By Sarah Spanjar, SHRM-CP, AEM Human Resources Manager —
AEM’s newly formed Peer Resource Group (PRG) has been a hit with our employees – and to attract, engage, train, and retain employees across any industry, it would be wise for an organization to consider forming their own PRG.
After receiving feedback from an employee engagement survey, AEM realized that we needed to take the initiative to form a PRG to enhance employee skills. After learning that many employees have a desire for growth in the same area, AEM took an approach that flips the script of traditional PRGs – a group with focus on a singular topic of interest: career development.
Not only does a PRG develop a space for employees to learn and grow with one another, but it also allows organizations to forecast succession planning, align organizational goals with employee goals, and give employees the opportunity to see a more long-term future with their organization.
Focusing on Career Pathing to Engage Employees
PRGs are traditionally employee-led and focus on employee diversity to discuss views on programs within the organization that may affect them in ways that those of the demographic majority may not understand. Topics discussed amongst these groups typically center around workplace inclusion, employer-offered benefits, flexibility, etc.
AEM’s PRG equips staff with tools that develop both hard skills and soft skills. The program's main goal is to use values and unique personal strengths to help employees navigate a career path. The first few workshops we focus on identity and how we are more than just a name and job title. Learning to integrate yourself with work allows a person to reshape their work identity and encourages a growth mindset that motivates a person to take accountability of their career journey.
Through peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, employees recognize barriers towards personal career development, identify resources, and learn to become more autonomous in work-related problem solving.
Structured for Success
AEM’s PRG is structured around monthly workshops that focus on the following:
- Identifying values
- Networking
- Career pathing
- Resume building
- LinkedIn profile refinement
- Interviewing
- Developing individual action plans
Each group includes up to 10 AEM staff participants, with a new rotating group every six months. It is purposely structured to focus on one topic per month, with concrete educational activities and an open forum for peer-to-peer feedback.
The most valuable element of any PRG is the peer-to-peer discussion that elevates engagement and learning about the topic at hand. When an employee is struggling to move forward and take the initiative to improve any area of their life, the cause is often an issue within their identity – the way they define themselves, who they are, and the mantras they repeat about their capabilities. The primary way to remove any bias, even toward oneself, is through exposure to new ideas and experiences. Through peer-to-peer discussion, the PRG combats the employee’s internal narrative that they’re merely a name and title; through shedding this one-dimensional definition of oneself to develop a growth mindset.
AEM’s program supports organizational growth too, by providing employees with tools and resources needed for upward mobility within the organization. This initiative demonstrates AEM’s value of employee growth and development, reinforcing our values of community, trust, teamwork, and results. PRGs support and uplift employees through connecting them to a peer group that enhances their relationship building and connections within the organization.
Organizations can increase their mobility and promotion numbers by encouraging this level of engagement in this topic.
Anyone Can Do It!
If an organization has gathered feedback from employees asking to increase career development opportunities, a structured peer resource group is a fantastic way to start moving the needle. Tailored to an individual organization, a group may focus on identifying specific development needs, or could mirror AEM’s more generalized approach. It’s recommended to include no more than 10 employees in one group, and an organization must ensure employee feedback is utilized throughout the process.
Outside the basic structure, the beauty of this concept is that anyone can tailor a program to fit the needs of their organization. This program can be:
- Facilitated by a person (HR, internal career coach, or SME (subject matter experts))
- Grouped by specific employees like identified emerging leaders
- Filled with rotating participants or a core team
- Focused on generalized career development, or specific topics tailored to specific needs of an organization
Uplifting Employees Towards Growth
If an organization isn’t supporting employees’ career development, its employees aren’t equipped for supporting organizational development. Career development and purposeful career pathing is crucial for both employees and organizations, as it aligns employee goals and organizational goals to allows a company to forecast robust succession planning. To achieve this level of planning and growth, it is recommended that organizations start up their very own PRG focused on career growth.
When an organization creates this type of space for employees, it shows them that there is thought being given to engaging current employees, listening to their feedback, and helping them move forward – a win-win for both employees and employers, propelling their organization into the future.
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