trust BME Network, London, was founded in 2013 to provide an individual and collective voice to the trust’s black and minority ethnic staff. 

Through effective management and implementation of the BME network, all employees within the organisation can now hear group insights and learn from their recommendations. Some examples of the network’s work include: 

• the Trust inviting keynote speakers to regularly address employees 
• developing structures to support staff in topical celebrations 
• building avenues to take the group’s voice to senior executives. 
• By supporting the group into the position of the ‘critical friend’ in the business, relevant issues are raised and acted upon. In one example, the question of racism in the Trust was raised when it was highlighted that Trust materials were showing all staff as white. Consequently, materials were changed, and an inclusion ambassador role was then introduced by senior leaders at the BME Network’s request. This ambassador monitors job interviews and ensures there are no all-white panels. 

In the example of the British Transport Police’s (BTP) LGBT+ Support Network, the group was formed in 2004 by Sir Ian Johnston, the then chief constable of BTP. The aim was to address the culture of silence in policing. Sir Ian tasked two ‘out’ BTP police officers to launch an investigation into how to support LGBT+ staff and provide training to non-LGBT+ staff. As a result of their findings, a committee and action plan were launched in 2010. 

The committee felt strongly that officers and staff of all sexual orientations should be comfortable interacting with LGBT+ communities, rather than expecting or calling on an LGBT+ police officer to do this on behalf of the force. The employee group’s name was changed to ‘LGBT+ Support Network’ and rebranded to reflect its new lease of life. 

The group has become an integral part of the organisation’s equality, diversity and inclusion governance, scrutiny and quality assurance policies. 

Credit card provider Capital One supported staff in developing a mental health ERG in September 2019. Founded by a former associate after she received help from a manager when struggling with her own mental health issues, she wanted all employees to receive the same level of support. 

Since its launch, the group, Mind Your Mind, holds monthly peer support sessions where people share experiences. The group’s sessions focus on completing particular pieces of work or gaining feedback on specific topics. 

Over the years, membership has significantly increased, helped by a strong online presence during events such as Mental Health Awareness Week and World Suicide Prevention Day. During these events, the group held daily mindfulness sessions, online yoga, internal blogs on kindness and a fireside chat with two senior leaders on mental health. The group has contributed to organisational development and decision making. Most notably, it has helped develop a strategy for a post-pandemic return to the workplace that addresses mental health concerns. 

Housing association Network Homes was keen to establish a group that linked to the organisation’s EDI 10 point plan which aimed for equality, diversity and inclusion. 

The BAME network were asked to hold the organisation to account for delivering relevant aspects of the 10 point plan. The network helps review the impact of all new policies on protected characteristics through equality impact assessments. It also helps develop new policies and plays a key role in increasing diversity at board and senior leadership level, to better reflect the diversity of the communities served by Network Homes. 

This guide is based on content originally authored by Petunia Thomas, MBA CPCC (an independent consultant who works with businesses, teams and leaders to implement strategies for change) and Patrick Briône, Head of Policy and Research at the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA).