Employee Networks Not Working? 4 Ways to Rethink Your ERG Strategy

Employee resource groups  (ERGs) can be an important part of how organisations give employees a stronger voice and help people feel more connected at work, but without the right structure and support, pressure can quickly build. When expectations become unclear, volunteers carry too much responsibility or leadership support doesn’t lead to action, networks can lose momentum.

Over time, the same small group may end up organising every event. Meetings become updates rather than decisions. Employees raise issues, but nobody is clear about what happens next. Senior sponsors attend occasionally, yet the issues raised rarely result in action. 

When a network reaches this point, it may need a more clearly defined remit, better support and a more honest conversation about what the organisation expects it to achieve. 

Here are four ways organisations can give employee networks the structure and support they need to work more effectively. 

 1. Start by getting clear on purpose

Many employee resource groups are expected to support workplace belonging, educate colleagues, advise the business and influence culture at the same time. Those aims can all be valid, but they require different activities and different routes for getting decisions made. 

Without clarity, a network can end up taking on too much. Members may get pulled into issues that sit outside the network’s role, while other concerns go unresolved because it is not clear who should deal with them. 

A useful ERG strategy should set out what the network is there to do, what it can influence and where its responsibility ends.  

In a recent project, we helped a global organisation create a practical playbook for its employee networks. With input from existing network leads and co-leads, it covered the key stages of starting, running and growing a network, with guidance and templates people could use. This gave employees a clearer structure to work from, while still leaving room for different needs across the organisation. 

2. Give volunteers proper support

Employee networks often depend on people fitting the work around already demanding roles. That might mean preparing an event after hours, answering messages between meetings or becoming the unofficial contact for colleagues who need support. 

Over time, a handful of committed volunteers can end up carrying the network. Others may step back because they cannot make the same time commitment, while those doing the most can feel their contribution is valued, but not properly supported. 

Volunteers need clear roles and practical help. That could mean agreed time for network activity, simple planning tools or access to communication support when a campaign needs specialist input.  

3. Make leadership support practical

A named executive sponsor can give an ERG visibility, but visibility alone does not move anything forward. Sponsors need to understand what members need from them, whether that means listening to difficult feedback, removing a barrier or helping an issue reach the right decision-maker. 

Clear, practical sponsor guidance can help leaders understand that role. There also needs to be a reliable communication route between sponsors and network leaders so that important issues do not have to wait for the next scheduled meeting. 

If network leaders only speak to sponsors once a quarter, concerns can stall. Over time, members may see little connection between speaking up and what happens next. 

4. Don’t put too much responsibility on the network

Employee resource groups can surface issues that senior teams might otherwise miss. They can bring employee voice into decisions, test ideas and help organisations understand how communication or workplace experiences are landing with different groups. 

But there are limits to what an ERG can address on its own, particularly when wider organisational issues also need attention. If underrepresented employees are expected to identify problems and then help fix them, too much of the responsibility can end up falling on the people most affected. 

Responsibility for addressing those issues needs to sit with the organisation. Inclusion communication can support that work by helping people understand how inclusion shows up in day-to-day behaviour, why it matters and what that means for how people work together. Wider culture and communication work can support that responsibility by helping employees understand expected behaviours, giving leaders a consistent way to talk about sensitive issues and turning concerns raised through networks into action across the organisation. 

See how we helped Brambles create more respectful and inclusive conversations across a global workforce.

If your employee networks are losing momentum or relying too heavily on volunteers, speak to us about creating the structure, communication and leadership support they need to help them work more effectively.