Employee resource groups are voluntary groups of employees who come together around a shared identity or experience, along with people who support them. In Minnesota state government, Minnesota Management and Budget coordinates enterprise ERGs that draw members from across agencies. MMB's guidelines describe them as collectives of employees who meet at least four times a year to support and learn from each other, and they organize their work around three principles: culture, which means connecting employees across the enterprise to foster an inclusive work environment; career development; and community building. MMB's ERG page lists groups such as Employees with Disabilities, Minnesota Employees of Asian Descent, Jewish Culture and Heritage, Parents At Work, Next Gen and MNclusive, a group for LGBTQIA+ employees, among others. The list changes over time, so check the current page.
A defining rule is open membership. The enterprise guidelines state that participation is open to all, including allies who support the group's mission, and the bylaws say a person who does not share the group's identity can be a full member by embracing its purpose and participating. That matters for a supervisor: no one should be asked to prove or disclose an identity to join, and no one should be turned away.
People sometimes use the phrase affinity space for a gathering designed around a shared experience, where people can speak without having to explain themselves. Some ERG events are planned that way, and that can be valuable. The practical balance is to design some events around shared experience while keeping membership in the group itself open, and to be clear in advance about what an event is for so people can choose.
It is equally important to know what ERGs are not. The guidelines state that enterprise ERGs may not be used to discuss, negotiate or bargain over terms and conditions of employment or to address grievances or labor disputes. Those belong to labor relations and the unions. ERGs are also not a complaint channel. Concerns about discrimination or harassment go to HR or the DHS Equal Opportunity and Access Division. And an ERG is not a substitute for formal processes like Tribal consultation or community engagement with the people DHS serves. It is a place for employee community, learning and development.
