16 Best Employee Resource Group Ideas for 2023

Here is our list of the best employee resource group ideas.

Employee resource group ideas are activities and games that educate employees about the importance and impact of employee resource groups. These experiences help create employee connections and foster a culture of respect and support. Examples include cultural events, team outings, and virtual game nights. The purpose of these activities is to promote a healthy and inclusive work environment and encourage team building among employees.

Employee resource groups are types of social committees that help foster inclusive workplaces. Hosting activities and events is part of an employee resource group’s best practices.

​This list includes:

• employee resource group event ideas
• employee resource group name ideas
• virtual employee resource group ideas
• employee resource group activities
• types of employee resource groups

Let’s get started!

Types of employee resource groups

An employee resource group is an employee-led body comprised of members with similar life experiences and backgrounds. If you want to start your own employee resource group, then you can choose from several missions.

​Here is a list of types of employee resource groups based on the demographics of a company:

• Affinity groups are for employees with similar interests and hobbies to socialize.
• Professional growth groups allow employees to acquire essential leadership abilities and advance their careers.
• Groups for women in the workplace help provide a platform for discussion and ensure equal representation.
• Groups for ethnic and racial minorities build a sense of inclusiveness. Minorities can be distinguished by race, region, gender, and religion.
• Groups for working parents focus on attaining a better work-life balance.
• Groups for mental health ensure the well-being of employees battling mental conditions.
• Groups for differently abled individuals give them a safe space for their needs and assistance.

The primary purpose of these groups is to provide a sense of belonging to diverse employees working together, especially those from marginalized communities.

Employee resource group name ideas

The best name for your employee resource group can help share your vision and interest nonmembers in joining.

​Here are some name ideas you can use to promote your employee resource group’s mission:

1. Unite for Revolution
2. Inclusion Revolt
3. Empowerment Uproar
4. One for All Employee Resource Group
5. Impact in Action
6. Employee Resource Group Heroes Network
7. Employee Resource Group Champions Progress
8. Warriors in Action
9. All Stars United
10. Impact and Progress

The name of your employee resource group should reflect its purpose, which is to offer a secure environment for employees with similar life experiences.

List of employee resource group ideas

Collaborative activities for employees are essential for workplaces, as they contribute to the learning experience. These events also cultivate acceptance of individuals’ challenges and help establish a positive working environment for all employees. Here is our list of ideas for employee resource group events.

1. Inspirational conferences

Conducting a series of inspirational conferences can benefit your employee resource group through members learning from speakers’ stories and insights.

You can invite speakers from the local community, as they may have shared similar circumstances as your group. Speakers can also be topic experts or celebrities. An inspirational conference can be a proper after-work-hours event. For a lower-budget option, you can hold these conferences during lunchtime.

For your next conference, you can take inspiration from these themes:

• The power of change
• Move forward together
• Everything is doable
• Expanding horizons together
• Crossing bridges
• Exceeding the belief
• Gaining the momentum
• Spectrum of possibilities

These conferences can boost your employees’ morale in striving for highly competitive and challenging career opportunities.

Here is a list of inspirational conference speakers.

2. Networking forum

You can hold networking forums for your employee resource group members to help them build relationships with professionals with the same background. Networking is an essential skill set for career advancement. Having forums within the employee resource group can provide networking opportunities in a comfortable setting.

Here are some ideas for planning your networking forum:

1. Spin-off work summits for team members in the same position can be an exciting take on a high-profile event. Although the event will initially target company employees, personnel from other companies can also join the event. You can plan this event on a large scale and have employees dress in formal attire.
2. In interdepartmental speed networking, you can set up some chairs in the center of the room with a timer. Then, you will allow each employee to make an impression on a colleague from another department within five minutes. At the end of the session, members will discuss their evaluations of each other’s first impressions and share their assumptions about one another’s personalities.
3. Roundtable discussions are open forums that will lead to creative solutions for problems and promote healthy discussion among peers. You can print some brain teasers to put on the table for a fun session.
4. A Day in the Life event will provide insight into employees from each department. The different employees will take turns sharing personal stories. The stories can be specific, like going for a job interview. Sharing these experiences enable colleagues to learn about each other’s lives. The speakers will also enhance their communication and public speaking skills by delivering a speech in front of the audience.

Your coworkers’ communication and interaction capabilities will improve with this networking opportunity.

Check out more networking event ideas.

3. Workshops for professional development

Learning never stops, and workshops are the best learning experience for your group members. You can invite a topic expert to ensure the information is accurate. Also, a workshop is shorter than a conference and usually lasts a day or two.

To make your workshops enjoyable, you can hold sessions related to the latest trends with side activities planned. You can also turn your conferences into community events to have a positive impact. Participating in activities gives hands-on experience to the attendees and helps them learn better.

​The workshops can include the following:

• Team participation tasks
• Impromptu skits
• Scenario-based acts about work-related topics, like workplace conflict and disaster management

These workshops will significantly impact your employees, as their knowledge and skills will improve, and they will actively participate in the activities. Active participation will also help members learn new techniques to boost their confidence and morale.

Here is a list of corporate workshop ideas.

4. Cultural events

Cultural events are a great way to attract employees to join your group. Nonmembers will get a chance to learn about your group’s mission. Planning the event allows the employees to work in teams, promoting effective collaboration. Cultural events can also help connect members with the company’s vision.

In cultural events for your employee resource group, you can celebrate international days and months, such as:

1. Women’s Day
2. Earth Day
3. Labor Day
4. Human Rights Day
5. Volunteer Month
6. Diseases Awareness Month
7. Mentoring Month
8. Remembrance Days
9. Black History Month
10. Diversity Awareness Month
11. Memorial Days
12. Pride Month
13. Independence Day
14. Equal Pay Day
15. Mental Health Day

Employee resource group members can call influential presenters and activists to speak about the day your team is celebrating. This step will align with your company’s vision of inclusivity.

You can also host quiz games to enhance members’ knowledge and arrange some sponsors for awarding prizes. Another idea is to include souvenirs and books related to the cause. Cultural event fundraisers are also a great way to educate about cultural importance and provide for the underprivileged.

Check out this list of culture-building activities and this list of holidays to celebrate at work.

5. Volunteering programs

Volunteering programs are a great way to give back to the community while learning new skills. Your employee resource group members can work together to impact the community positively!

Here are some ideas for active participation in volunteering programs:

• Provide for a homeless person
• Serve in shelter homes and rescue centers
• Host clothing and dry food drives
• Take part in disease prevention awareness
• Work for suicide prevention call centers

You can also opt for virtual volunteer opportunities. Organizing virtual volunteering programs can be more time efficient. Virtual programs are best for employee resource group members when they cannot take time off.

If you want to consider a virtual volunteering program, then here are some great opportunities offered by pointsoflight.org:

• Create the Good
• United Nations Volunteers
• Empower Work

Remote teams can also benefit from and participate in volunteering programs.

Here are lists of group volunteering ideas and online volunteering opportunities.

Employee resource group activities

Organizing an outing for employees is a fun way to get to know each other outside the workplace. In addition, informal settings will give the members insight into their coworkers’ lives.

Here are some activities you can organize to keep your employee resource group members interested and informed.

6. Lunch and learn

Lunch and learn is a fun activity for simultaneously learning and socializing. This activity is a quick 30-minute training session during a lunch break. All employees must bring their lunch and eat it together at the workplace.

These programs discuss important aspects while the employees eat and share their meals. Creative ideas provided by members at the end of the discussion can be handy solutions to company issues. These programs typically serve internal employees, but you can invite external participants for more diverse responses.

Some of the topics you can consider are:

• Personal grooming
• Financial literacy
• Work and time management
• Stress coping mechanisms

These short programs are beneficial for introducing a new concept to the attendees.

7. Food outings

Sharing thoughts over a meal is a great way of bonding with coworkers. A group food outing is the most easy-going team building activity. Eating different food together brings out the power of community and inclusivity.

It is helpful to plan at least three to four food outings annually and select a new restaurant to try out every time. You can ask members to share their favorite restaurants and cuisines. You can also ask the members to bring their traditional dishes to strengthen cultural ties. Employees will especially enjoy this activity when they need more time to relax from work.

For remote teams, you can convert a food outing into a virtual party by ordering the same meal and eating together over a video call.

8. Employees’ day out

You can arrange an employees’ day out for team members to improve group dynamics.

Here are some ideas you can consider for taking your employees out:

• Check on upcoming movies for an outing to the cinema.
• Go for dinner after the movie to share your movie reviews.
• Plan an annual beach party or visit a museum or an art gallery.
• Arrange a sporting event to bring out the competitive side of your employees
• Go to an escape room, which requires teamwork to solve clues and puzzles.
• Try some karaoke for a lighthearted bonding and unwinding activity.

You can allow coworkers to relax and bond by holding out-of-office activities.

Virtual employee resource group ideas

Virtual social events are a great way of building friendly camaraderie among coworkers. You can attend virtual events hosted by others too.

Here is a list of virtual employee resource group ideas to encourage team building among remote employees.

9. Book club

Reading is a great way to connect with coworkers with the same interests. Virtual book clubs are a treat for book nerds on your team, and these clubs will encourage friendly relationships between the group members. To get started, you can ask members to share their To Be Read, or TBR, lists.

You can create a combined list from all the TBRs and have weekly or bimonthly quizzes and reviews of the book themes. If your employee resource group has several members, then you can call their favorite authors for a big group discussion session!

10. Virtual fitness challenges

This idea is ideal for fitness fanatics or employees who generally put effort into staying fit and healthy. There are plenty of fitness challenges available on the internet. You can find a challenge within reasonable dietary guidelines to try with your members. With the help of daily reminders, you can encourage all members to exercise. You can also conduct a daily Zoom session and ask all members to participate in the virtual fitness challenge.

A 30-day challenge with before and after pictures to announce monthly awards is a great way to ensure consistency. You can collaborate with a wellness company for prizes. However, to ensure participants stay safe, collect medical forms from the members, and do not try any extreme fitness challenges.

Here are online team fitness ideas.

11. Trivia game nights

Trivia game nights are a great team building idea, which you can play in person and online. With employees’ hectic routines in mind, virtual trivia nights are the best. Trivia quizzes require participants to think and collaborate.

Here is how you can host a trivia night:

1. Use a random online name generator to pick teams.
2. Assign some members to host the game and create questions for different categories.
3. Select categories that interest the participants, such as pet peeves and work habits.
4. Set prizes to encourage participation.

A weekend trivia game night can provide employees with a relaxing break from work.

​For more virtual trivia inspiration, check out this list of virtual trivia games.

12. Pictionary

Pictionary is an exciting part of any team building session. In Pictionary, you will invite all members to a Zoom call and divide the participants into teams. One member from each team will draw a picture, and the other members will try to guess what the artist is drawing. The teams can use a digital whiteboard for this purpose.

Each team will get a time limit to draw the given object, and the team with the most accurate guesses wins.

13. Personality tests

Personality tests are a fun way to learn coworkers’ personality traits and what qualities make them different from or similar to others. Many websites offer personality tests, so you can choose the one that fits your team best. Participants answer questions, and the tests tell your personality type at the end of the questionnaire. Sharing your results virtually with your team can help coworkers understand each other better. It is helpful to conduct this activity as an icebreaker when establishing an employee resource group.

​Check out our list of personality tests you can do with your team.

14. Negotiate and Make It Sell

If you want to conduct a motivational activity for your members, then playing this combination of two games can be fun. Negotiating involves the real-life work of an employee and is equally beneficial in practical life. For example, negotiating is a diverse skill that employees can use to sell an item, finalize a deal, or even negotiate with a family member to choose where to eat. Similarly, Make It Sell requires critical thinking and intelligent work to win.

You can invite the members over a Zoom session, divide them into two teams, and introduce the winning prize as the product to sell. One group has to negotiate the price before buying, while the other has to sell the item with a profit margin. The team that makes the best deal wins. You can also set a time limit of two hours to make the game exciting.

As the selling game is more suitable for sales and marketing teams, you can bring this game into the general context by asking the teams to agree on a decision related to practical life. One team will have to convince the other to agree to their plan, and the other team will try their best to oppose it or look for alternatives.

15. Workplace Jeopardy!

Workplace Jeopardy! is a fun team building game for remote employees. In this game, you will appoint a host to prepare and ask questions from the two teams. You can include questions related to the workplace or opt for general knowledge questions, depending on the players’ preference.

You can categorize the questions by:

• Office policies
• Products or services your workplace provides
• The meaning behind the company’s logo
• Number of employees

The teams can “buzz in” to answer, or you can use a random generator to decide which team answers first. To make the game competitive, you can award bonus points to opponents for every wrong answer.

This game will help your employees collaborate and develop a better insight into the workplace.

​Check out this article for more information on how to play Jeopardy! in the workplace.

16. Think of a solution

This game is ideal for determining participants’ critical thinking skills when working in groups. In this activity, participants will provide solutions for imaginary scenarios. You will make engaging scenarios involving fictional characters and ask the teams to provide solutions to these scenarios. Some examples of these scenarios are:

• You told a secret to your coworker and asked them to tell nobody, but they shared it with a third person. What do you do?
• Your coworker rudely talked to you in front of everyone. How will you deal with it?
• You overheard an employee making fun of you. You do not know that employee. What would you do in this situation?
• You had to attend an important seminar related to work in the morning but woke up late and missed it. Will you make an excuse or admit your mistake in front of the administration?

A fictional scenario will spark members’ interest and can encourage creative problem-solving. You can conduct this activity both in-person and online.

Conclusion

Employee resource group ideas allow members of an employee resource group to mingle outside of work. These inclusive activities can also help coworkers refresh their minds after hectic work routines. Strong employee resource groups work toward building safe spaces for all employees.

Our list includes all sorts of activities and events your employees can participate in, from formal or casual workplace events to in-person and virtual activities.

​Next, check out our lists of DEI tips, inclusion moments, and diversity and inclusion activities.