In 2023, a survey conducted by AARP and S&P Global revealed that nearly 80% of family caregivers have difficulty balancing their work and caregiving responsibilities. Almost 30% of those surveyed have either shifted from full-time to part-time work or reduced their hours. Additionally, 32% have either turned down a promotion or temporarily stopped working altogether. These statistics are significant, and we can expect the number of working family caregivers to continue to rise.
According to data from the Family Caregiving Alliance, over 50% of family caregivers are employed full-time. This number is projected to increase due to an aging baby boomer population, more people living longer with chronic conditions, and rising rates of children born with special needs. It’s important to recognize that caregiving isn’t just about adult children caring for aging or chronically ill parents; it also includes spouses assisting partners with health conditions and parents caring for children with special needs. Creating a supportive work culture for employees who are family caregivers can help address many challenges that employers face, such as absenteeism and turnover. The Council on Aging reports that employees lose up to $3 trillion annually in wages and benefits due to caregiving responsibilities, while employers incur losses of $17-33 billion related to absenteeism and employee turnover. One potential solution is to establish an Employee Resource Group (ERG) for working family caregivers.
What are ERGs?
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) originated in the 1960s, with the first official ERG being the "National Black Employee Caucus," established at Xerox in response to racial tensions in the workplace, led by CEO Joseph Wilson. ERGs have evolved from a focus primarily on race and ethnicity to providing spaces for marginalized communities to connect and share experiences. Today, they encompass a broader range of identities and interests, actively contributing to business strategy by promoting diversity, inclusion, and talent development within companies. Ultimately, ERGs foster an environment and culture that creates community and encourages engagement in the company's mission and vision.
A 2021 Salesforce study found that 91% of companies that connected ERGs with company culture reported a positive impact, and more than 50% observed benefits in recruitment, retention, and participation in HR focus groups. Supporting your most valuable assets—your employees—can yield significant dividends for your company's bottom line. If you're ready to take the next step or want to discuss this with the relevant department at your workplace, below are steps to help you create an Employee Resource Group for Working Family Caregivers in your organization.
Framework:
Gather employee input
Conduct surveys, focus groups, or meetings to understand employee needs, interests, and potential ERG topics to ensure the groups are relevant and valuable.
Align with company goals:
Clearly define how ERG initiatives will contribute to the company's strategic objectives, such as employee engagement, employee connectivity, or DEI.
Establish leadership structure:
Identify and appoint dedicated leaders for each ERG, including roles like co-chairs, committee members, and communication leads, to ensure efficient operation.
Develop a charter:
Create a document outlining the ERG's mission, objectives, membership criteria, leadership roles, and planned activities.
Secure executive sponsorship:
Gain support from senior leadership to provide resources, visibility, and advocacy for ERGs.
Provide necessary resources:
Allocate budget for events, training, communication tools, and other support needed for ERG activities.
Promote participation:
Actively communicate the ERG program to all employees through various channels, including company intranet, email, and town halls.
Foster a collaborative environment:
Encourage cross-ERG collaboration and joint initiatives to address intersectional issues and build a more inclusive culture.
Plan diverse activities:
Organize events, workshops, mentoring programs, networking opportunities, and educational sessions that cater to different interests and needs.
Gather feedback and adapt:
Regularly collect feedback from members to assess ERG effectiveness and make necessary adjustments to programs and initiatives.
Measure impact:
Track key metrics like member engagement, event attendance, and positive impacts on employee satisfaction and retention to demonstrate the value of ERGs
Best Practices for Sustaining ERGs:
Communicate The Group’s Purpose Companywide
Make sure you communicate your new employee resource group and its purpose companywide. This will raise awareness while helping to improve participation rates. Once it’s established, be sure to provide regular updates via multiple channels to reach as many employees as possible. Showcasing highlights and achievements will also encourage other employees (current and new) to join.
Provide Necessary Training and Resources
While passion and lived experiences often drive participation, running an ERG effectively requires skills like strategic planning, volunteer management and event coordination. Provide leaders with training, meeting playbooks, engagement tools and other resources to ensure their success, and reinforce your commitment to their sustainability and success.
Create An Annual Plan
ERGs should create annual plans to help focus their efforts from year to year. These plans should leverage critical elements of a traditional business plan, including marketing, communications, programming and financial resources. It is much easier for an ERG to assess their impact with a guiding post like an annual plan.
Leverage Technology for Connection and Collaboration
In a hybrid workforce, technology is the backbone for ERG operations. Tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Slack help organize workflows and facilitate communication. They can also make communication more accessible. For example, video captions and real-time transcription enable colleagues who speak different languages to participate, and recorded meetings allow people from a variety of time zones to watch asynchronously. Additionally, maintaining a collaborative digital space enables members to share information, collaborate on projects, and access resources like event schedules, policy updates, and recorded training sessions.
If you would like to learn more about how to set up your organization's framework check out, The ERG Movement
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