Employee Resource Group (ERG)

Voluntary, employee-led groups that provide community and advocacy for people with shared identities or experiences.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), also called affinity groups or business resource groups (BRGs), are voluntary, employee-led communities organized around a shared identity, background, or life experience — such as race, gender, sexuality, disability, veteran status, or parenting. They serve multiple functions: community building, professional development, mentorship, recruiting support, and giving leadership visibility into the experiences of underrepresented groups.

ERGs originated at Xerox in the 1970s, formed in response to race-related tensions. Since then, they've expanded significantly across industries. Well-resourced ERGs have executive sponsors, dedicated budgets, and real influence on company policy. Poorly resourced ones are volunteer labor that benefits the company's DEI optics without meaningfully supporting members.

From a job seeker's perspective, ERGs can be a signal of authentic commitment to inclusion — and a resource once you join. Many companies allow candidates to speak with ERG members during the interview process; taking that opportunity gives you honest information about what it's actually like to be part of that community at the company. The quality and influence of ERGs varies enormously — a company with 20 ERGs and no budget for any of them is different from one with 5 ERGs that have executive access and real headcount.