While workplace wellness programs can provide a significant boost to employees’ well-being, they require additional support to deliver optimal support. For instance, employee resources groups (ERGs) can give non-managerial workforce members a voice in the direction of company-wide programs. Therefore, employers who wish to improve their office’s wellness, productivity, and/or engagement should investigate and implement ERGs. They can further support such efforts with Givhero, a social wellness app that creates a shared platform for employees and management.
What Do Employee Resource Groups Do?
Run by and composed of employee volunteers, ERGs increase staff members’ engagement with their organization through means consistent with the organization’s values. Workers first congregate around a particular motive, idea, or value; for instance, employees at your organization may create a health and wellness committee. Once created, the group meets and furthers their shared interest. So, a wellness committee might develop and evaluate strategies, propose engagement initiatives and suggest alternatives to company initiatives.
Yet no matter their focus, ERGs should support or improve company culture. For example, since Millennials and Gen Zers like working for organizations that contribute to social wellness, a volunteering ERG can increase job satisfaction and strengthen employee engagement. It may also boost their organization’s recruitment efforts and improve its brand image.
What Are Some Employee Resource Group Examples?
While ERGs may center on shared interests and hobbies—such as cooking, reading, or exercising—these groups can also fulfill important organizational purposes. A diversity committee, for instance, can advocate for or increase a company’s inclusivity by promoting equitable measures and creating accessible opportunities.
The Givhero team sees particular value in mental health and wellness committees since many people who suffer from such issues struggle to talk about them. Such a group could help share their employer’s available resources—like HRAs and EAPs—and advise leadership on how to enhance those resources.
Do Employee Resource Groups Work?
Before investing materials and time into an ERG, employees and management will want to know whether these groups can fulfill their goals. Yet this determination hinges on their metrics of success. If employees simply want a group of peers to exercise with, they can do so with relative ease. But companies seeking to boost DEI or expand mental health resources will have other standards for success.
Today’s business sector leaders debate the merits of ERGs for company cultural diversity, but the Givhero team believes all organizations can benefit from them. No matter their focus, ERGs give employees opportunities to unite through shared interests beyond work. They can also help management create a more responsive and welcoming workplace. Best of all, ERGs can increase employee engagement and wellness.
What Makes a Good Company Wellness Program?
While ERGs contribute to effective wellness programs, they work best within larger organizational well-being efforts. Implementing a successful wellness program requires several steps, such as conducting assessments, enlisting management support, establishing wellness goals, and leveraging Givhero’s platform to create and manage wellness challenges.
Our team also believes gratitude can boost employee engagement and wellness efforts. Whether organizational leaders verbally thank employees for their work or surprise them with a meal and prizes, displays of gratitude strengthen a company’s culture and coworkers’ relationships.
Givhero’s corporate wellness platform also builds gratitude into its programming. When initial participants make progress on health and wellness objectives (such as daily active minutest, meditation session, or water consumption goal), the app notes their efforts and donates to a charity of their choice. In this way, Givhero uses intrinsic motivation to spur engagement and well-being efforts.
Use Employee Resource Groups to Boost Your Organization’s Well-Being
Create a happier and healthier workforce by adopting wellness program initiatives, encouraging staff to organize employee resource groups, and partnering with Givhero. Our digital wellness platform supports the implementation of workplace wellness initiatives as well as a diverse list of company ERGs, including well-being, community engagement, social responsibility, and DEI initiatives. Moreover, the app is fully automated and offers push notifications as well as challenge leaderboards. To learn more, call Givhero at (240) 801-5927 or schedule an appointment now.
