With all of the buzzwords surrounding corporations today, one word resonates above all the others: diversity. Creating successful diversity initiatives remains the focus of many corporations, including those profiled in last issue’s LATINA Style 50 Special Report. Recruiting a diverse workforce is key, but retaining that diversity and cultivating the talent associated with it often proves to be a challenge.

Factors such as benefits packages and advancement opportunities strongly contribute to a company’s appeal, but in an increasingly demanding market companies must implement a broader spectrum of programs to attract and retain talented Hispanic women.

One such program, becoming increasingly popular within the past decade, is the employee network group. Also referred to as affinity groups, these networks foster a supportive infrastructure for diverse employees to gather and share ideas. The inclusion of these networks in a corporation’s diversity strategy assures potential employees that the needs of their demographic are met, and that their voices are represented within the company. The groups typically organize themselves around a gender, ethnic, religious, or lifestyle commonality.

Generally, the affinity groups are organized and led by employees. The networks engage in both formal and informal programming. Some of the LATINA Style 50 companies’ Hispanic affinity groups offer employees established programs such as Latina-to-Latina mentoring programs which help advocate both professional and personal growth among Hispanic women within the company. Employee networks also serve as a powerful recruitment tools, allowing current employees to pool their resources to attract the best and brightest of their communities.