Robert Rodriguez - Employee Resource Group Excellence

And so here we are, from my humble beginnings as the son of Mexican American migrant workers raised in Minnesota, to my struggles with my Hispanic identity and being perceived as inauthentic, to eventually joining and becoming a leader of employee resource groups. All this led me to where I am today, which is arguably being considered one of the nation's top experts on employee resource groups. This book seeks to capture all my experience working with employee resource groups, as well as the findings from studying and researching ERGs. This knowledge will be supplemented throughout the book with real‐life examples of employee resource groups that convey excellence. Add to this my trained academics eye for noticing underlying theoretical foundations and the nation's largest collection of ERG data analytics obtained through my 4C ERG Assessment TM, and this book is sure to provide unique insights and strategies aimed at elevating ERG impact and performance.

In considering the arc of this book, in Part 1 we'll first explore the current state of employee resource groups before talking about common ERG derailers before celebrating ERG leaders. From there, the book transitions into Part 2, which includes a deep dive on the 4C Model and the 4C ERG Assessment, two of my inventions and things I consider to be my gift back to the employee resource group community. We will explore each of the 4C (career, community, culture, commerce) pillars in great detail and outline how they contribute to employee resource group excellence. The book culminates with Part 3, which focuses on ERG solutions and strategies and ends with what I call the ERG Excellence Manifesto.

My goal is that this book will trigger a new way of thinking about ERGs. I look forward to providing a roadmap that leads all employee resource groups toward excellence.

The aspirations for this book are not meek, nor are they muted. The purpose of this book is to help employee resource groups (ERGs) achieve excellence. Every company that has approached me to help with their ERGs wants to know how to get them to perform at their best and with distinction. This book intends to inform these efforts.

In today's polarized world, employee resource groups are now more necessary than ever. The work of ERGs is too important, and the need is too great, for them not to perform at their best. My experience with employee resource groups goes back 30 years to my first jobs in corporate America back in the early 1990s. Ever since, my relationship with employee resource groups has evolved and matured and resulted in having a much more textured understanding of, and appreciation for, all the great things employee resource groups provide.

This personal journey with employee resource group includes being an ERG member, an ERG leader, running ERG consortiums, conducting research on ERGs, establishing contests to identify “best‐in‐class” ERGs, helping companies launch ERGs, serving as a judge to determine the top ERGs in the country, writing ERG white papers, and helping ERG to pivot on their strategy and so on. It is without any hesitation that when it comes to employee resource groups, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. This extensive experience uniquely positions me to write this book – see Table 1.1.

Companies ranging from Amazon to Zillow have all asked me to help with their ERGs. Working with large companies, like Walmart, and small companies, like Zebra Technologies, has given me a unique perspective of ERGs that is not matched by many others. Seeing these groups operate in every industry allows me to take a step back to notice ERG trends, observe best practices, identify key derailers, and hear the discourse associated with these groups. This puts me in a very privileged position. My academic training, including a doctorate in organization development, helps in the analysis of how employee resource groups operate within their larger organizational systems.

This book intends to share these lessons learned and insights. In doing so, the goal is to further help organizations create the conditions that nurture ERG success. For ERG leaders and ERG members, this book will help you create ERGs that have a holistic impact on your members, the company, and the broader community.

I'm sure that most readers of this book work at organizations that have a diversity and inclusion (D&I) mission statement. Some are short but effective: “To create, nurture and sustain a global, inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our customers and employees.” Others are a bit more elaborate: “As both a global and local business, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values and is an important part of our company's success. For us, creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is not only the right thing to do – it is a strategic business priority that fosters greater creativity, innovation and connection to the communities we serve.”

Table 1.1 Dr. Robert Rodriguez Partial List of ERG Consulting Clients (2017–2021)

Dr. Robert Rodriguez Partial List of ERG Consulting Clients (2017–2021)

But regardless of whether the diversity and inclusion mission statements are short or long, the message is the same. Everyone benefits from having a diverse employee population who feel included in the organization. This synopsis of common mission statements puts employees at the very core of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. So, in my opinion, employee resource groups must be at the very heart of any effort to improve the workplace from a diversity and inclusion perspective.

You see, every company says, “Employees are our most important asset,” yet few rarely act as if this is true. Embracing and nurturing groups that are run by employees (a company's most important asset) to drive diversity and inclusion (a company's strategic priority) to promote equity (a company value) just goes to show why employee resource groups are critical. Given the important role ERGs play, it is no wonder they are prolific within organizations. Yet, it is still astonishing that ERGs are still mostly treated as a simple tool in the D&I toolbox, as opposed to being the very essence and manifestation of diversity and inclusion itself.

Why is the pursuit of ERG excellence so important? First consider the current environment of today's organizations. Companies are having to adapt to a workplace that has an increasingly diverse and global employee population. This diverse workforce demands inclusive work environments. Employee resource groups help to create these inclusive environments.