We went along to an employee resource group showcase by Liberty IT employees, who are part of groups with themes ranging from Pride to education.
Great Place to Work defines an employee resource group (ERG) as a “voluntary, employee-led group whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organisation it serves”.
ERGs have their roots in social justice movements, and that’s why you’ll see a lot of modern workplaces with ERGs set up by employees who share an identity or interest, whether that’s sexual orientation or an interest in education outreach. Really, ERGs can be based on anything, even as vague a premise as enjoying a good time.
At least, that’s what we discovered recently when we went along to an ERG-themed open day held at The Portershed in Galway. The event was organised by Liberty IT.
In a room at the back of The Portershed’s newest building, Liberty IT employees kitted out in matching canary yellow t-shirts and warm smiles gathered to tell anyone interested about their ERGs and what they stand for.
Not all workers get involved with ERGs – and that’s okay. The beauty of them is that they are not compulsory, therefore they are more likely to attract people who genuinely care about whatever cause the group is promoting.
Socialising in Galway, promoting wellbeing and more
We spoke to some workers who, as part of their Galway social committee branch, regularly organise out-of-office-hours get-togethers featuring pizzas, films, bowling and, more recently, a ukulele concert at Galway music pub, Róisín Dubh.
Staff members of all ages and backgrounds join in the fun, they said, adding that it was particularly good for newcomers to Galway to make friends within the company.
Other ERGs have more defined goals, such as encouraging more young people into STEM. I spoke to one Liberty IT employee who said that education and outreach is so important for IT professionals like himself to be involved in. The STEM ERG visits local schools and tells students what a techie does all day. Often, the kids are surprised, he told us.
Another young worker told us about his experience as part of the health and wellbeing ERG, which promotes internal policies on things like the right to disconnect and being open about mental and physical health.
Overseeing all the day’s events was Liberty IT’s Galway site lead Darren Muldoon. When Liberty first announced its Galway expansion last summer, one of the things Muldoon spoke about was his goal to create a diverse and inclusive workforce.
In Belfast, where Liberty IT has a long-established office, Muldoon led the company’s Pride committee. He has clearly taken that experience with him; there was a table festooned with pride flags signalling that Liberty IT Galway has its very own Pride committee.
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