When you’re at work, have you ever wanted to meet people who can really relate to your own situation outside of your immediate circle of friends? You may be just starting out your very first job. You may be a working mother, or a “young” Baby Boomer, struggling with caregiving responsibilities at home. You may be working from home on a full-time basis and miss the daily interactions of colleagues at work. Or, you may feel that you’re the only Latino or African American in the office.

Here’s the great news. You’re not alone. There are individuals like you who are active at work in what many companies call employee resource groups (ERGs), designed to help you connect with, and learn from, others who are going through a similar experience. They focused on Latinos or Asians or Women, or Gen Y or Gen X or Baby Boomers, or Gay/Lesbian, and many others. You are in good company.

What’s an ERG, you ask? It is a company-supported and employee-managed team comprised of employees who share an affinity, a common background, or a similar set of experiences who work together to promote each other's development while identifying opportunities that support a company’s  goals. These groups serve their members by providing a forum to network, develop personally and professionally, identify issues of concern and ways to solve them, and provide mutual support.

Does this promote segregation among different groups, you ask? It most certainly does not, as long as membership remains open to all employees, regardless of the employees' backgrounds. This means, for example, that an employee doesn't have to be Latino to join the Latino group. Thus, ERGs also offer an opportunity for employees to learn and better appreciate the background of employees who may be different than their own.

ERGs are increasingly being used to strategically advance business goals by using members' ideas for marketing campaigns, targeting fast-growing markets, and as a means of strengthening the company's ability to attract, develop, and retain the best talent. Because they often work with the local communities, they also help to enhance the company's brand image.

Want to join an ERG? There is very good chance that there are a number of them to choose from in your office. Join one of them. If none exists that meets your needs, ask around. You may be able to start one yourself, and in the process you will meet new, talented people while demonstrating your leadership skills to everyone around you.