In today’s climate, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have become much more than support networks – they are engines of belonging, advocacy, and change.
As Co-Lead of the AMS Military ERG, I’ve seen firsthand how these groups can foster genuine inclusion, open conversations, and drive cultural shifts that extend well beyond awareness-raising campaigns.
Collaboration and Intersectionality
One of the most powerful aspects of ERGs is their ability to connect communities and create space for intersectional dialogue. Earlier this month, our Military ERG collaborated with the Women’s ERG on a panel discussion titled Breaking the Default: Rethinking Gender Roles in Work and Family Life.
Our panellists – Melanie Barnett, Kim Hollands, Carla Fourtunia and Silje Marie Higgins – shared their personal journeys as working mothers and professionals navigating complex family and career expectations. Melanie Barnett, Managing Director for PSR, spoke candidly about her own experiences of balancing leadership with motherhood and challenging the gender stereotypes shaped by her traditional upbringing.
These moments of openness from senior leaders not only validate lived experiences but also signal to others that belonging is championed at every level of the business.
Leadership and Allyship
Senior leadership plays a pivotal role in embedding ERGs into organisational culture. Alongside leaders like Melanie, we’ve also benefited from allyship through our ERG Executive Sponsor, Gordon Bull. Gordon is an active advocate for the military community despite having no direct military connection himself – a reminder that allyship is about empathy, action, and influence rather than lived experience. His visible support ensures our ERG has the reach and backing to drive meaningful initiatives.
Driving Change Through Training
ERGs are not just about conversation; they’re catalysts for tangible change. One example is our upcoming session with Combat Stress, the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity. In October, we will host Beyond the Battlefield: Veteran Mental Health & Workplace Culture – a bespoke training session designed to dispel myths about PTSD, increase understanding of the challenges veterans face, and provide practical guidance on fostering trauma-informed workplaces.
This kind of tailored training underscores our commitment to raising awareness and equipping colleagues with the knowledge to build more inclusive cultures.
Recognition and Inclusion Gaps
The case for ERGs is particularly strong when we look at the data. Recognition gaps for veterans remain a real issue: 52.5% of UK veterans say they’ve had to take jobs at a lower skill or experience level than their last military role because their skills weren’t recognised. Yet 85.4% believe they have transferable skills, and 81.4% report actively applying them in civilian roles (gov.uk).
ERGs can help bridge this gap by challenging outdated perceptions, advocating for recognition, and creating pathways for veterans to thrive.
Extending Inclusion to Contingent Workers
Equally, inclusion can’t stop at permanent employees. As of April 2024, there were around 1.43 million temporary workers in the UK, and in some organisations, contingent staff account for nearly 20% of the workforce (magnitglobal.com).
If one in five workers are excluded from ERG initiatives, we miss a critical opportunity to extend belonging to people who are vital to our organisations. Many contingent workers are veterans too, making this intersection even more significant. Opening ERG membership to contingent colleagues helps ensure every voice is valued and every contribution recognised.
Driving Tangible Business Change
Beyond enabling our culture of belonging and providing important communities, ERGs also act as critical friends to the business — challenging and shaping strategy while driving inclusive progress. Examples of this include:
- Resigning our Armed Forces Covenant and renewing our ‘Gold’ status under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme — AMS was the first talent solutions business to re-sign its Covenant after 10 years, reaffirming our long-term commitment to the military community.
- Improving ethnic minority representation in our global leadership from 4% in 2020 to 18.5%, supported by the work of our Black, Juntos Podemos (Hispanic heritage), and South Asian Heritage ERGs.
- Collaborating with our Disability & Neurodiversity ERGs to create an AMS Accessibility Roadmap — moving towards an accessible culture, with the adoption of a new accessible business font as a key milestone.
These examples demonstrate that ERGs are not simply about community — they are integral to shaping organisational outcomes and embedding equity into business practice.
Why ERGs Matter More Than Ever
The evidence is clear: ERGs change workplace culture by amplifying underrepresented voices, providing a channel for lived experiences to inform policies, and building bridges between communities. They are not side projects; they are strategic levers for inclusion and belonging.
For the Military ERG at AMS, that means supporting veterans, allies, and their families, while working alongside other ERGs to champion intersectionality and shape a culture where everyone can thrive.
Learn more: AMS has 11 award-winning ERGs spanning a wide range of communities. Discover their impact in our latest Annual DEIB Impact Report.
