Using an employee resource group to develop GRIT in female healthcare leaders: a case study

Purpose This case study aims to demonstrate how the Greater Leadership Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Mayo Clinic Employee Resource Groups (MERG) has positively impacted leadership development focusing on growth, resilience, inspiration and tenacity (GRIT) and increased advancement for female leaders at Mayo Clinic. It will also establish how the innovative utilization of employee resource groups can positively impact the development of leaders within an institution in general and specially can enhance behaviors related to GRIT. Design/methodology/approach This case study design was used to measure the impact of the GLOW MERG’s interventions through qualitative and quantitative approaches that highlight both process and outcome to increase study validity through complementarity, which “seeks elaboration, enhancement, illustration, clarification of the results from one method with the results from another” (Greene, et al., 1989, p. 259) as well as completeness and context (Onghena et al., 2019; Schoonenboom and Johnson, 2017; Bryman, 2006). Learning outcomes (knowledge), skill accomplishments and attitude development were evaluated within two weeks after each session and annually through standardized surveys sent to participants via email. The surveys were designed to capture key information about the sessions, including the impact of the session content, the willingness and ability of attendees to apply the learning and identification of opportunities for improvement in session design and delivery, as well as measure satisfaction with the activities offered, the frequency and method(s) of communication, barriers to session attendance and particular topics or speakers of interest to members (Appendix 1). Response options included dichotomous scales, Likert-type scales, multi-select and free text. This provided a voluntary response sampling, as post-session surveys were sent to all session attendees and annual surveys were sent to all GLOW MERG members, which allowed individuals to choose if they would respond to the surveys (Creswell and Creswell, 2018). To foster an environment of continuous improvement, plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles (Langley et al., 2009) were conducted after every survey by the event planning team and the GLOW MERG Board. Interventions were tested, reviewed and discussed during monthly board meetings and event planning. Improvements were made and results were shared with key stakeholders through regular communication channels. Additionally, 30 past and present GLOW MERG leaders were surveyed to measure their perceived impact of participation in the GLOW MERG interventions using dichotomous scales, multi-select and free text responses (Appendix 2). This targeted purposive sample was selected because of their high level of engagement with the MERG to provide a retrospective evaluation of the success of the GLOW MERG, and its interventions for career advancement related to the development of GRIT attributes, knowledge and skills resulting in career advancement for those who are/have been highly engaged with the MERG. Findings The results spanning the past few years of GLOW MERG interventions has shown that the GLOW MERG has been successful in providing targeted educational events that address the GRIT knowledge, skills and attributes, needed for female health-care leaders to be successful in developing GRIT capabilities. By staying true to its mission and vision, the GLOW MERG has been able to promote, educate and empower female leaders at Mayo Clinic while actively breaking down the barriers that can prevent women from obtaining leadership positions. Research limitations/implications There are several limitations with this case study’s data collection and sampling methods. First, the post-session and annual survey sampling was based mainly on ease of access, with responses obtained from respondents who are more likely to volunteer or those with the strongest opinions. This allowed for potential bias as responses may not be representative of all GLOW MERG member opinions. Furthermore, the purposive sample of present and past GLOW MERG leaders was also subject to volunteer bias and may not have be representative of the GLOW MERG population. Additionally, the case study examined the practices of only one site and MERG group and may not be representative of all sites or employee resources groups. Practical implications The interventions implemented by the GLOW MERG to assist women with developing GRIT knowledge, skills and attributes – barriers women often face in leadership roles – were tested, reviewed and discussed during monthly board meetings and event planning. PDSA cycles were conducted, improvements were made and results were shared with key stakeholders through regular communication channels (Langley et al., 2009). Key lessons learned from these assessments include: One size does not fit all for leadership development. GLOW members have a wide variety of backgrounds, skills and experiences. Repetition is important in the development of GRIT knowledge, skills and attributes associated with GRIT. A one-time event provides attendees with an information overview and the steps to start developing a new skill but no dedicated time to practice and implement that skill. Originality/value The innovative utilization of employee resource groups can positively impact the development of leaders within an institution in general and specially can enhance behaviors related to GRIT.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) – An Under-Utilized and Under-Organized Way of Developing New Staff, Management and Organizational Culture

We evaluated impact of employees’ participation in an employee resource group (ERG) on their soft skills learning and development and proposed a tool for assessing competence development that is often difficult to quantify.ERG has a positive effect on soft skills development, however certain soft skills do not develop in the interaction between management and new employees. Some soft skills require focused and organized learning.The role of ERG stretches beyond integration of new employees only. We propose a multidimensional paradigm where the management and organizational culture are considered as the object of development and new employees facilitate this process.

ERGs (employee resource groups) benefit employee wellbeing

Purpose A qualitative study of six employee resource groups (ERGs) in a not-for-profit organization in the USA tested whether they helped minorities to integrate. The positive results showed they act as powerful conduits for learning and development, and help staff well-being. Design/methodology/approach The researcher carried out 39 semi-structured interviews with people from each of the six groups, including executive sponsors. There were 11 participants from the African-American RG, 2 from the Native American RG, 4 from the Asian-American RG, 5 from the Hispanic-American RG, 7 from the LGBT RG, and 3 from the South Asian-American RG. Seven executive sponsors were also interviewed. All participants were asked to describe the organization’s culture and explain how much support they received on diversity issues. Findings Members explained how ERGs offered communities for the exchange of ideas. They helped individuals deal with “micro-aggressions” when the dominant social groups indulged in prejudicial stereotyping. Useful activities were both informal and formal. Informal conversations were helpful, especially for younger members. More formal activities depended on member interests. For example, the African-American and Asian-American RGs hosted a lot of leadership development initiatives. There were events aimed at educating the whole workforce about minority issues. Originality/value The results are important for businesses, and other organizations, because research shows they perform better when they integrate diverse employees.