When ERG Leaders Have No One to Succeed Them
A few weeks ago, it happened twice.
Two different contacts on two separate calls expressed concern about their Employee Resource Group leadership.
“They’re burning out and there’s no one to succeed them.”
In both cases, leaders had been ready to relinquish their positions but held on when no one came forward, fueled by their passion for the group and their workplace community. In at least one instance, leaders had served as co-chairs of ERGs for over four years with no end in sight.
When this happens (and ideally even before this happens), my advice to organizations is this: make being an ERG leader so enticing that you have a line out the door of people waiting to take the helm next.
Research highlights the power of ERGs to cultivate stronger and more inclusive workplace cultures. However, much of what’s possible for an ERG rests on the shoulders of its leaders.
The last thing you want is to make ERG leadership feel like a thankless task.
What follows is an adapted version of some of the guidance I shared with my contacts and what I often advise when helping organizations lay the groundwork for ERG leadership from scratch.
Here are a five things you can put in place to make leading an ERG more enticing.
Give Structure and Set Expectations
How do leaders access their budget? …How should they go about marketing their events to members? …Can they book any speakers they want? …What about food? …Venues? …Are there preferred vendors they should know about?
The list of questions could go on and on.
If support is unclear and if expectations are not set, being an ERG leader can become unappealing very quickly.
On a basic level, ERG leaders need the parameters of the role to be communicated clearly and consistently so they can focus on doing the work well.
If planning events and leading initiatives as a leader within the ERG is consistently one big headache, others will eventually catch on and it will be difficult to attract future leaders.
Sometimes it’s worth being reminded that this position is something these leaders are taking on in addition to their day jobs. This means part of how we make the role appealing is by making it clear and ensuring leaders have everything they need to perform their roles well.
Here are just a few considerations basic considerations to get you started:
Have a set budget and process by which funds can be accessed.
Share any limitations on communication channels, such as email, flyers, banners, posters, etc.
Give leaders quick tutorials regarding venue reservation best practices within your organization.
Connect leaders to templates and resources that keep them from having to reinvent the wheel.
Communicate clearly what, if anything, is expected of speakers and/or vendors before they are confirmed
Designate a liaison within HR, the Inclusion & Belonging, or Engagement Team who will serve as the main point of contact for ERG questions and approvals
Pro tip: A best practice would be to have a Handbook for your ERG leaders with all of the details they would need inside. This handbook not only offers all of the policies, best practices, and available resources in one place, it also signals a measure of support ERG leaders can expect from the organization.
Offer Access to Leadership
One of the clearest ways to make serving in ERG leadership enticing is to find distinct opportunities to connect them with the organization’s senior leadership.
Developing signature events such as a semiannual luncheon or an annual happy hour designated specifically to facilitate interactions between the company’s senior leadership and the leadership of the organization’s ERGs can go a long way to signaling to all parties how important ERGs are to the culture and how beneficial it can be to serve as an ERG leader.
When people see that leading an ERG provides them with access to mentorship, sponsorship, and genuine relationships with organizational leaders, interest naturally grows.
And here’s the thing: this is a win-win.
ERGs are part of the lifeblood of an organization’s culture, which means company leaders should want to be in close proximity to their members and to their leaders. They can learn a lot from them.
Ultimately, when organizations create intentional touchpoints between ERG leaders and senior executives, they not only elevate the visibility of ERG leadership—they strengthen the connective tissue of the entire culture.
Provide Professional Development
It’s no secret leading an ERG is a lot of work. As a result, one could argue that there is a ton of professional development in the role as is.
While that may be true, being intentional about infusing the experience with dedicated professional development opportunities can be a way to demonstrate appreciation for the work those leaders do regularly, and it can be yet another way to make the role more enticing.
Organizations that do this well, create at least one annual development opportunity that all ERG leaders can participate in (i.e. a leadership workshop, a short learning series, or a conference that expands both their ability to lead the ERG and their own professional toolkit). When they can, they sponsor access to one or more external conferences, memberships, or talks, which may give participants access to industry insights or help them develop new skills.
Career growth is a top priority for many high-achieving professionals. In fact, according to a recent Gallop poll, “‘Career growth opportunities’ is the No. 1 reason people give for changing jobs.”
Deliberate investment in employee professional development is a proven engagement and retention strategy. It also works in making the role of ERG leader more attractive and tenable.
Spotlight Individual Leaders
Visibility is powerful, especially when so much work can be done behind the scenes. ERG leaders are especially susceptible to having the extent of their efforts go unnoticed, especially when all most people see is the fabulous end result.
Spotlighting individual leaders on the company’s intranet, on the public website, in an upcoming newsletter, at a town hall, in a video played on screens in the breakroom… can be a way to say we see you and your efforts matter.
In the spotlight, you may ask questions like…
Why did you decide to join the ERG?
What has leading the ERG meant to you?
What have you learned since becoming chair of the ERG?
What’s your favorite memory associated with being part of this ERG so far?
What is your advice to someone thinking about joining an ERG this year?
It’s free marketing for the ERG, it builds morale, and it subtly says to potential leaders: This could be you next year.
Create Opportunities to Connect Across ERGs
Without a little push, ERGs often operate in silos, managing their own initiatives and often navigating challenges other ERGs have already tackled.
Creating structured spaces where leaders can connect can provide leaders with an opportunity for knowledge-sharing and best practice exchange. These gatherings - whether they be quarterly luncheons, semiannual happy hours, regularly facilitated workshops- allow leaders to discuss what’s working, what’s not, and what creative strategies are helping them engage their members.
Of course, pulling together leaders so they can interact socially and build authentic networks bolsters their work both within their ERGs and within their day jobs.
In fact, this practice can unlock the full potential of your ERG ecosystem (!!) and it can foster cross-functional connections that strengthen your business.
And of course, there’s the added benefit of succession planning. When leaders from different ERGs know one another, they’re better positioned to identify and encourage potential successors who might thrive in similar roles. Creating opportunities for ERG leaders to connect across groups helps sustain momentum, ensures continuity, and builds a healthy pipeline of future leaders ready to carry the work forward.
Ultimately, those who volunteer to lead ERGs often do so out of a genuine passion for their company and community. Let us not forget that many have taken on the important responsibility of leading an ERG without many of the exciting perks I’ve outlined above and that there are plenty of others who will decide to step up despite those perks, not because of them.
Perhaps those are the very people we want leading our ERGs.
However, here’s the truth: Employee Resource Groups are amazing tools for building culture and a sense of belonging across your workforce. Keeping the leaders that sustain those groups feeling well supported and fairly compensated (for what they do on top of their day jobs) is the least an organization can do.
This article was written by Natalia Eileen, Seen@Work’s Founder & Principal Consultant. Learn more about Seen@Work and schedule time with Natalia and her team at seenatwork.com/consultation.
