Employee Interest Groups (EIGs) support current faculty and staff in actively and intentionally cultivating a sense of community around shared interests at Wake Forest University.
The collective goals of EIGs at Wake Forest University are to:
- Provide professional development, mentoring, and networking opportunities;
- Offer social and community engagement via programming and volunteerism throughout the university and larger community;
- Collaborate across EIGs and campus stakeholders to act as thought partners, harness knowledge, and share resources;
- Advance the spirit of Pro Humanitate consistent with the strategic vision, values and goals of Wake Forest University
WFU recognizes the value of Employee Interest Groups in building community, fostering professional development and increasing employee engagement consistent with its policy and/or guidelines regarding Employee Interest Groups.
The first cohort of EIGs will be announced 7/1/26.
Membership in any EIG is voluntary and open to all current WFU employees who support the goals of the Employee Interest Group as set forth in this Charter/Bylaws. Students are not eligible to be members of EIGs.
To connect with an existing EIG and find out more about upcoming events and opportunities, visit the EIG home page, click on the EIG you are interested in, and reach out to the liaisons listed. Additionally, each semester Human Resources hosts a showcase event for the Employee Interest Groups; these are a great opportunity to connect with different groups and meet leaders and colleagues who participate in them.
Absolutely. Current WFU employees are welcome to join and/or engage with as many EIGs as are relevant or of interest to them.
It depends on the EIG! The EIG structure at WFU is designed to allow each EIG to function with independence and the ability to act in ways that best fit the needs and interests of members while also aligning with the collective goals of EIGs.
EIGs engage in activities like the following:
- Provide professional development, mentoring, and networking opportunities;
- Offer social and community engagement via programming and volunteerism throughout the university and larger community;
- Collaborate across EIGs and campus stakeholders to act as thought partners, harness knowledge, and share resources;
- Advance the spirit of Pro Humanitate consistent with the strategic vision, values and goals of Wake Forest
- Programs and events dedicated to sharing the unique traditions, talents and perspectives of our Employee Interest Group community, fostering cultural awareness and unity
- Enhancing the public image and presence of WFU
- Membership recruitment
Participation in EIGs is voluntary and up to your own discretion, interests, and availability. Formal membership status within an EIG is determined by each EIG’s by-laws. EIG liaisons have a more formal role in leading the EIGs and serving on the EIG Council convened by Human Resources, so the time expectation for liaisons is greater than for general members.
Faculty members may, at their discretion, include their leadership or service in EIGs as part of their service to the University narrative. Evaluators can consider this as part of institutional service, similar to committee work or community outreach. Likewise, staff may choose to voluntarily highlight professional skills developed through voluntary service on EIGs (e.g., budget, community outreach, event planning) if relevant to their broader professional goals. At all times, participation remains voluntary and not treated as hours worked for the University.
Managers may demonstrate support for employee engagement in EIGs through any of the following strategies:
- Spread awareness: Ensure employees are aware of the EIGs that exist at WFU. Promote events like the Employee Interest Group Experience held each semester. Include information about EIGs in new employee onboarding materials.
- Encourage engagement: Each EIG is unique in terms of the events and meetings they host; some EIG programs may occur during traditional work hours. Proactively set expectations with employees regarding opportunities to participate in EIG programming and parameters related to their working schedules. Managers of hourly employees should pay special attention to this and communicate clear expectations so that employees may engage with EIGs without disrupting the work environment.
- Value leadership: EIGs must have at least two Liaisons who serve as dedicated leaders for the group, and EIGs may have additional leadership positions as determined by their by-laws. Employees who take part in any leadership role of a WFU EIG must have supervisory approval to hold this role due to the expectations and commitments associated with the roles. Beyond approval, managers may further support employee engagement in EIGs through incorporating service to the EIGs into evaluation and performance assessment practices. For staff, employee performance evaluations could include a goal/commitment related to EIG leadership. For faculty, department chairs could consider leadership in an EIG as institutional service.
Requirements for an EIG are as follows:
- Have at least 10 members and plan to convene as a group at least twice per semester
- Commit to maintenance guidelines including active engagement in the EIG Council
- Submit a Charter and Bylaws
- Bylaws should include:
- Official purpose, name and goals
- Membership criteria (e.g. # of meetings members should attend, etc.)
- Meeting information (e.g. frequency, attendance, etc.)
- Propose a distinct leadership structures with roles and responsibilities, and terms of rotation; includes 1-2 roles that serve as institutional liaisons (see responsibilities of institutional liaisons below)
- Agreement to abide by the bylaws and charter, including the following statement in the bylaws: “All current university employees are eligible to participate in EIGs. Individuals will not be excluded from participation in an EIG based on protected status consistent with the University’s Non-Discrimination Statement.”
- Agreement to follow EIG event advertising parameters
- Agreement to abide by Wake Forest social media guidelines
- Bylaws should include:
- Develop an operational plan that details goals for the year, how these will be achieved, and the benefit these actions will bring to the University
- Submit necessary materials (application, bylaws, operational plan) HERE, to be reviewed by Human Resources.
More information about the above requirements can be found here.
Employees interested in forming a new EIG are encouraged to consult with Human Resources during the initial planning process, and are asked to participate in an EIG interest session.
Applications will be open from January 1 to March 1, and accepted EIGs will be notified in the following April.