What is an affinity group diversity?
In a nutshell, an affinity group—also called an employee resource group (ERG)—is a group of employees with similar backgrounds, interests, or demographic factors such as gender or ethnicity. Affinity groups can take many forms, such as women’s leadership groups, religious groups, LGBTQ groups, or caregiver groups.
What are examples of affinity groups?
Examples of affinity groups include women in the workplace, LGBTQ+ matters, and any other group based on a common set of interests. Private employers are not required by federal law to have workplace affinity groups.
Why are affinity groups important?
An affinity group provides a “safe space” in which its members can explore issues of shared identity and experience and affirm their emotional and intellectual responses to being part of a distinct sub-set of the community.
How do you define affinity group?
Affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups (ERGs), bring together employees with similar backgrounds or interests and can have a powerful influence in the workplace. Employers that have, or are exploring establishing, affinity groups, though, must consider several legal and practical issues.
How do you facilitate an affinity group?
Guidelines for Facilitators of Racial Affinity Groups Invest time and energy in building personal connections between participants. Facilitators should search for meeting spaces which are warm, welcoming, and private. Administrators should not require any staff person to be a facilitator.
Are affinity groups discrimination?
The court held that the employer’s refusal to grant affinity group status to the employee’s proposed Christian group did not constitute religious discrimination because the program treated all groups with religious positions equally.
How do you establish an affinity group?
How to start an affinity group at work
- Set a clear goal.
- Identify your supporters.
- Pitch your group.
- Use your resources to your advantage.
- Structure your meetings.
- Decide who will do what.
- Open up your group to remote members.
- Be aware of the possibilities and limitations of the workplace.
Are affinity groups discriminatory?
Because affinity groups are often based on protected characteris- tics such as race, sex, age, or disability, employers must proceed with caution. Dealing with affinity groups brings an inherent risk of violat- ing laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of protected charac- teristics.
What do you do in an affinity group meeting?
getting to know each other, 2.) a discussion about issues and social action, and 3.) a discussion about the group itself – whether it will continue, and if so, what’s next. You might not want to do all of the listed activities, but you’ll probably want to do cover each of these broad categories in some way.
How do I run affinity group at school?
TOP 10: How to Facilitate an Affinity Group
- Find a co-facilitator.
- Consider the physical space and how the group is advertised.
- Plan ahead.
- Start with conversational norms and a statement of belonging.
- Invite everyone to introduce themselves.
- Be prepared to participate…but not too much.
- Be a visible leader.
How do you manage affinity groups?
The Guide How Do You Start an Affinity Group at Work?
- Have a Goal in Mind.
- Find Your Allies.
- Make Your Case.
- Work With the Resources You Have.
- Outline What Your Meetings Will Look Like.
- Assign Roles.
- Don’t Forget to Be Remote-Inclusive.
- Understand What You Can (and Can’t) Do in the Workplace.
Should affinity groups be exclusive?
Affinity groups are only “exclusive” in order to create a safe space for people who may not feel safe in the larger community because they are in the numerical minority. During affinity group meetings, people can share freely and without inhibition about their experiences.