Activity vs. Impact

Last month, at the 9th annual Honors Award ceremony, we recognized ERGs and Councils that had measurable impact on their organization that achieved business results. While celebrating the impressive work of the Top 25 ERGs and Councils, it became clear that there is a huge difference between activities and impact.
So what is the difference between activity and impact, and how does one distinguish between the two?

Activity is defined as "energetic action or movement." Collins English dictionary describes activity as "any specific deed, action, pursuit, etc., including recreational activities". It is possible, therefore, for one to be busy engaging in a lot of activities, but not really making a difference. Activity isn't bad in and of itself; but when activity is not directed towards purpose, we aren't as great as we could be. Many times, ERGs and Councils fall into the “more activity is better” rut, thinking the more activities we do the more successful we will be. That is why Pride Parades, Cancer walks, Cinco de Mayo parties and an endless parade of lunch speakers often makes up the bulk of ERG activities. All good, busy work but not a lot of business impact.

Purpose is the definitive link between meaningful activity and impact. This is the single most important factor in your ERG or Council’s ability to lead. Purpose is what makes you distinct, but it is also the motivation behind what you do. If you are going to make an impact on your organization, your purpose must be aligned with your activities. And your activities must be aligned with the organization's business goals.

Activity is powerful when it is coupled with purpose and impact. According to BusinessDictionary.com, impact is a "measure of the tangible and intangible effects (consequences) of one's action or influence upon another." By inference, impact denotes planning, analysis, and outcomes. Hence, impact can be ascertained by asking three (3) simple questions:
• Is there a specific business purpose?
• What will be the outcome of my effort?
• How will the business/organization benefit?

Of course, impact can either be positive or negative. Keep in mind, it’s easier for folks to remember the negative impacts instead of the positive. That is why we must ensure our focus is directed toward the organization’s benefits in terms of:
• Knowledge gained and how that knowledge is applied to the business.
• Behavior or attitude changes.
• Practice or situation changes.
• Results of those behavior, attitude, practice or situation changes.

There is nothing wrong with activities, unless they are not paired with purpose. If you ask yourself these questions and use this checklist as you are planning your group’s activities, you will be more likely to have an impact on your organization that will have lasting value and provide your group with the business credibility it needs to succeed.

No, Employee Resource Groups are Not Passé

Last month, Deloitte rocked the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) circuit with a startling announcement: they're beginning to close down their employee groups focused on women, ethnic or racial minorities, and other diversity-themed groups. As noted in a Bloomberg Business Week article, the company is eliminating its women's group after more than two decades, and will be phasing out its other groups over the next year and a half.

As a former volunteer leader of one such group, and as a consultant and researcher focused on these groups, the announcement took me by surprise. If anything, these groups -- whether they're called Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), Business Resource Groups (BRGs), Affinity Groups, Employee Networks, or any other similar combination -- have been becoming more popular in recent years, not less. It's hard for me to fathom the idea that Deloitte would believe that these groups aren't adding value anymore.
Employee Resource Groups

For those who may not be familiar: ERGs (as I'll call them, for simplicity) are organizationally sponsored groups of employees, typically run under the guidance of the HR department or a Diversity & Inclusion office, but led by employees who are volunteering their time outside their "day job". In my consulting work, I like to describe ERGs as "grassroots, with guardrails", because they reflect the shared personality of their membership but still follow certain corporate or agency guidelines. Most large organizations have at least a few ERGs, with groups for women and ethnic or racial minorities being most common, but over the years this has expanded to ERGs for people with disabilities, military veterans, LGBT people, parents and caregivers, younger workers, and more. In short, they're on the rise, not fizzling out.
Engaging the Majority

Deloitte's argument is that ERGs can become insular, with only members of a certain demographic participating. For straight, white, able-bodied men, ERGs can feel like a "them" group, not an "us" group. Older white men, as one Deloitte leader noted, "need to be part of the conversation and advocate for women", for example... and that statement implies that they're not engaging with women's ERGs today. In my opinion, this is a symptom of poorly run ERGs, not a construct that's destined to be exclusive. If your senior executives (many of whom identify in the majority groups rather than the groups that ERGs tend to represent) aren't feeling like they are engaged with the ERGs, then that's a problem for which there is a solution -- and the solution isn't getting rid of ERGs.

As an example, years ago I hosted a networking reception for the LGBT ERG at my former employer. For weeks, I made a hard press at every senior leader I knew, trying to drum up attendance and make this a really big event. On the evening of the reception, a young gay coworker came up to me and remarked with awe that he had no idea there were so many LGBT executives at our company. When I shared that several of the leaders present were LGBT, but that many more were not, my colleague was initially perplexed and even a little upset. "Isn't this an event for LGBT people?" he asked me. I responded that it was great that we had several LGBT role models present, but challenged him to consider how great it was that these other senior executives had decided to spend their evening with us, because they cared about their LGBT teammates and wanted us to know that we had their support. Their message, as I shared it, was this: you can be LGBT and still have a successful career here, if you work hard and make an impact, just like every other employee.

Engaging the majority in ERG work doesn't need to be restricted to "executive sponsor" or guest speaker roles, either. Some of the most passionate and engaged volunteer leaders of an LGBT ERG that I previously worked with don't identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender; they're straight people who are committed to making the company a better place to work and our society a better place to live, and sometimes they work harder for those causes than many of the LGBT leaders I know (myself included). In short, if your senior leadership team isn't feeling included by your ERGs, then you're probably not engaging them effectively.
Inclusion Councils vs. ERGs

Deloitte's alternative is inclusion councils, which will give senior executives (who, again, tend to be fairly similar in terms of gender, ethnicity, etc.) more of an opportunity to participate in changing the diversity climate at the organization for the better. This is a great offering, and indeed, these kind of councils are not exactly a new concept. Most large organizations have a "Diversity & Inclusion" council of some sort, and many have multiple levels of councils. (At a previous employer, for instance, there's a Global Diversity & Inclusion Council of senior executives from each major division, and then each of those divisions has its own D&I council that helps implement the strategic guidance of the corporate-wide council.) These are great organizations, with the opportunity to make a real impact, but they're not a suitable replacement for ERGs.

First, vastly more people have the opportunity to participate in ERGs. Virtually every employee can participate in one -- or more -- of the ERGs at their organization. While Deloitte hasn't announced many specifics about these inclusion councils, they almost certainly won't be viable platforms for nearly as many participants. At many large organizations, anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of the employee population is involved with at least one ERG. When you consider the scope of very large organizations, with hundreds of thousands of employees, you can see just how many people ERGs can include. If Deloitte's inclusion councils are like similar councils that I've seen in organizations -- again, we don't have specifics yet -- then they probably have no more than 10-20 or so members on a council... Even if we assume dozens or even hundreds of councils (which seems unwieldy), that's just not providing an opportunity for very many people to directly engage.

Furthermore, an inclusion council quite simply doesn't have the resources to accomplish everything that ERGs can accomplish. Many organizations have areas of focus for their ERGs that revolve around helping to bring in diverse talent, supporting and developing those employees, creating an inclusive workplace culture, and contributing to business development and community partnerships with diverse customers and clients. An inclusion council can help with some of this, certainly, but it's unlikely that it can have the same impact across the board. One senior diversity leader at Deloitte is quoted as saying that will allow managers "to have a direct role in creating an environment that will keep employees of all backgrounds from leaving the company and help attract new talent." That's a great objective, but again, it doesn't come close to addressing all of the value proposition of ERGs today.

Perhaps most importantly, regardless of any potential flaws or limitations, the undeniable truth is this: when run effectively, ERGs can add significant value to their members, their leaders, the organization, customers or clients, and communities. In my opinion, it doesn't make sense to eliminate something that has been adding unique and meaningful value... and certainly not because some straight white men at the top of the organization are feeling left out.

To be blunt: the fact that you may not be feeling like ERGs are valuable to you is no reason to take them away from many other people who still find extraordinary value in the groups. And as my colleague and former teammate Erika Irish Brown wisely noted, eliminating ERGs potentially "caters to the status quo and comfort of senior leaders instead of the individuals these groups are meant to develop and support."
The Bottom Line

In many cases, ERGs have opportunities to be more open, more inclusive, and more impactful. Inclusion Councils, too, can add great value in certain specific areas, but they don't add value in the same way, or for as many people. The solution isn't to end one in favor of the other; it's to continue to refine and improve both.

Guest Contributor:
Kevin England, Ph.D. is an educator and researcher in the fields of Human Capital and Diversity & Inclusion, with a particular focus on Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). His doctoral dissertation focused on the experience of becoming an ERG leader, and he continues to research and consult about ERGs and other Diversity & Inclusion programs.

The Need for ERG and Diversity Council Succession Planning: Where Do You Begin?

Most organizations have succession plans in place for their key executives and leaders in case one leaves a critical position suddenly. ERGs and Diversity Councils have critical positions also, yet many do not have succession plans in place for their groups.

I have often heard stories of once strong and successful ERGs or Councils often finding themselves struggling and some even going dormant when they suddenly lose key group leadership. A good succession plan ensures the availability of competent members to take over an ERG or Council position when the incumbent leaves to ensure continuity in key to ensure that operations continue without disruption.

An effective succession-planning process should be completed and a plan adopted in advance of any departures. This will help create a strong foundation and conditions for a successful leadership transition. Furthermore, success depends on defined responsibilities among the ERG or Council positions. Properly outlining responsibilities and communicating them prior to the planning process will help alleviate concerns among those involved.

Succession-Planning Readiness Questions

The following questions should act as the first step in measuring your group’s readiness for succession planning.

1. If your group leader is suddenly unable to serve, or retires, have you identified candidates for the position?
   • If the answer is yes, is that member or employee prepared? Do they have the required leadership style, financial knowledge, contacts and necessary experience to lead the group and continue to provide members and the organization uninterrupted services?
   • If the answer is no, what is your plan for bringing a new leader who understands how to lead your group and continue to provide uninterrupted service to members and the organization?
2. Does everyone within the ERG or Council know who will be the group’s acting leader until a new successor can be officially appointed?
3. Does the organization trust that the ERG or Council can continue and succeed without the current leader or is she/he too identified or associated with the group that without that person the group will lose credibility?
4. Will the group lose institutional knowledge and contacts if your leaders were to suddenly leave?
5. Is the current group leader’s current level of responsibility realistic, or has the leader, in good faith, taken on too much responsibility at the expense of other member development? (Trying to do everything themselves). What skills need to be replicated in the new leader versus those that could be developed among members?
6. Are there other positions besides the group lead that would leave the ERG or Council vulnerable should they depart? If so, what plans are in place to address their departure?

Once you have answered these questions you can move to tactics that will help with the succession process.

To read more about succession planning become a member of the Association of ERGs & Councils.

Engaging White Males in Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

When I speak to diverse groups about their diversity and inclusion initiatives, I always ask the question, “What are you doing to engage white males in your diversity process?” More often than not, I get blank stares back. Sometimes, I get defensive statements like “We are the one’s that need the help. They already have everything. Why should we engage them?”

The answer is quite simple, in most organizations across the country, white men make up the majority of senior leadership, director and manager positions. They are the crucial decision-makers whose buy-in is crucial and necessary for substantive and sustainable D&I progress. Unless white males are invited to play a role—a leadership role—in improving diversity in the workplace, changes will not come.

Often, diversity leaders and ERG and Council leaders make the mistake of thinking that if their white male leadership simply voices support for their companies’ diversity and inclusion programs, that will suffice to demonstrate their commitment to these initiatives. What instead is needed for any inclusion program to be successful is the full commitment and involvement of white leaders, and this is where many organizations come up short.

While white, male leaders may say they understand the need for diversity and inclusion and that they support the corporate initiative, in reality, this key demographic group often feels excluded from the programs. A study by Greatheart Labs and Georgetown University in 2013 found that exclusion was the top challenge white male executives face when trying to incorporate diversity and inclusion into their leadership efforts. According to the study, nearly 70 percent of white male respondents agreed with the statement “It is still not clear diversity initiatives are meant to include white men.”

What can an ERG or Diversity Council do to start to bring white men into their initiatives and engage them in diversity and inclusion? We first need to acknowledge that white males must play a leadership role in diversity initiatives. Their positions, their influence, and their numbers in your organization make them critical to success. If they are not involved, engaged, and out in front, the initiative cannot succeed.

Secondly, we must also acknowledge that while top management support is essential, in most organization, middle managers and immediate supervisors have a more direct impact on the day-to-day experience of the people they manage than the leaders at the top. Every supervisor has to be a part of the inclusion effort in order to create a culture that is hospitable and welcoming to a diverse workforce. Engage leaders at the middle manager level and make it relevant to them, not just your group. Show them how D&I will improve their lives and make their job easier.

A diversity initiative must be inclusive to be credible. Defining diversity in a way that excludes the concerns of any group, or focuses only on some, undermines what should be the goal of every diversity initiative—to help every person in an organization feel comfortable and to realize his or her potential. A culture that values diversity will benefit everyone in an organization.

Finally, progress comes one person at a time. As important as metrics are, they should never distract from an organization’s focus on the individual. Sustained progress in diversity ultimately requires that each person in the organization be supported and given the opportunity to succeed. Take the time to reach out, invite, educate and engage your white, male leaders. Make them feel not only welcomed, but that they have a role to contribute in the success of your group. The one-person-at-a-time approach may be painstaking and slow, but it will drive lasting success and create a more inclusive and collaborative environment for all.

7 Ways to Engage White Men:

1. Talk about inclusiveness, not just diversity.
2. Reach out to middle level managers and help them build relationships across differences.
3. Welcome them to your groups and provide incentives for them to join.
4. Identify influential white male leaders to help champion your efforts and include them on your ERG and Council committees and encourage them to lead or co-chair one.
5. Educate them about the business imperative.
6. Help them become aware of bias and hidden inequities.
7. Assign them a list of tasks to complete so that they can contribute to your goals, feel part of the solution, and celebrate your achievements.

Only 37% of employers give off Martin Luther King Day

Only 37 percent of employers give the holiday honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a paid day off, according to a recent national survey.

That is about the same percentage of employers offering Presidents' Day as a holiday, the Bloomberg BNA Holiday Practices Survey of 350 human resource professionals found.

The survey gave a breakdown of which types of employers were likely -- and least likely -- to give MLK Day as a paid holiday:

• 62 percent of non-business establishments, which include government, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, are giving employees a paid day off
• Only 34 percent of non-manufacturing employers are giving a paid holiday
• Only 10 percent of manufacturing companies will give workers the paid holiday
• 45 percent of companies with at least 1,000 employees have made the day a paid holiday
• Only 34 percent of smaller organizations will do so.

So, what does the giving of MLK Day as a paid holiday say about your company’s character?

In light of today’s issues, it is surprising that many employers choose not to acknowledge Dr. King’s contribution to the dialogue of diversity and inclusion in our country. It took almost 20 years for all 50 states to observe the federal holiday. Yet, today there are still 63 percent of US companies that refuse to celebrate his work.

The climate of the 1960s bears an unfortunate resemblance to the current state of our country in 2017. With divisiveness on both sides, we are dealing with issues of political and urban unrest, race baiting and gun legislation. We live in a polarized nation of red state vs. blue state, gay vs. straight, black vs. white and the haves vs. the have nots.

The reason we honor Martin Luther King is that when confronted with the same problems in the 1960s, he chose to respond to these issues not with a closed fist of aggression or a closed mind of hatred, but an open hand of love and an open mind of understanding.

Yet, today, despite all the talk of multiculturalism and inclusiveness in the workforce and the hundreds of millions of dollars that are spent every year on diversity programs and training, if your organization refuses to observe a holiday that acknowledges the man who, in no small part, inspired your internal policies of diversity and inclusion, then diversity is obviously not a priority at your company. It could be considered business as usual at best or passive racism at worst.

By not recognizing the holiday, companies are not only sending a message that their diversity programs are just talk without substance, but they are also missing an opportunity to practice what Martin Luther King taught, to do acts of goodwill and kindness to others. Some enlightened companies such as Comcast, AT&T and others, in addition to giving their employees the day off, also encourage their staff to use the day to volunteer at their favorite charities or for a good cause.

Dr. King once said, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

So, whether or not you have the day off from work, by volunteering and giving back to better your community or to help those in need, you will be honoring the true spirit of what Martin Luther King stood for and the day we celebrate his legacy.