Employee resource groups (ERGs) have experienced booming popularity in recent years.

Four in 10 employers reported having ERGs as of 2021, according to Sequoia, as did 90% of Fortune 500 companies by the end of 2022, per McKinsey. Despite this, many operate without the resources they need to succeed. Underfunding is a pervasive issue: In 2022, 21% of ERGs operated with zero budget, according to DE&I consultancy The Rise Journey, and 17% had a budget of $5,000 to $10,000.

But leadership buy-in can be critical to success, ERG experts have previously told HR Brew.

Here’s how Vanice Hayes, chief people, culture, and inclusion officer at Dell Technologies, found success with her company’s 13 ERGs. At the Workhuman Live conference on April 16, she shared with a room of roughly 100 HR pros how C-suite support helped Dell’s ERGs achieve a 52% participation rate among the company’s 120,000 global employees.

Michael Dell, the tech company’s CEO, requires each of his direct reports to serve as an executive sponsor of an ERG, Hayes said. The presence of these senior execs makes employees feel seen and heard.

“When you have someone working for Michael who’s leading an ERG…it makes a team member feel excited, valued, and able to get visibility to leaders they might not necessarily get visibility to,” she said.

Hayes added that this support has had a trickle-down effect on other company leaders: Those who aren’t required to participate in ERGs often ask her how to get involved.

“I oftentimes have executives come to me, like ‘Okay, where can you plug me in?’ So I say to them…Be visible, be willing to step in, and help team members where they need help,” she said. “Everyone who participates, whether they identify with the community or whether they’re an ally, always feels safe to be their authentic selves.”

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