Expat workers in Czechia want community. Business Resource Groups help make it happen

For many expats in Czechia, work is more than a place to earn a salary. It can also be where they meet people, understand local culture, and start to feel rooted in a new country, but that sense of community doesn’t happen automatically. International teams especially have to work hard to navigate and accommodate different backgrounds, languages, and life experiences.

That is where Business Resource Groups, or BRGs, can make a difference. These employee-run groups give people a way to connect around shared interests, identities, and causes while also planning events, leading workshops, supporting colleagues, and drawing attention to issues that matter inside and outside the office.

At ADP, a global leader in HR and payroll solutions, present in 140 countries worldwide (including Czechia), BRGs have become one way to connect employees in Prague. 

“From my perspective [in Czechia], BRGs help strengthen belonging, inform how we think about talent and development, and keep us closer to the evolving expectations of a diverse workforce,” explains Ganesh Iyer, senior director & country HR head at ADP.

“ADP is serving over 1.1 million clients of all sizes across all industries, each with their own realities, challenges, and ambitions,” he continues. “How can we expect to understand them if we don't embrace the same diversity within our own organization? Beyond their contribution to organizational success, BRGs also foster community and help turn inclusion into something practical.”

Participating in a BRG can turn the office into a real entry point into local life. ADP’s groups offer a useful case study in how workplace communities can promote inclusion, create local impact, and help employees build professional skills.

According to the Czech Statistical Office, about 15 percent of Czech residents aged 15 and over living in private households had a disability in 2024. In absolute terms, that was about 1.313 million people. At ADP, Thrive Czech Republic was developed to help support those coworkers and show they have advocates in their corner. 

Members of this BRG organized a workshop with the National Foundation for the Support of Employment of People with Disabilities to help those with less visible disabilities or health limitations feel more seen, with the goal of making people feel more comfortable requesting accommodations for their needs.

“This aligns closely with one of ADP’s core values, ‘Each person counts’,” explains Kateryna Basina, an ADP payroll analyst and member of Thrive. “We are contributing to creating a better employee experience for all, regardless of differences.”

But being responsible wardens for society goes beyond helping people with disabilities. Through the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) BRG, members are offered more direct ways to give back to the city of Prague. Opportunities like first-aid training and blood drives provide employees with the chance to support the community outside their day-to-day work. 

Sergio Tunno, director of global consulting services at ADP and a member of the CSR BRG, knows that driving this philosophy is more than just a page on the company’s website.

“Our goals align closely with ADP’s broader priorities around associate engagement, inclusion, and corporate social responsibility.”

Bringing company values to life wouldn’t mean much if those values don’t bring real change. But when individual passion is paired with company support, that kind of change becomes easier to put into practice.

Czechia has made progress on LGBTQ+ inclusion, but workplace support still matters. That’s why it's important for ADP to support its PRIDE BRG, which fosters inclusion and visibility for the LGBTQ+ community through various initiatives and helps people take a stand, raise their voice, and build visibility both in the streets of Prague and on the stage of the world.

This year, the BRG continued its proud tradition of participating in the Fun & Run Prague race. “It’s a charity run and fun afternoon that stands against homophobia, biphobia, intersexphobia, transphobia, and the stigmatization of people living with HIV,” Le Grand explains.

For LGBTQ+ employees and allies, that visibility helps make inclusion feel like part of everyday working life, rather than a value that appears only during Pride season.

Sustainability can feel too abstract to act on at work. That is why ADP developed Green, a BRG dedicated to encouraging sustainable habits and making environmental responsibility feel more practical. This is an especially impactful goal in Czechia, where domestic material consumption per capita was above the EU-27 average in 2021, according to Czechia’s 2023 environmental report.

“We aim to build a strong and active community where people feel inspired rather than pressured,” payroll manager and Green BRG member Veronica Paitan explains. “The real impact is in changing perception, making sustainability feel simple, approachable, and something people actually want to explore further.”

Improving the world is a strong reason to join a BRG, but it is not the only one. BRGs can also help employees turn a personal development goal into practical experience. PRIDE’s le Grand explained it best: “We’ve seen time and again how BRG involvement gives associates the confidence and experience to grow into the leaders they aspire to be.”

Every BRG at ADP creates avenues for employees to develop professional skills that will help them succeed, from practical experience in management roles to important networking opportunities. The company’s iWIN BRG (which stands for International Women’s Inclusion Network) strives to empower women in professional environments, a necessary service as historical discrimination finds itself baked into the AI algorithms that are deciding who gets work. 

iWIN does this through mentoring programs and creating opportunities that give their members a chance to shine. “This allows associates to develop leadership skills in a practical, hands-on way while contributing to the organization,” global payroll manager and iWIN member Jana Heydukova says.

A good community can be the key to building a life in a new country, so finding an employer who encourages BRGs is a smart way to support both personal and professional development.

For expats in Czechia, workplace community can shape how quickly a new country starts to feel navigable. BRGs like the ones organized through ADP are one sign that an employer is thinking beyond job descriptions and benefits, and looking at how employees build connections, develop skills, and contribute to the wider community around them.