ERG Referral Acceleration Program Guide

1. Program Introduction & Benefits

This Employee Resource Group (ERG) Referral Acceleration Program is a structured, six-month initiative designed to leverage the networks and advocacy of ERG members to directly enhance the organization's diverse talent pipeline. Based on proven methodologies like the ADDIE model and Adult Learning Principles, the program moves beyond passive awareness to active, goal-oriented participation. It provides ERG members with the tools, recognition, and support needed to become effective talent ambassadors, with a clear, measurable target of securing at least 20 qualified candidate referrals.

Strategic Benefits for Employees (ERG Members):

• Enhanced Professional Brand: Develops skills in talent scouting and professional networking, increasing personal visibility and influence within and outside the organization.
• Strengthened Community Impact: Provides a direct, actionable channel for members to contribute to the growth and diversity of their workplace community, fostering a deeper sense of purpose and belonging.
• Career Development: Participation demonstrates leadership, initiative, and strategic thinking—valuable competencies for career advancement.
• Exclusive Access & Recognition: Offers early access to job openings, specialized training, and a formal recognition system for contributions to company goals.
• Expanded Network: Encourages and structures external networking, helping members build valuable professional connections.

2. Program Expansion Strategy

Evaluation: The primary program goal is to "Increase the diverse talent pipeline by securing at least 20 candidate referrals from ERG members." This is an activation and advocacy goal, not a structured development relationship like mentorship or coaching. However, a supplemental Mentorship layer would significantly improve outcomes by addressing a key challenge: the retention and application gap post-referral.

Supplemental Mentorship Layer:

• Value Addition: A new hire from an ERG referral enters the organization with a built-in connection. A short-term, structured mentorship (e.g., 3 months) between the referring ERG member and the new hire can dramatically improve onboarding success, engagement, and retention. This turns a one-time referral into an ongoing support system, reinforcing the ERG's role in fostering an inclusive culture and providing tangible data on referral quality (e.g., new hire performance and retention rates).
• Implementation Note: Implement a voluntary "Referral Ambassador Mentorship" track. Referring ERG members can opt-in to be paired with their successful referral for the first 90 days. Provide both parties with light-touch training (see Section 5) and a clear charter focused on cultural onboarding, resource navigation, and social integration, not performance management.

3. Implementation Roadmap

Launch Phase (Month 1)

• ✓ Needs Assessment & Goal Alignment: Finalize target roles for referrals with Talent Acquisition. Survey ERG members to understand their networks, perceived barriers to referring, and desired incentives.
• ✓ Program Design & Charter: Develop SMART program objectives. Draft clear guidelines on referral eligibility, the submission process, and the incentive/recognition structure.
• ✓ Tooling & Resource Setup: Configure selected software tools (see Section 4). Build the central resource hub and communication templates.
• ✓ Kickoff & Ambassador Recruitment: Host a launch event for all ERG members. Recruit and brief a core group of "Referral Champions" to advocate and assist peers.
• ✓ Initial Training Session: Deliver the first "How to Be a Talent Ambassador" workshop.

Tracking & Operations (Months 2-5)

• ✓ Regular Communication: Send bi-weekly updates featuring open roles, referral tips, and spotlight stories on successful referrals/submitters.
• ✓ Ongoing Support: Host monthly "Office Hours" or drop-in sessions for Q&A. Share microlearning content (short videos, infographics) on networking and sourcing techniques.
• ✓ Process Management: Use the ERG Program Software to track referral submissions, status (submitted -> interviewed -> hired), and incentive fulfillment in real-time.
• ✓ Mid-Point Check-in: Conduct a survey and focus group to gather feedback on process friction and adjust support materials as needed.

Success Measurement

• Quantitative KPIs:
  • Level 1 (Reaction): 90%+ satisfaction rate with program tools and support in mid-point survey.
  • Level 2 (Learning): 25% increase in knowledge test scores on effective referral practices from pre-to-post workshop assessment.
  • Level 3 (Behavior): Number of referral submissions (Track to 20+ goal). Percentage of ERG members who submit at least one referral.
  • Level 4 (Results): Hire-through-rate of ERG referrals vs. standard channels. 90-day retention rate of hires from ERG referrals.
• Qualitative Feedback Mechanisms:
  • Structured interviews with participants (submitters and non-submitters) to understand drivers and barriers.
  • Feedback from Talent Acquisition partners on referral quality.
  • Sentiment analysis on Internal Social Network posts related to the program.

4. Approved Tools List

• ERG Program Software: Primary Tool. This is non-negotiable for centralizing communication, event management for workshops/office hours, and most importantly, hosting a dedicated portal for referral submission, tracking, and status updates. It provides the single source of truth for program metrics.
• Internal Social Network: Essential for Engagement. Used to create a public, vibrant community around the program. Key for sharing success stories, leader shout-outs, quick tips, and fostering friendly competition among ERGs or chapters.
• LMS (Learning Management System): Required for Scalable Training. To host the "How to Be a Talent Ambassador" workshop materials, microlearning videos, knowledge assessments, and track completion for the supplemental mentorship training.

Justification: Mentorship/Coaching Software is not selected as the primary program is not 1:1 developmental. The supplemental mentorship component is lightweight and can be managed via the ERG software sign-ups and LMS training. An Onboarding Platform is a recipient of the program's output but not a driver of the program itself. Personality Tests are not relevant to the core referral activation goal.

5. Resource & Content Library

General Program Content

• Guide: "The ERG Member's Guide to Effective Referrals: From Your Network to Our Team"
• Video Series (Microlearning):
  • "Crafting Your 30-Second 'Why Work Here' Pitch"
  • "How to Identify Potential Candidates at Virtual/Industry Events"
  • "Using LinkedIn Ethically and Effectively for Sourcing"
  • "The Do's and Don'ts of Approaching a Potential Referral"
• Templates:
  • Email template for reaching out to a potential referral.
  • Social media post templates to share open roles.
  • Pre-written messaging to explain the company culture and employee value proposition.
• Workshop: "Talent Ambassador Training": Interactive session covering the hiring process, unconscious bias in referrals, and effective networking strategies.

Supplemental Mentoring Content Table

For ERG members who opt into the 90-day "Referral Ambassador Mentorship" with their successful hire.