The role of staff networks in organisational voice
Staff networks can play a unique role in representing the collective but specific interests of minoritised groups of employees.
Staff networks, also known as diversity networks or employee resource groups (ERGs), are voluntary intra-organisational groups of employees with shared identities formed to address the problems they face through mutual support and efforts to change the organisation. They are typically based on race, sexuality, disability, faith or gender.
Such networks can do many things and have different purposes. For instance, they can be a safe space for members to share experiences and support each other, while they can also promote the career development of members of the social group they represent and create networking and mentoring opportunities.
They can also be a vehicle for voice, raising issues with management on behalf of members and supporting the organisation’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts.
Effective voice
Although staff networks are becoming an increasing presence in organisations and an important element of EDI management, they are under-researched. Research by Dr Isabel Távora, Dr Imran Saqib and Dr Saleema Kauser from the Work and Equalities Institute at AMBS has been exploring whether and how such networks can function as an effective voice mechanism for women and employees from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Their qualitative study investigated the processes and circumstances that support staff network voice, and outcomes in terms of influencing organisational change. Through 36 interviews with EDI officers and staff network chairs in the public and private sectors, their research uncovered the unique role staff networks can play in representing the collective but specific interests of minoritised groups of employees.
Self-assessment tool
Significantly, the study allowed the group of researchers to develop the Staff Networks Voice Capabilities Self-Assessment Tool that serves as a diagnostic instrument for organisations and staff networks to evaluate the various dimensions that contribute to its success from a voice perspective.
As Isabel Távora explains: “The tool not only provides scores for each dimension but also offers actionable feedback to enhance the voice of staff networks and enhance their contributions to their organisation’s strategy. The tool offers tailored feedback to help organisations and networks strengthen their role in fostering inclusive workplaces.”
Imran Saqib added: “Despite their growing prominence, there is little systematic evidence on how ERGs are able to shape organisational decisions, what processes and structures support this influence, and how voice is experienced by those involved. As organisations continue to invest in these networks as part of their diversity strategies, these questions have become increasingly important.”
Further research
Building on their initial research, the team has since secured British Academy/Leverhulme funding to extend the work. The new phase, which began in August 2025, shifts the focus from ERG leads to ERG members themselves, investigating their perceptions and experience of ERG voice.
The forthcoming research involves case studies in three types of organisations (private, public, and third sector), and aims to understand how and why employees participate actively in staff networks, investigate ERG member perceptions of ERG voice and influence, and look at how members’ views and concerns feed into an organisation’s decision-making processes.
Policy impact
The significance of the wider project lies in its potential to inform both practice and policy, offering insight into how employee resource groups can be more effectively supported, structured and integrated within organisational EDI architecture, and ensuring that the experiences and concerns of minoritised groups are reflected in institutional decision-making.
Added Saleema Kauser: “Our work addresses a critical gap in how organisations understand and support ERGs as mechanisms for voice. By developing an evidence-based model and diagnostic tool grounded in sector-spanning research, it offers practical resources for improving how networks operate and influence change. The work supports organisations in embedding more effective, credible, and inclusive voice structures, ensuring that staff networks move beyond symbolic roles and contribute meaningfully to decision-making and EDI strategy.”
Access the staff networks voice capabilities self-assessment tool >>
Please note: Before you reach the tool, you will be asked a few questions about yourself and your organisation. You can remain anonymous if you so choose. Your results will be available only to yourself and whoever you choose to share them with.