How to strengthen your ERGs with investment and allyship

Employee resource groups provide a space for connection and community at work.

Regine Nelson, internal communications and employee engagement lead at Couchbase, said that their ERGs, known as Couchbase Communities, reflect the organization’s core value of being a great human.

Here are Nelson’s recommendations for facilitating ERGs that last:

Have an executive sponsor

Nelson said a group’s executive sponsor may not be a member of the community they lead, but they are allies and supporters.

These leaders go through extra lengths to learn about the community they sponsor.

To Nelson, the key is “having an executive sponsor that either has an affinity for the group, or that can really understand the challenges, and really wants to support and help that group grow.”

Allocate resources

Couchbase offers their ERG leaders a stipend. These leaders commit for a year and receive a bonus for their leadership, time and commitment.

The community themselves have a budget too, for bringing in sponsors and creating swag.

“If it means something to your organization you should be able to put some funds behind it. It doesn’t have to be a lot, a little will go a very long way,” said Nelson.

Create an allies group

Employees can join the five groups centered around Black people, women, Asians and Asian Americans, Pride, and neurodiversity as a member or ally.

An ally can be adjacent to the group, via a spouse or child, or has an affinity and wants to help the demographic thrive.

“We do a very good job of creating educational opportunities for our allies,” said Nelson.

Watch the full conversation below: