.png){kind=small}
Project Management in ERGs
Join Michelle Liang, Senior Program Manager, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Uber Technologies Inc., and moderator Taylor Haner, Customer Success Product Trainer at Teleskope, as they explore how project management principles can help ERGs thrive.
Topics and Speakers
This webinar covers:
-
Applying the Iron Triangle of Project Management in ERG initiatives
-
Benchmarks and metrics to measure ERG success
-
Common challenges in ERG management and practical solutions
-
Leveraging technology solutions to streamline ERG operations
-
Actionable key takeaways for DEI managers and ERG program leaders
Speakers:
-
Taylor Haner, Customer Success Product Trainer, Teleskope (moderator)
-
Michelle Liang, Senior Program Manager, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Uber Technologies Inc.
Synopsis
Employee Resource Groups are usually run by passionate volunteers, but rarely with the structure of a formal project. In this conversation, Michelle Liang, Senior Program Manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Uber, walks through what changes when ERG leaders start treating their programs like projects, not just passion initiatives.
Liang describes Uber's 12-ERG structure, built around four founding pillars: Careers, Commerce, Community and Culture, each led by a tier of Global, Regional, and Chapter chairs. From there, she maps ERG work onto the classic project management "Iron Triangle" of Time, Resources and Scope: leadership terms that function like project timelines, budgets that come through D&I or an executive sponsor, and initiatives that need a defined scope before they become part of an ERG's ongoing operations.
The conversation spends real time on measurement, covering both the quantitative side (recurring engagement surveys) and the qualitative side (retrospectives that track what worked, what didn't, and why), and on what Liang calls the single biggest challenge and opportunity in ERG work: communication. She argues communication deserves its own workstream and committee, not an afterthought, since it's what turns ERG membership into a genuine seat at the table with business leadership.
Liang also speaks directly to the role of purpose-built technology in replacing spreadsheet-based tracking with centralized membership data and executive-ready reporting, drawing on her own experience as a Teleskope user. She closes with three practical principles for any DEI or ERG program manager starting this work: build real relationships with members before assigning them tasks, understand what people want out of their involvement, and deliberately align ERG goals with the priorities of an executive sponsor.
Throughout, the through-line is that ERGs succeed less on enthusiasm alone and more on the same disciplines that make any project succeed: clear scope, real metrics, deliberate communication, and sponsor alignment.
Key Takeaways
-
Apply the Iron Triangle (Time, Resources, Scope) to ERG initiatives the same way you would any formal project, rather than treating them as informal volunteer efforts.
-
Measure ERG success with both quantitative data (recurring engagement surveys) and qualitative input (structured retrospectives), documented both before and after each initiative.
-
Treat communication as its own dedicated workstream or committee within the ERG, not a byproduct of other work; it's the biggest lever for turning membership into real influence.
-
Centralize ERG data and reporting in purpose-built technology rather than spreadsheets, especially for the dashboards executive sponsors expect to see.
-
Build individual relationships with members first, understanding their interests and goals, before assigning them to projects or committees.
-
Deliberately align ERG objectives with your executive sponsor's priorities to turn sponsorship into an active, ongoing partnership rather than a nominal title.
Introduction
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): All right, welcome everyone! I'm thrilled to be here for today's webinar diving into the world of project management and Employee Resource Groups. Before we jump in, I'll briefly introduce myself. My name is Taylor Haner, and I'm part of the Customer Success team at Teleskope. We empower organizations to build thriving and impactful ERGs, and I have the privilege of seeing that firsthand. So I'm excited to guide our discussion today and welcome our panelist, Michelle Liang, Senior Program Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Uber Technologies. Michelle, thanks for joining me today. Can you please share a bit about yourself and your experience with project management in ERGs?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Yes, well, thank you so much, Taylor and the Teleskope team, for welcoming me to your webinar. I'm Michelle Liang. I'm based in New York City and a Senior Program
Get to know Michelle Liang from Uber
Michelle Liang (Uber): Manager at Uber within the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team. I've been at Uber for five years now, and prior to that I spent about 10 years total in the D&I space, primarily as a program manager, having previously led and co-founded an Asian Employee Resource Group at Marsh & McLennan Companies. And I've worked in project management for almost 20-plus years now, primarily and initially within risk management insurance companies as well as ed-tech, and it's been a great pleasure to be in end-to-end project management and strategic planning across various lines of business and companies.
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Amazing. Let's discuss your background: I see it says "Build with Heart" on your virtual background, so I wondered if you could tell me more about that.
Michelle Liang (Uber): Sure. This is an illustration of one of the many Uber cultural values we have, and "Build with Heart" is something that's very close to my own values. I think it's important not just to lead with your gut and your mind, but also with your heart, because at the end of the day we're working with people, which is essentially what helps create good, in order to continue to do well. Part of that is really building with heart, where you're led by your passion to come up with and deliver great, desired outcomes that are sustainable and scalable.
What is Uber's Employee Resource Group program like?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Awesome, I love that. So I'm going to start off with some questions. The first one: can you share a brief overview of ERGs at Uber so the audience can visualize the ERG program?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Sure. As far as ERGs at Uber, there are 12 ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) led by Global Co-Chairs, then Regional Chairs, then Chapter Chairs. Each chapter originally started with four pillars: Careers, Commerce, Community and Culture. I'd emphasize this is also a framework I've seen at other companies, where they have a specific area that's key to the business, or specific to what they're looking to impact (their workforce, their workplace or their marketplace), and depending on which framework or pillar that is, that's what they build their chapter and governance around.
Within Uber, each ERG has its own structure based on its needs, but still very much akin to the pillars or framework I mentioned. The Global Leads meet on a recurring basis to discuss updates and operational strategies with our head of ERGs. I've seen this model succeed at other companies too, as I mentioned, when I established an Asian Employee Resource Group over five years ago.
What are some benchmarks in ERG management?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Are there any benchmarks (project timelines, budget management, resource allocation) that you could share with respect to project management in Employee Resource Groups?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Sure. I'd say these benchmarks can vary depending on each Employee Resource Group's OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), which have their own distinct action items or related projects. From an operational perspective, managing the ERG includes annual ERG Summits, where ERG leads come together to celebrate their work and commitment to the ERGs, while also getting face time with fellow leads and learning together.
Planning these summits, by the way, is no easy task: it requires a lot of thought and coordination: scheduling travel, building the agenda, and making sure the event balances learning and team building. So specific to benchmarks (timelines, budget management, resource allocation), I'd primarily defer to the ERGs' head of ERGs, who's responsible for ensuring policy, timeline, scope and resources are allocated accordingly, all guided by business policy.
What are the different aspects of project management in ERG management?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): So what do you mean by project management in ERGs? What does that encompass exactly?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Sure. Project management in ERGs works because the Employee Resource Group is like its own entity: ERGs are seen as a product for people with a passion for a value or an affinity. That's actually why ERGs are also called Affinity Groups. For an ERG to succeed, it has to be treated with the same strategies and tactical approaches as project management, where we have the concept of the Iron Triangle: Time, Resources and Scope. The same is true for every ERG.
For ERGs, we're bound by time: leaders typically have a mandate for a given role, often a year, though it really depends on the business need and the ERG's strategy. When it comes to resources, we have a nominal investment or budget from the D&I organization or the business, and at times specifically from the business via the executive sponsor. And we have a number of members we're responsible for, to make sure their experience is both impactful and meaningful. All ERGs have committees, built and staffed by dedicated employees who are also volunteers, to continue the work depending on the pillars they're responsible for.
And then, lastly, Scope, again, in the Iron Triangle: Scope, Time and Resources. If you're a leader for a chapter, a region, or as a whole (a Global Chair), you're responsible, and volunteering, for that area of remit. So from a planning and execution standpoint, every event or initiative the ERG pursues has to be treated as a project first, before it becomes part of daily operations, regardless of whether there's a start or end date. If there's a set resource requirement for an initiative or event, internal or external, that's a project. And where we focus our actions, initiatives and projects to meet our goals and objectives is generally based on what we agree is the scope for that work.
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Okay, so you give out some of the responsibilities through that scope, giving different leaders different titles and responsibilities. So what... oh, go ahead, sorry.
Michelle Liang (Uber): Oh, I was also going to add: we don't want to duplicate work, especially for volunteers, who are already taking time out of their day and their existing work responsibilities. So we want to make sure we're optimizing and working within the guidelines of operational excellence, making sure the area or body of work a volunteer is raising their hand for is a specific task, project or initiative.
And we certainly encourage collaboration too, because whether someone is passionate, interested, or wants to stretch themselves, I've always believed in the importance of having a buddy system. I believe ERGs are the best place to have that kind of insular leadership, using your ability to lead, but also creating a legacy for what you want to represent and how you want to brand yourself within your company. That also means the opportunity to mentor and guide another ERG member by collaborating with them on a project within the ERG. But it's also important because you'll have somebody to continue the work you're doing, say, if you're not available that day to step in, or you have more workload than anticipated. And it means sharing the learning and knowledge you accumulate from that activity.
What are some key ERG metrics that measure ERG success?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Yeah, so you talked a lot about what makes up different Employee Resource Groups. So now I want to know: what metrics would you recommend for measuring the success of setting up an Employee Resource Group?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Sure, there are several. I'd definitely recommend measuring the impact: what's the outcome of the work you've delivered. In project management, these kinds of metrics would be part of the ERG's retrospective, or post-mortem, covering areas like stakeholder management: how well did you engage your executive sponsor or business leaders in a particular initiative? How do we continue to bring value from the ERGs to the business? What's the engagement level from employees? For that, you could run engagement surveys annually, biannually, or quarterly.
There's also risk management: really understanding the blockers and drivers of the initiatives you're pursuing. Understanding those two factors gives you better insight into how to elevate the position of your ERG with your business partners. And then, of course, the strengths and opportunities that come with every piece of work you do within the ERG.
These are important to measure, and they can happen not just in retrospectives, but at the start of an initiative too, where you use these factors almost like a manifesto up front: these are my assumptions, and I'm going to make sure my executive sponsor and the ERG are aligned on the objectives we're going to hit. Then, during your retrospective, you can look back and gauge which of those beginning assumptions actually played out.
You can also validate what worked and what didn't. In the future, that becomes part of a knowledge-sharing tool you can share with other ERG project owners so they can learn from it. It's related to metrics in that you want to document all of this information, pre- and post-initiative. Some of it, like engagement surveys, is quantitative; other parts of validation are qualitative. Having both types of measurement is what makes the work truly impactful, and it becomes a great artifact when you're revisiting your budget requirements and your budget ask.
What are the biggest challenges in ERG management?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Yeah, as you were talking about all the different ways to collect metrics and data, it made me think of Teleskope's Affinities and how our program has a lot of different ways to collect data through surveys and communication tools as well. So I was wondering, in your experience, what are the biggest challenges in project management within ERGs?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Yes, before I answer that, I do want to emphasize what you shared about Teleskope's capabilities, because as a user myself, and a super user, actually, having had to train our teams on the tool, there's a lot of opportunity that's already made intuitive by your tool. I especially appreciate that it lets me see, for instance, how many clicks a particular invitation has received, as well as data on acceptances and declines. That's helpful for understanding where the opportunities are, and where we already have supporters and advocates. A lot of analysis can be drawn from the metadata Teleskope makes available.
Part of the biggest challenge I've seen in project management is, honestly, communication. Project management is 100% communication. That's one of the key ideas in the PMBOK, the Project Management Body of Knowledge, which is essentially the reference book with the requirements and information needed for PMP certification. If it hadn't been called out there, it might not have become such a consistent focus for project managers.
Communication is the biggest challenge, but it's also the biggest opportunity. Being part of (and leading) an ERG is a reliable way to have a voice and a seat at the table. It gives you access to share your point of view, validate it, and engage others. It's a very powerful tool. Communication is power, and while ERGs are key to representation, communication is the instrument that enables that. We should be thoughtful about communication: communication planning should have its own workstream within the ERG, and I'd personally establish it as its own committee.
A lot of the analysis and output from the metrics we talked about earlier can be applied to how we best serve our ERG's communication. Something as simple as knowing when your team members, or the group of people you want to invite, are actually available. Say you want to host a lunch and learn, but some members aren't free at that time, or you're trying to reach people across the organization while sales is trying to close the books at month- or quarter-end. That's where two-way communication, understanding the best time to hold an event to include as many people as possible, comes from good communication planning.
We also have to be thoughtful about the format of our communication and how we communicate. We're living in a time when diverse abilities are core to a sense of belonging, so you want to make sure you have ways to communicate that account for, say, hearing or sight impairments: how big your fonts are in a presentation, whether it's better to share project updates by email or platform versus making decisions over Zoom or in person. These are things to be thoughtful about, because the outcome of your communication can create even more challenges if it isn't handled thoughtfully. Does that answer your question?
How can technology solutions like ERG software help in ERG project management?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Yeah, absolutely, it did answer the question, and it actually leads into the next one: how can technology solutions help with ERG project management? I know you touched on this a bit already with communication and metrics, but is there anything else that could help?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Oh, yes, of course. There are multiple project management software tools out there, but having something built specifically for Employee Resource Groups is a big plus. At the end of the day, technology solutions for ERG project management are very helpful because they centralize information: you no longer have to track membership on a spreadsheet or some other document.
Having a technology platform means everything is already there, intuitively and innovatively. I also think the user interface is really helpful when you have to present to a lot of people, especially your executive sponsor. Having a dashboard as part of the platform pulls all that information together and presents a lot of analysis in a very concise way.
And onboarding and training our ERGs on Teleskope has been a phenomenal experience, not just because the tool itself is excellent, but the customer service we've received from Teleskope has been amazing. A special shout-out to Maneet on that: he's been an excellent, true partner.
What are the key takeaways for DEI Managers or ERG Program Managers?
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Before we wrap up, because we're getting to the end of the webinar: what are the three most important things you'd want DEI or ERG program managers to keep in mind as they begin their project management journey?
Michelle Liang (Uber): Sure, there could be more than three, actually, maybe I could write an article about it! But the three I'd come up with right now, not necessarily in order:
Number one: get to know your members. You're essentially building your team. Reflecting on my experience starting an Employee Resource Group, having a list of members who'd raised their hand to volunteer, I personally took time during my lunch break to reach out, draft an email, and sometimes reach out to individuals directly, to understand their passions, interests, current roles, and what they'd want to do if asked to go above and beyond their current work. Working with those individuals to carve a path (not necessarily conventional, but aligned with their own career goals and the kind of brand they want to build at their company), I've never had that approach fail. Some of our longtime ERG members can attest they've never said no to a request to participate using that approach.
Second: it's really important to understand people's passions and interests, because you're creating resources and cultivating relationships, and at the end of the day, that's what matters most. You spend a lot of your time at work, and there's no better way to spend it than building relationships and cultivating your professional network.
Last but not least: align your goals and objectives with your business and your executive sponsor. This nurtures the support you're given, so the sponsorship isn't just nominal. There have been multiple times in my ERG work where I was able to gain mentorship and sponsorship for myself because of this: I aligned my goals and objectives with my executive sponsor. There have also been times we needed a particular speaker, and that relationship made it possible to reach the executive sponsor directly, without multiple steps, because the trust was already built. And that trust runs both ways: the quality you're looking for in that person is something they're also looking for in you.
So: get to know your members, understand their passions and interests, and align your goals and objectives. Those are the three nuggets, or pearls, of wisdom I'd share.
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Amazing, thank you. So it sounds like communication is huge in ERGs, and also just bringing everyone together through one kind of platform: one place to connect.
Michelle Liang (Uber): Yes, certainly.
Taylor Haner (Teleskope): Awesome. Thank you so much, Michelle, for being here and sharing your expertise. And thank you to everyone who tuned in: stay tuned for future webinars.
Michelle Liang (Uber): Thank you so much for having me.