What is an Affinity Group?
Affinity groups consist of a group of individuals who share common interests or identities.
In the workplace, these groups are commonly called employee resource groups (ERGs), employee groups, or business resource groups. Several affinity groups are often created by volunteers within an organization but are often formally sponsored and provided resources by an employer.
Affinity groups offer an opportunity for people to come together for mutual support and community, often focusing on underrepresented groups such as BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA or workers with disabilities. However, affinity groups can cater to diverse populations, including parents, caregivers and those interested in topics such as physical and mental health, among others. Here are three examples of prominent corporate affinity groups:
- Affinity Groups at Amazon are made up of a multitude of groups including people with disabilities, women in engineering and body positive peers. Amazon’s affinity groups are key to building internal networks, advising business units, leading service projects and engaging with local communities where employees live and work.
- Walmart’s Affinity Groups are the key to their business growth, especially when in comes to promoting inclusion. By encouraging a company culture where everyone feels included and supported, Walmart ensures that both employees and the company thrive.
- 3M’s Affinity Groups, known as Employee Resource Networks, support diverse employee communities, champion inclusion and enrich company culture. These networks offer employees opportunities to network, collaborate and enhance their leadership skills.
Affinity Groups in the Workplace
Workplace affinity groups are growing: The number of ERGs at companies rose more than 20 percent between 2021 and 2022. They are particularly popular among Fortune 500 companies, 90 percent of which have some form of these groups.
Similar to the benefits of ERGs, affinity groups also have an important organizational role to play. However those benefits are offered for both the company and employees.
For employees, the benefits of affinity groups include:
- A psychologically safe space for discussion, provide support and solidarity
- Professional development, share knowledge and mentoring opportunities
- A sense of community and belonging
- Higher visibility within the organization
- A vehicle for being heard by organizational leaders
Affinity groups can drive significant positive changes in a company. A Seramount survey found that affinity groups cultivate a sense of community and belonging, leading to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% decrease in turnover and a 75% reduction in sick days.
For organizations, affinity groups can help:
- Identify potential leaders
- Offer valuable feedback and perspectives
- Encourage a diverse, inclusive work environment
- Increase levels of engagement and loyalty, which can lead to higher retention
- Enable important conversations around identity and cultivate a culture of allyship
Are Affinity Groups Different from Employee Resource Groups?
The term “affinity group” is a broad definition that can include groups outside of the workplace. Employee resource groups and employee groups are work-based by definition, as are business resource groups. Companies commonly use any of these terms for their internal groups. For example, Amazon uses the term “affinity group,” Microsoft uses “employee resource group,” AT&T uses “employee group,” and Capital One uses “business resource group.”
Organizational subcultures have always existed in the workplace, formed by groups of people who get along and have a vested interest in each other. These groups share common values or experiences that differ from the dominant workplace culture. Employee resource groups (ERGs) are the most formal approach to this kind of fellowship. Affinity groups are less formal than ERGs, but some companies use the terms interchangeably and have rules to maintain their structure with leaders and members.
How to Start One at Your Organization
Launching any group will come with its challenges, but if you are planning to start an affinity group at your company, it’s a must to have a plan in place. It takes preparation and forethought to start a formal work group that will succeed in serving employees and the organization and thrive for years to come. Below are five tips to help you achieve your goal of successfully launching an affinity group.
Decide on Goals and Desired Results
A strong affinity group should be centered around clear goals that are easy to communicate to potential members and organizational leadership. The mission should answer questions such as: What do you want to achieve? What actions do you plan to take to reach the goal? What will accomplishing the goal look like for participants and the company as a whole?
Your goals will be unique to your population and the organization, but they could include:
- Creating a strong community
- Offering a safe space where members can share challenges and receive support
- Creating higher visibility for the group population and fostering allyship within the organization
- Working together to advocate for change
- Furthering professional knowledge, career development and experience
- Providing networking and mentoring opportunities
- Deepening personal relationships among employees
- Increasing engagement
Identifying how progress will be measured is key as well. Your goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) from the beginning. This will make it much easier to identify your KPIs and plan how those will be evaluated and shared.
Laying out a clear vision of the group’s purpose and desired results creates a strong anchor for its establishment and growth, acting as a guiding star for the group and company leadership.
Assembling Resources for Your Affinity Groups
Creating and supporting affinity groups within your organization is essential for fostering a sense of community and belonging for all employees. By assembling the right resources, you can empower these groups to thrive, support underrepresented employees and drive meaningful change. Below are some tools and strategies needed to build and sustain effective affinity groups.
Senior Leadership Buy-in
After you’ve defined your affinity group’s mission and best practices, it’s time to gather the resources you need to make it run. One of the most important resources is people—starting with company leadership. Ideally, you’ll be able to find a senior leader who’s willing to act as a sponsor to your group. This can help you gain crucial buy-in and support at the corporate level, which can make a huge difference in your group’s visibility and viability. You’ll also need to gather the people who will make up your group’s leadership team.
Funding
Securing funding is vital for your affinity group’s success. Plan how you’ll finance expenses, such as through membership fees or sponsorships. Establish clear financial management and accountability to ensure funds are managed effectively and transparently.
Space & Supplies
Choosing a suitable location for meetings and events, and getting essential supplies like furniture and audio-visual equipment, ensures your group is well-prepared from the outset. Taking care of these details ensures a smooth beginning and sets the stage for productive group activities and discussions.
Software
Managing a small affinity group initially involves using tools like Excel and email with one administrator. As the group grows, efficient tracking and scaling become essential. ERG software simplifies these tasks, helping you manage effectively without becoming overwhelmed, and ensuring your group operates smoothly as it expands.
DIY Project
Initially, your affinity group might begin as a DIY (Do It Yourself) effort, where creativity is key in the early stages. Over time and with increased membership, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of your group’s needs and gather additional resources to support your activities. As your experience grows, you’ll refine your approach and develop more effective strategies for sustaining and expanding your group’s impact.
Plan Out Your Structure
Before your group’s official start, you’ll need to flesh out the details of how the group will be run. Choosing roles and responsibilities for leaders is an important step so that everyone understands their responsibilities, obligations and best practices. The number and type of roles will vary with each group and those roles may need to grow and change along with the group.
Then there’s the day-to-day of meetings and events: Determining where you’ll meet, for how long and how often. You’ll also want to come up with a plan for meetings, including who will run them, the format and which types of activities members will participate in. Depending on the group’s goals, these can range from informal social hours to group discussions, presentations, outside speakers, get-to-know-you exercises and much more. Meeting formats and content should evolve as members’ needs and preferences become clear over time.
Recruit Members
You’ve defined your mission, enlisted leaders and sponsors, and gathered resources. Now, you need the most important element: members! To encourage people to join, use a multipronged approach. While word of mouth is crucial, also leverage various online and offline channels. Utilize official company media like employee websites, newsletters and social media to reach your target audience and invite them to join. Traditional methods, such as posters in break rooms, can also be effective. Ensure your campaign clearly communicates the group’s mission and membership benefits.
Anticipate Pushback and Be Transparent
You most likely will face roadblocks on your way to establishing a strong, successful affinity group. You may get pushback from fellow leaders, members or your organization when you seek its support. Having a strong mission statement and being specific about the benefits to members and the company can help forestall initial objections.
Transparency is also key. Stakeholders should be able to easily access fundamental information about the group, including its mission, membership, leadership and roles, financials and structure. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) should be measured regularly and progress metrics shared openly.
It’s also important to listen to feedback and remain open to dialogue. An affinity group should be a collaborative project that changes as needed to serve the interests of everyone involved.
Get Software Support for Your Affinity Groups
Affinity groups offer big benefits to companies and employees—but they can also be a lot of work to create and maintain. Chronus ERG Management Software provides automation and centralized management to streamline affinity group administration. Chronus provides a unified platform for managing tasks such as:
- Launching and growing affinity groups
- Storing, updating and analyzing data
- Communication with members and among group leaders
- Event planning and organization
- Tracking metrics such as attendance and engagement
- Professional development and mentoring program support
Chronus ERG software simplifies the management of affinity groups by consolidating data and processes into a single platform. It ensures a cohesive experience for all members throughout the company and facilitates easy tracking of progress. Moreover, the software seamlessly integrates with popular tools like Microsoft Teams and Slack, enabling participants to stay connected effortlessly. By reducing administrative burdens, Chronus empowers leaders and managers to focus on optimizing the impact and benefits of their affinity groups.
Learn more about how Chronus can help you make the most out of your affinity groups.
