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Maybe your ERG needs a budget, maybe it needs more members, maybe it needs an executive sponsor. Or maybe you need more time, maybe you need to feel better supported by your manager about the time you spend with your ERG, maybe you need to feel like the company believes in what you’re doing.

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Maybe there’s an opportunity for a mentorship program or a customer event that celebrates Black fashion. Maybe the opportunity is for your ERG to recruit more from retail or for your leads to be recognized by their managers for this work.

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1. ERG
2. Company
3. Self

I’m a member of a Black Women and Nonbinary ERG at the ACLU and I might say as an ERG we need to improve in hosting events-- we don’t do enough of that, as an organization we need to improve how we promote Black women-- we definitely don’t do enough of that, and individually, I need to improve the way I step up in meetings. I focus so much on giving others the mic that I forget to talk at all sometimes.

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Maybe you’re bringing deep passion to this work, maybe you have great ideas, maybe you’re an event planner. Or maybe you have a manager that’s cheering you on, maybe you're coming off the high of a fundraising drag show or feeling seen and supported by your co-leads.

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1. ERG
2. Company
3. Self

I’m going to give an example again and this time I’m going to tell you about an ERG leader from a caregiving ERG who did this. And she said- she expects her ERG to advocate for alternative hours for parents, she expects her company to rethink policies when it comes to caregiving leave, and she expects herself to ask at least one other caregiver each month to join a meeting.

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balancing the intersection of the urgency and the journey

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someone ERG leads can bounce ideas off of, and turn to in a time of crisis, who can advise from their experience

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c suite to listen to the employees

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Steve Madden should introduce the ERG support team to the company. Additional internal opportunities to meet with the group.

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Steve Madden should introduce the ERG support team to the company. Additional internal opportunities to meet with the group.

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more members
more time (from regular work) to advance erg goals

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create more volunteering opportunities for people to be able to participate 

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create more volunteering opportunities for people to be able to participate 

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to maximize our impact and as proof that the company is really invested in this work

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Members that believe the company will actually change 

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Members that believe the company will actually change 

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tangible: members, often hard to find consistent physical space as offices are crowded, multiple meetings /happenings going on
intangible:: morale, time, space

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from the company and from leaders, to help build membership and general support for ERGs

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better pathways to being promoted and unrecognized

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more advancement and leadership opportunities that have diversity

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more advancement and leadership opportunities that have diversity

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as we continue to grow internally we can grow our overall impact for various issues-think bigger! More ERG groups?

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some managers resent the amount of time employees devote to ERG work, even when it doesn't impact their 9-5. more support from these managers would encourage others to engage

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2. communicate encouragement to attend
3. be an individual volunteer/supporter

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Actual support from the company

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2. more members then allies
3. Patience

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1. more focus on recruiting
2. show value/incentive (time, $)
3. prioritize time for rest w/o distraction. necessary to be able to continue the work

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Inspire the Steve Madden community to feel that we are one. This will increase community, work environment and productivity.

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1. More support to Co-Leads (and I'm not a co-lead just an observer that they need support) + figure out fun ways to connect with groups

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1. More support to Co-Leads (and I'm not a co-lead just an observer that they need support) + figure out fun ways to connect with groups

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2. To listen and DO important issues the ERG's bring up (pay equity/gap, etc.)
3. Need to listen better, volunteer more

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support in creating a schedule and determining when/how to host events

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1. plan events with a schedule
2. communicate with employees
3. self-educate on these opportunities

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communication from senior leadership and managers throughout the company that this is important work that they support

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energy, community, support

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1. growth and change takes time but the small actions are important too
2. consistent outward messaging/mktg. create the feeling that our ERG and our company's support of these groups/work is not temporary.
3. be more cautious of commitment, what is realistic w/ the time I have to give. Ensure I am being intentional w/ my time as a whole (personal, work, ERG)

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moments of joy

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other people fuel me. I always hear stories of how my colleagues feel or things that happen to them that made them feel a certain way. that strengthens me to keep advocating for myself and others 

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other people fuel me. I always hear stories of how my colleagues feel or things that happen to them that made them feel a certain way. that strengthens me to keep advocating for myself and others 

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I've been hearing "mentorship" a lot lately, but how does it become a program? Or is it really up to the individual to create connections?

Is there a true network?

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...who don't fit the mold of who has traditionally held positions of power in this organization ...

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As a team we need to make ourselves known to our coworkers and let them know what we have volunteer for. In order to be recognized we will need the company support on communicating the companies initiative and why we are building a ERG for. For myself I would like to further learn how I can help my community.

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support from company leaders to ensure ERG leaders can lead

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working together with others who want to make positive change is empowering

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having tough conversations

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actually having those tough conversations, without being bulldozed by the other person's opinions

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for our colleagues to be better humans

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ppl to speak up when they see something, feel strongly about something

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For madden to get with the times and be more open to the changes in ppl lives and flexibility 

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For madden to get with the times and be more open to the changes in ppl lives and flexibility 

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2. to make positive changes for ppl with the ERG
3. To be acknowledged of all the hard work and how I support the company and be compensated

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manager training - how to be coaches and mentors to employees

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manager training - how to be coaches and mentors to employees

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formalized training program

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in and outside the company

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great ERG Leaders (*not an ERG lead :)
keep doing the work
knowing that anything we do is SOMETHING and if we continue, we'll make improvements for everyone

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Loyalty to the company, passion for a sense of community, leadership, love to further develop my coworkers.

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to voice your opinions without consequence

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balancing the urgency and the journey

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as fuel for the labor necessary for success

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Support one another. Would like to see the company acknowledged the team. To further learn and help my community grow

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and the recognition that everyone is on a path and the company is to

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2. LISTEN and DO!
2.

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1. Set goals and report achievements on a regular basis

2. Support ERGs through funding, promotion, and attendance by senior leaders

3. Ask for help, don’t burn out