Affinity Groups

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Building a workplace where every employee feels a genuine sense of belonging sometimes means creating intentional spaces for people to connect, find community, and support one another. These spaces are often called affinity groups or employee resource groups.

Such groups can be powerful tools for culture change when they are designed thoughtfully and driven by the employees who need them most.

The keyword is driven.

The most effective employee connection spaces emerge organically from employee interest, not from organizational mandate. Before launching any formal group, ask: is there a genuine appetite for this among staff? Is there budget? Who is asking for it? What do they actually need?

Before launching a group, get clear on its purpose

Consider what you actually want this group to do:

• Is this a community and social group?

  A place for employees to find connection, share experiences, and support one another outside of formal work tasks? If so, make sure employees understand that clearly. Do not quietly expect productivity from a group you have framed as an opportunity for community building. Let it be what it is.   

• Is this a working group with organizational tasks?

  If you are asking employees to review policies, support heritage month programming, advise on hiring practices, or contribute to culture strategy, that is meaningful organizational work, and it should be treated as such. It should happen during work hours, with dedicated time protected on people's calendars, and it should come with real resources: budget, staff support, and recognized as part of employees' professional contributions.

Let staff lead:

• The need for these spaces, and the form they take, should be driven by your employees, not prescribed by the organization.

• The most meaningful and durable employee connection spaces are ones that staff asked for, helped design, and feel genuine ownership over.

• Your role as an organization is to listen for that need, respond when it emerges, and resource it properly when it does. 

Think carefully about who these spaces are for:

• Affinity groups are generally designed for a group of people who share a common purpose, background, interest or identity. These spaces can provide genuine relief, community, and resilience for employees navigating additional workplace challenges every day. 

• It is worth noting that some organizations may feel internal or external pressure to open employee connection spaces to all staff rather than specific groups. This is a real dynamic, and it is worth thinking through before it becomes a reactive decision. 

• If your organization finds itself in that position, the most important thing you can do is return to purpose. What is this space actually designed to do? Who does it serve, and how? Spaces with vague or undefined goals are far more vulnerable to being reshaped in ways that undermine their original intent. It is important to ensure that any affinity groups and employee resource groups can withstand legal scrutiny and provide access for your employees. 

• If broader participation does become a reality, be transparent with staff about why it is happening, what it means for the group's focus, and how you will continue to protect the integrity of the space for those who need it most. Handling this with honesty and care will go a long way toward maintaining employee trust.