The Power of Employee Resource Groups: How People Create Authentic Change

by Farzana Nayani

This is the first authoritative book on building employee resource groups (ERGs) to empower underrepresented employees and positively impact DEI efforts within organizations and in society at large.

Originating out of affirmative action policies, employee resource groups have evolved into powerful sources of employee activity and engagement that organizations have leveraged to support business goals. But ERGs can play a critical role in creating a more inclusive and just world while serving company interests.

This book focuses on both how to manage ERGs effectively and why organizations should pay close attention to these groups as a source for innovation, belonging, feedback, and direction on tough issues and new company initiatives. It was Black and female ERG leaders who surfaced DEI problems at Uber and Google, and Asian ERGs helped Coca-Cola roll out a supply chain change to convenience store owners. Participating in an ERG could also help professionals of color advance their careers and increase diverse representation in leadership. Farzana Nayani provides foundational tools for starting ERGs and outlines the 5 Ps—purpose, people, processes, planning, and priorities—needed to successfully operate them.

Unlike other ERG handbooks, this book is people-centric and socially conscious instead of being purely technical or existing in a vacuum. It also serves as a deeper call to action around how, with more effective ERGs, we can truly progress toward the DEI goals that we are all setting out to accomplish.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership

168 pages, Paperback

Published May 24, 2022

About the author

Farzana Nayani is a recognized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist, business and strategy coach, and international keynote speaker. She has worked with Fortune 500 corporations, public agencies, higher education institutions, school districts, and non-profit organizations as a consultant and trainer on diversity and inclusion, intercultural communication, supplier diversity, and employee engagement.
Farzana’s advisory work with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), small business advocacy, and entrepreneurship, and racial equity & inclusion has taken her to engagements across North America, from the White House to Silicon Valley. Farzana’s expertise has been featured in media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, DiversityInc, Parents magazine, NPR, the Washington Post, Marie Claire, and the LA Times. Her book Raising Multiracial Children: Tools for Nurturing Identity in a Racialized World with North Atlantic Books was released in 2020 and distributed by Penguin Random House. Her upcoming book The Power of Employee Resource Groups: How People Create Authentic Change will be released in Spring 2022. For more information visit: www.farzananayani.com

Reviews

[Rodney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect guidebook for anyone just starting out in creating a new ERG and even for those with an established ERG but who are struggling with growth and sustainability. Farzana helps the ERG founders and leadership teams avoid reinventing the wheel. Farzana guides the reader through the steps and helps define the process in ways anyone can follow and succeed. She shows the dynamic movement throughout the various stages of ERG growth and addresses the common issues they face. This book is a treasure trove of knowledge Farzana is sharing, and this book should be in the hands of all ERG leadership teams, be they on the local office or remote level up to the Global Leadership team level. It has been a privilege and honor to work with Farzana on the ERGs in Motion model developed by Jimmy Hua and myself for the Asian Leaders Alliance. 10/10

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for work after taking on leadership role in corporate LGBTQ+ ERG- this did a good job breaking down the key actions ERGs can take to be successful, and the discussion questions in each chapter were great for looking critically at what my group has done so far. Really helpful, especially for people without an HR background who are stepping in to these types of leadership roles.

[Sarah Faron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid read on the importance and potential of ERGs. I stand by my statement that parts of this book should be mandatory reading for all ERG leaders, but it did restate a lot of things I already knew (albeit, that may be more of a comment on the advanced stage of ERGs at JSC than a weakness of the book itself). Would definitely read another book by this author.

[K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a free copy from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program and think that it interesting. I would recommend it to everyone.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate Nayani sharing her knowledge and experience in this book and recommend it to people involved with ERGs everywhere.

[Theodore Kinni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed book here: https://www.strategy-business.com/art...

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read for anyone involved in an ERG, especially anyone in a leadership role. Nayani gives real examples and offers tangible solutions.

[Emily Rosén · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good foundation for ERGs