Multi-Cultural Office Staff Sitting Having Meeting Together

4 Steps to Starting an Employee Resource Group

Posted On August 18, 2021 By Nicole Klemp In Blog Articles, Professional Development /  

An Employee Resource Group (ERG) is a voluntary, employee-led group that aligns with a company’s mission and helps foster a safe and supportive working environment and professional development opportunities for specific groups of employees. ERGs are important to the creation of more inclusive workplace cultures. 

As Aiko Bethea writes in the Harvard Business Review: “Typically organized around a shared identity, such as race, gender, age, or mental health, they serve as a haven of belonging, offering a space for underrepresented employees to find one another, stave off a sense of isolation, and experience a reprieve from the daily aggressions they’ve endured at work.” 

Many companies today have active ERGs, but since they’re employee-led groups, it’s not a given that your company has any, or, that they cater to your specific demographic or interest. If you’d like to be part of a group that doesn’t currently exist in your organization, why not start one! 

Here are four steps along with some handy tips from the experts for getting your ERG off the ground.

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How to Start a Corporate Social Responsibility Program

Posted On August 11, 2021 By Nicole Klemp In Blog Articles, Professional Development /  

More and more companies are beginning to take notice of the importance of social responsibility today, and are realizing how much it matters to both their employees and customers. While many larger companies do offer some form of corporate giving or philanthropy, many organizations still don’t have a formal program in place, and lack any kind of employee-led initiatives.

If your organization doesn’t provide any formal opportunities for volunteering or charitable giving, have you ever thought about taking the initiative to start a program yourself? Some of the best corporate programs were originally started by an employee who wanted to make a difference.

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Finding Purpose and Engagement at Work

Posted On August 4, 2021 By Nicole Klemp In Blog Articles, Professional Development /  

Most of us will spend about a third of our lives at work. (That’s literally thousands of Monday mornings.) So being engaged and passionate about what we do can really impact our quality of life. 

Your ideal job should give you a feeling of purpose and allow you to engage in interesting work with people you like (or can at least tolerate) and bosses that respect you and treat you well. If one or more of those factors aren’t hitting the mark, you could be at risk for disengagement.

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Preparing for the Future of Work

Posted On July 28, 2021 By Nicole Klemp In Blog Articles, Professional Development /  

Over the last few decades, the way people work has been evolving and changing, fueled by technological advancements in automation, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and innovations around the way we receive goods and services — all of which has only been accelerated by the pandemic.  

These new innovations have forced companies to rethink the way they operate and how they structure their work, creating new opportunities for some, and unfortunately, eliminating jobs for others. 

While change can be messy (and often frustrating when you’re in the thick of it), it can also lead to exciting new opportunities and personal growth. It’s up to today’s business leaders to focus on getting people the education and training they need for this new future of work, and it’s up to all of us to keep learning and developing new skills so we can meet the moment.

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5 Professional Development Books to Read This Summer

Posted On July 21, 2021 By Nicole Klemp In Blog Articles, Professional Development /  

Summer is in full swing, and whether you’re planning to do some traveling or just spend time relaxing at home, there’s nothing like a good book to keep you company. If it’s a book that might also provide some professional guidance or personal inspiration, even better. 

We recently shared 5 Great Business Podcasts for Your Summer Vacation, so now, let’s get into a little something for the readers out there. (Most of these books come in an audio version, so you could still pop on those headphones if that’s more your speed.) So whether you’re laying by the pool, sitting out on your deck with the squirrels, or pretending to pay attention at your kid’s next soccer game, here are five (not-boring) professional development books to check out.

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