If you don’t work for a big corporation, you might wonder what an “ERG” is (I only knew before this week’s episode of Best of Both Worlds because they’re often the groups hiring me for speeches and workshops). An ERG is an “Employee Resource Group,” often created to provide support for specific groups of employees, especially those traditionally under-represented in the workplace.
Working parents (particularly women) are one such group, and a number of Best of Both Worlds listeners have found the resources and networking provided by such groups to be helpful. In this week’s episode of Best of Both Worlds, I interview two ERG experts: Sarah Johal of the Parents in Tech Alliance, and Lori Mihalich-Levin of the Working Parent Group Network and Mindful Return. Both offer advice for those who might be interested in leading, participating in, or even starting such groups in their workplaces. ERGs can be done well or less well, and can be more or less effective, so there are lots of practical tips for those looking to land on the “effective” side of the ledger.
In the Q&A we talk about a hot topic for this time of year: school lunch bags and containers. Please give the episode a listen!