Employee Resource Group

Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, are voluntary, employee-led communities within organizations that bring people together around shared characteristics, experiences, or interests. They create space for connection, professional development, and advocacy, while supporting broader company goals around diversity, inclusion, and employee engagement.

In large enterprises, some ERGs form around professional interests or cross-functional objectives like innovation, sales, or technology, which lets employees collaborate across departments on initiatives that matter to the business. ERGs exist mainly to build a sense of belonging and give members access to mentorship, leadership development, and career support.

They serve employees and the organization at the same time: employees get meaningful connections, and the company gets a clearer view into what different groups of employees actually experience. Organizations that run ERGs well tend to see better retention, a stronger workplace culture, and business outcomes that benefit from a wider range of perspectives.