{"406991":{"#nid":"406991","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Employee Resource Groups Celebrate First Year","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ELeaders from Georgia Tech\u2019s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and the Office of Human Resources\u2019 Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion team gathered recently to celebrate their achievements, review lessons learned, and share what\u2019s next for ERGs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E \u201cYou all have done trailblazing work,\u201d said Pearl Alexander, executive director of the Staff Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement (SDIE) team in Institute Diversity. \u201cIt has been no small feat. We\u2019re answering the broader call from the entire Georgia Tech workforce when they said we need something.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E In fall of 2013, the Office of Human Resources launched six ERGs to support the Institute\u2019s efforts to ensure employees have a greater sense of belonging. These voluntary employee associations provide opportunities to network with colleagues, participate in professional development, and interact with others who have common interests.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E The ERGs have a combined total of 1,152 members, not including guests who attend programs. Since launching 18 months ago, the ERGs have held 13 leadership and career development seminars, seven panel discussions and mentoring circles, eight TED Talk discussions and book\/film\/documentary reviews, seven health and wellness and work-life balance events, and eight social networking events and cultural celebrations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m proud of the work you have done collectively,\u201d said Alexander to the ERG leaders. \u201cOur story is just beginning. You have inspired a vision that\u2019s big. It\u2019s about Georgia Tech\u2019s impact on the world. We want to model empowerment.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p4\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5 class=\u0022p6\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew ERG Coming Soon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003EOne aspect of this vision is the introduction of a new ERG that focuses on increasing resilience, self-efficacy, interpersonal capabilities, and coping skills. Its offerings of support will include providing safe environments for employees to talk through healthy ways of coping with trauma and stress, educational workshops, interactive facilitated dialogues, and individual mentoring.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003ESonia Alvarez-Robinson, executive director of Strategic Consulting, will be the new ERG\u2019s executive champion, and Cheryl Cofield, director of SDIE\u2019s diversity and inclusion programs, will serve as its principal empowerment officer. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E\u201cSonia, Pearl, and I are excited about the possibilities of the newly emerging ERG,\u201d said Cofield. \u201cOur hope is to empower individuals to better manage the effects of trauma and stress, to change adversity into opportunity, to regain focus and personal power, and to effectively navigate \u2014 and adapt to \u2014 the ever-present reality of change.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003EAnnounced earlier this month, the Office of Human Resources\u2019 Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion team (Pearl Alexander, Cheryl Cofield, and Jardyn Lake) was realigned to Institute Diversity, forming the new SDIE team. This team will provide more focused attention and increased support for staff diversity initiatives, including the ERGs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003EFor more information about the ERGs, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ohr.gatech.edu\/erg.\u0022\u003Ewww.ohr.gatech.edu\/erg\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ohr.gatech.edu\/erg.\u0022\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New Group to be Added in Fall"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELeaders from Georgia Tech\u0027s Employee Resource Groups and the Office of Human Resources\u0027 Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion team gathered recently to celebrate achievements, review lessons learned, and share what\u0027s next.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Leaders gathered recently to celebrate achievements, review lessons learned, and share what\u0027s next."}],"uid":"27713","created_gmt":"2015-05-22 18:21:36","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:21","author":"Victor Rogers","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/ohr.gatech.edu\/erg","title":"Employee Resource Groups"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"736","name":"diversity"},{"id":"80261","name":"employee resource group"},{"id":"76531","name":"ERG"},{"id":"9171","name":"institute diversity"},{"id":"8122","name":"Office of Human Resources"},{"id":"8726","name":"OHR"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}