• The earliest-known Hewlett-Packard employee network formed in 1972, but they were largely informal organizations until 1993.
• HP began chartering employee networks — also called employee resource groups — in 1993, early in the tenure of CEO Lew Platt.
• Since 1993, employee networks have formally represented women and minority groups at HP and its successor companies, ensuring that employees have a say in shaping the culture and policies of diversity, equity and inclusion at their companies.
The earliest-known HP employee network was established in 1972, when a group of Black functional managers met to discuss increasing Black employment and retention at HP. Though informal, the network brought together Black employees to share their concerns, provide mentorship and to develop or advance programs improving Black representation at HP.
Those activities pioneered the path for other groups. Shortly after the Black managers network formed, a group of gay and lesbian employees created the first HP resource group for people with nonheteronormative identities. By the 1980s, these and other networks were part of HP’s fabric of life, though their status remained informal and their power undefined.
Lew Platt, who became CEO of HP in 1992, was committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognizing them not just as moral imperatives, but as good business. One of his most enduring initiatives was the formal chartering of employee networks in 1993, which provided access to company-sponsored email, conference rooms, the HP logo and similar amenities. Most importantly, groups were formally recognized as representative bodies for employees with DEI concerns.
Employee networks grew in size, number and influence quickly following Platt’s reforms. By 1995, there were at least 26 recognized HP employee network chapters throughout the United States. Network leaders participated in DEI initiatives throughout the U.S. — task forces, councils, advisory boards and the like — where they could help shape company-driven diversity initiatives and share their experiences with other networks.
In the 21st century, employee networks remain fundamental to HP’s conception of DEI. An Employee Resource Group Advisory Council formed by 2008 to directly connect network representatives and senior leadership. By 2013 there were about 150 HP employee resource groups worldwide with at least 9,000 members. And in 2022, HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise boasted 270 networks in 46 countries between both companies.
The Hewlett-Packard Company Archives (HPCA) is dedicated to preserving and sharing HP’s rich heritage. Look for further stories about HP’s history in future issues of this newsletter. Please note that throughout this story we have included hyperlinks to related content on the HPCA Virtual Vault, providing additional information and visual accompaniments.
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