The 5 Best Employee Resource Group Platforms, Compared

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are vital tools for helping coworkers find community and belonging in workforces that increasingly embrace remote and deskless jobs.

The sky is the limit for what your employer’s ERGs can accomplish, both for themselves and for the entire company. But without the right tools to manage the work that’s being done, ERGs can run into inefficiencies, lost or incomplete data, and a mountain of time-consuming tasks – just like any other part of your workplace.

Investing in a purpose-built software solution like an employee resource group platform can help ensure that your ERGs have what they need to bring their goals to life.

From planning events to tracking member participation and reporting on results, there are many boxes an ideal platform should tick. The more creativity and power your platform puts in the hands of ERG members and leadership, the better.

Below, we explore some of the best employee resource group platforms on the market to help you make the right choice for your teams.

Table of Contents:

• The Basics of Employee Resource Groups: What They Are and Why They Matter
• The Essential ERG Platform Checklist
• What Is the Best ERG Software? 5 Platforms Compared
  
  • 1. Benevity
  • 2. Groundswell
  • 3. Chronus
  • 4. Bonterra Deed
  • 5. Affirmity
• How to Choose ERG Management Software for Your Organization
• How Groundswell Supports ERGs and Employee Communities

The Basics of Employee Resource Groups: What They Are and Why They Matter

An employee resource group, or ERG, provides a community and meeting space for coworkers who share a common identity trait. They exist within companies, usually with permission and backing from executives. 

These groups typically include employees who belong to underserved or underrepresented communities that have traditionally faced challenges breaking into workforce leadership roles. Today, the role and goals of ERGs are more varied than ever. 

Benefits of ERGs for Modern Companies

The primary benefit of ERGs is the sense of belonging and community they provide employees. According to a recent Korn Ferry study of 250 organizations, the camaraderie fostered by ERGs translates into increased employee retention. That’s just one example of ERGs’ mutually beneficial effects.

Another key benefit ERGs provide is the cultivation of leadership skills. Just about every ERG has an internal leadership hierarchy that organizes meetings and events and confronts challenges. 

Employees who might not engage in this type of problem-solving gain muscle memory that can aid them in management positions later on in their careers.

The Essential ERG Platform Checklist

After committing to sponsoring employee resource groups at your company, one of the first things you’ll need to do is choose an ERG platform. 

The right ERG software will support each group’s needs and goals, even if they may differ slightly. That means it should build a solid foundation that enables ERGs to organize, plan, and execute their ideas. Some of the essential features that achieve this include:

• Integration capabilities with employee giving and volunteering modules, along with any other CSR programs your company is doing
• Group-wide messaging and communication options
• Easy search-and-join capabilities for employees looking to join an ERG
• Granular segmentation of employees, such as ERG chapters by region or department
• Event preparation and management features, including day-of updates and data capture
• Reporting and survey response synthesis for data visualization and analysis

What Is the Best ERG Software? 5 Platforms Compared

The truth is, many ERG platforms seem to cover the basic requirements. But how do you know which one is the best choice for your organization or business? Let’s take a closer look at how some of the most popular options on the market stack up.

1. Benevity

• What it is: Centralized ERG organization and management tool
• Pros: Integrations with Benevity’s CSR suite, including employee volunteering and corporate giving
• Cons: The focus on larger, enterprise-level organizations can leave smaller companies feeling overwhelmed

Benevity is one of the most established CSR software providers. Its ERG module allows users to segment members into cohorts and organize meetings and events.

2. Groundswell

• What it is: All-in-one ERG management software with robust CSR integrations
• Pros: Leadership permissions, native mobile apps (five-star-rated)
• Cons: We’d love to know if you have any!

Groundswell’s newest offering is our ERG module that turns employee communities into action. We make it easy for all employees to search for ERGs, join, and ask questions of group leaders. Reporting dashboards provide users with insightful data to inform future ERG initiatives.

3. Chronus

• What it is: ERG management software with professional mentoring offerings
• Pros: Integrations with MS Teams, Slack, Outlook, and other workplace platforms
• Cons: Emphasis on large enterprises, potentially steep learning curve

Chronus is one of the most established ERG software players. While its platform offers robust integrations with workplace mentoring and professional development modules, it doesn’t include in-app CSR dashboards like Groundswell’s.

4. Bonterra Deed

• What it is: ERG management software with options to integrate with other CSR platforms and dashboards
• Pros: Employee achievement awards and recognition; anonymous-user capabilities
• Cons: Potentially high costs and unnecessary features for smaller companies

Bonterra bought Deed in 2021, combining the latter’s CSR offerings with the former’s fundraising capabilities for both companies and nonprofits. 

5. Affirmity

• What it is: Digital ERG solution
• Pros: Comprehensive, exhaustive reporting capabilities 
• Cons: No in-app modules for employee volunteering or corporate giving

Like Chronus, Affirmity does ERG organization and management quite well. Its customizable KPIs and metrics create actionable insights for group managers. However, like Chronus, Affirmity lacks native modules for many other types of CSR programs that modern companies frequently use.

How to Choose ERG Management Software for Your Organization

Comparing other companies’ utilization of ERG platforms can help you narrow down your options, but don’t forget that the software you choose must support YOUR employer’s needs and broader CSR goals. 

A few pointers for making the right choice include:

• Reaching out to employees directly to gauge their interest, bandwidth, and overall competencies
• Thinking about your employer’s long-term CSR program needs
• Analyzing the CSR budget with projected ROI from each software provider
• Integration capabilities with HRIS data
• Ease of scalability

Having ERGs at your company is a positive all on its own, but we recommend considering ERG platforms that allow groups to create impactful initiatives and campaigns.

How Groundswell Supports ERGs and Employee Communities

Groundswell was built with one goal in mind: to democratize CSR programs. We recognized that employee giving, volunteering, grants, and other socially conscious endeavors created too much work and not enough ROI for companies.

We work tirelessly to create a product that automates every rote administrative task. Actionable data is paramount for companies that need to capitalize on every efficiency. And your employees deserve to have their donations instantly matched and sent to nonprofits as soon as possible.

See how Groundswell’s ERG management platform brings employees together and creates tomorrow’s leaders by scheduling a demo with us at your convenience.

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