ERGs: Powering Our Future Through Diversity, Inclusion, and Impact

As organizations evolve in today's dynamic business landscape, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have transformed from supportive communities into strategic drivers of organizational success. Through my work leading Global Belonging and Inclusion, I've witnessed firsthand how ERGs create exponential value through three critical dimensions: diversity in our workforce, inclusion in our culture, and impact on our business initiatives.

Diversity: Transforming Our Talent Landscape

Our ERGs have enriched our approach to talent acquisition and retention. Through dedicated Talent Marketing events (where we invite folks interested in Asana to our ERG events) and Sourcing Jams (where we encourage Asanas to refer their friends in real-time for open positions), these groups actively expand our reach into diverse talent pools that traditional recruitment methods might miss. When our ERGs engage in culture chats with candidates, they provide authentic perspectives that help potential employees envision their future with Asana. These conversations go beyond a pitch; they're genuine dialogues about belonging, growth, and opportunity.

The power of ERG-driven diversity initiatives lies in their authenticity. Our members understand the communities they represent, the challenges these communities face, and the opportunities to build meaningful connections – helping us build a workforce that brings together the best of different perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Through their efforts, we're creating a talent pipeline to drive innovation and success for years.

Inclusion: Shaping Our Cultural DNA

Inclusion moves beyond representation to create an environment where every voice is heard and valued. Our ERGs play a pivotal role in this cultural transformation. When Blacsana hosts a breakfast at our Work Innovation Summit in San Francisco or our ERGs partner with our equity team to amplify enablement efforts, they actively shape an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity of thought and experience.

These initiatives create ripple effects throughout our organization. ERG members become cultural ambassadors, modeling inclusive behaviors and challenging outdated assumptions. They create safe and brave spaces for difficult conversations and bridge understanding across different groups. Through their leadership, we're building a workplace where authenticity is celebrated and diverse perspectives are welcomed and actively sought out.

Impact: Driving Business Success

The third dimension of our ERG strategy focuses on tangible business impact. This year, we are challenging our ERGs to become partners in achieving business objectives. ERGs are working on a project within our marketing goal to identify a diverse speaker bench for company events – ensuring our brand voice resonates with varied audiences. Writing blogs and supporting marketing initiatives help tell our story in authentic, compelling ways.

The business impact extends beyond these visible initiatives. ERG members bring unique perspectives to problem-solving, helping identify blind spots and opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. As we scale our business, the strategic importance of ERGs continues to grow. They're not just cultural assets but essential partners in building a diverse workforce, fostering an inclusive culture, and driving meaningful business impact. The success we've seen through their various initiatives demonstrates the unlimited potential when ERGs are adequately empowered and aligned with organizational objectives. We're investing in our future success by creating pathways for ERG insights to influence decision-making and providing resources for their initiatives.

The path forward is clear: The work of ERGs demonstrates that when we bring together diverse perspectives in an inclusive environment, we create an extraordinary impact that benefits our people, businesses, and communities.

If you’re interested in joining Asana or learning more about our ERGs check out our careers page here.

About the Author

Born in Spain and raised in San Francisco's Mission District, Liliana is bilingual and bicultural. Liliana currently leads global Belonging and Inclusion for Asana, working to engender a sense of belonging for folks from historically marginalized communities by fostering allyship and organizational commitments to inclusion. Before joining Asana, she spent 20+ years leveraging relationships across non-profit organizations and working on issues of equity and justice, from food insecurity to higher education access, economic development, and access to informal science.