Comcast NBCUniversal: Connecting Passion and Leadership to Expand ERGs

Comcast NBCUniversal‘s (No. 19 on the Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies list) Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have been instrumental in building an open and collaborative workplace culture that creates opportunity and connections.

Open to all employees, the company’s eight ERGs include more than 20,000 employees across 118 ERG chapters that have generated incredible results for its business, communities, culture, and members’ careers.

Angela McCrae and Erin Klinthong created an opportunity for employees in NBCUniversal’s Southern California region when they saw a need for greater career development and mentorship.

They wanted to do something about it. As members of the Women’s Network ERG leadership team, they leveraged their network to launch Next Gen Women, a subcommittee that quickly evolved into a resource for all young talent to help grow their careers.

In 2016, McCrae and Klinthong expanded Next Gen Women to create NBCUniversal’s first official Young Professionals Network chapter, which had over 800 members by the end of the year. This group is already having a positive impact on the careers of many and contributing to a culture of opportunity.

Since the ERG program launched at Comcast’s headquarters in 2012^[1], the company’s ERGs have dramatically grown in membership and chapters.This rapid expansion is thanks in large part to the commitment and entrepreneurial spirit of the employees who volunteer to lead these regional chapters.

With a footprint that spans the country, the success of our ERG chapters relies on the local teams who see a need for greater engagement with their colleagues and communities. In 2016, these fantastic leaders helped us launch 24 new ERG chapters across Comcast NBCUniversal, and each one has a unique and inspiring origin story.

When Comcast’s Human Resources team in the Greater Chicago Region sought to launch a Unidosnetwork for Hispanic employees, Julie Relegado and Leonel Venegas jumped at the opportunity to strengthen the community of Hispanic employees, and educate their colleagues on Hispanic culture and heritage. They hit the ground running with a series of leadership panels on career development, authenticity in the workplace, and personal branding.

During Hispanic Heritage Month in October 2016, they hosted a “Taste of Latino Caf” that brought together over 70 employees of all backgrounds for a potluck of dishes from across Latin America.They have hosted over a dozen events since the chapter launched in February 2016, and membership grew nearly 40% in their first year.

New chapters are also helping the business find new opportunities for growth. When Tabitha Williams, a Marketing Manager in Comcast Cable’s Beltway Region, stepped up to lead the region’s new Black Employee Network (BEN), she immediately saw an opportunity to marry her two leadership roles. Williams and her marketing team leveraged the expertise of her fellow BENmembers to build a robust marketing strategy tailored to African American subscribers.

She conducted focus groups to determine how to authentically connect with African American consumers, the results of which directly influenced the regional marketing campaign. Local BENmembers even acted as product ambassadors at local events, and connected the marketing team with local communities to help drive market penetration.

Learn more about Comcast NBCUniversal in the 2017 Diversity & Inclusion Report.

^[1] Employee Resource Groups existed at NBCUniversal prior to the acquisition by Comcast in 2011. The ERG program launched at Comcast in 2012, following the success seen at NBCUniversal.