Why Companies are Failing at Community

In today’s corporate landscape, fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging is not just a nicety—it’s central to employee engagement and retention. According to a report by Gallup, employees who feel included are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged at work. Despite this, many companies struggle to build effective communities, particularly within Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

The Rise of Employee Resource Groups

In response to the growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion, many organizations have initiated ERGs. These groups aim to support underrepresented employees, providing a space for them to connect, share experiences, and advocate for change. The goals of ERGs are multifaceted: they seek to improve employee satisfaction, drive inclusivity, and contribute to personal and professional development.

Challenges in Building ERG Communities

However, building an effective community within ERGs is fraught with challenges. Companies often face several key issues:

1. Lack of Engagement: Engagement is the lifeblood of any community. Without active participation, ERGs can quickly become stagnant. Employees might join an ERG but fail to engage in its activities due to time constraints, lack of interest, or perceived irrelevance.
2. Creating Safe Spaces: For an ERG to thrive, members must feel safe to open up and share their experiences. Many companies fail to create such environments, leading to superficial participation and a lack of deep, meaningful interactions.
3. Effective Communication: Another major challenge is maintaining robust communication channels that are easy to use, secure, and accessible. Many companies struggle to implement a comprehensive member directory and effective onboarding process for new members. Poor communication between community leaders and members can hinder transparency, trust, and collaboration within the ERG.
4. Structural Weaknesses: The structure of an ERG is crucial to its success. Effective ERGs require clear moderation, regular updates, educational initiatives, engaging events, and continuous feedback. Without these elements, an ERG can lack direction and purpose.
5. Funding Issues: Adequate funding is essential for ERGs to operate effectively. Without financial support, organizing events, training sessions, and other activities becomes challenging, limiting the group’s impact.
6. External Community Engagement: Many companies overlook the importance of connecting ERGs with external communities. Engaging with external networks can support the broader goals of ERGs by providing additional resources, perspectives, and opportunities for collaboration.

Core Pillars of a Successful Community

To address these challenges, companies should focus on the core pillars of building a successful community or employee resource groups:

• Engagement and Interaction: Foster active participation through engaging content, discussions, and regular activities. Create an inclusive environment where every member feels valued and heard.
• Clear Purpose and Value: Clearly define the mission and goals of the community. Ensure that all members understand and align with these objectives, and provide real value through shared knowledge, support, and networking opportunities.
• Inclusivity and Safety: Build a culture of inclusivity where all members feel welcome and respected. Implement community guidelines, invite members to be speakers, and reinforce the community values at every meeting and event.
• Effective Communication and Feedback: Maintain open channels of communication between community leaders and members. Regularly solicit and incorporate feedback to continuously improve the community experience.

A report by Forbes underscores the importance of such communities, highlighting that women’s networking plays a crucial role in achieving most individual career milestones. Furthermore, it drives broader revenue benefits for organizations, showcasing the tangible impact of effective community building.

Supporting Corporate ERG Goals

Recognizing these challenges and opportunities, organizations like Females in Food are stepping in to support corporate ERG goals. They deploy a 360-degree approach to talent development and gender diversity by offering meaningful networking, professional development and peer support through a membership community. They also act as a trusted partner to organizations to help increase gender diversity through talent connection, professional development programs, and employer branding ensuring that diversity goals are not only met but exceeded.