Employee Resource Groups (or ERGs for short), are forged around shared identities. They’re sometimes known as affinity groups or diversity groups, and are meant to build community and a sense of belonging among its members. ERGs contribute to personal and professional development, too—making them important in having an inclusive company culture for many organizations.

There are different ways to support ERG efforts within an organization, from executive sponsorship to supplying time and resources for ERG volunteer efforts. Of course, one of our favorite ways revolves around gifting! Below, we’ve listed some ways to leverage gifting within your wider employee engagement strategy and support ERGs within your company in a meaningful way.

Aligning Corporate Swag With ERGs

One way to support ERGs is by tying in corporate gift sets that align with the missions of individual ERGs. For example, many businesses have a giving back component, with partial proceeds from gifts going directly to different charitable organizations. By finding businesses that support organizations in line with ERGs, not only does your company directly support the same initiatives that your ERGs stand for, but your broader company culture becomes more inclusive as well.

This way, you’re not only broadcasting support internally, but also broadcasting it out to clients and prospects who receive your corporate swag, and extending the mission of various ERGs in the process!

Highlighting Holidays Aligned with ERGs

Another way to support ERGs is by highlighting holidays that are related to different ERGs within your organization. It’s also a great way to get the entire company involved, build awareness around ERGs, and celebrate meaningful occasions, too!

There are so many holidays, and even awareness holiday months, that can relate to various ERGs—from Pride Month, to Black History Month, to Hispanic Heritage Month, and more. Consider celebrating these days and months, along with honoring ERGs with thoughtful gifts on those days. (Warning: Don't miss out on incorporating a personal touch when you do and be sure to highlight data that proves the company is acting in a way in line with the sentiment of the holiday.)

Providing Needed Resources

Candidly, it’s much harder to retain traditionally marginalized groups at companies than their overrepresented counterparts for a variety of reasons. These reasons include but are not limited to unconscious bias, exclusivity in the work environment and the lack of growth and opportunities that are a consequence of the former. ERGs provide support to their members internally, but there are also steps you can take to consciously make a difference and support underrepresented employees.

Working with ERGs and understanding that more resources are needed can make a big difference in retaining some of your company’s most underrepresented employees, beyond compensation and evaluating internal practices. Think of it this way—corporate swag is used as a touch point to connect and ensure rendition of clients. Doing this with internal teams leads to the same outcomes. It all comes down to conveying appreciation and value.