BEST PRACTICES IN ACHIEVING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

BEST PRACTICES

IN

ACHIEVING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE’S

NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR REINVENTING GOVERNMENT

BENCHMARKING STUDY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BENCHMARKING STUDY PARTNERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CHAPTER 2: LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CHAPTER 3: STRATEGIC PLANNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

CHAPTER 4: EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

APPENDICES

A. BENCHMARKING AGENCY PARTICIPANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1

B. TELEPHONE SURVEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1

C. SCORE CARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1

D. SITE VISIT GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1

BENCHMARKING STUDY PARTNERS

Coors Brewing CompanyGolden, Colorado

DaimlerChryslerAuburn Hills, Michigan

Eastman KodakRochester, New York

Fannie MaeWashington, DC

The Prudential Insurance Company of AmericaNewark, New Jersey

The Seattle TimesSeattle, Washington

Sempra EnergySan Diego, California

United States Coast GuardWashington, DC

XeroxRochester, New York

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

STUDY SPONSORS

STUDY DIRECTOR

STUDY ADVISORS

STUDY TEAM LEADERS

MORLEY WINOGRAD

SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR TO THE VICE PRESIDENT

DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR REINVENTING

GOVERNMENT (NPR)

WILETT BUNTON

DIRECTOR

NPR DIVERSITY TASK FORCE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

CAROL HAYASHIDA

DEPUTY DIRECTOR


U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

ROB SADLER

ATTORNEY


U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

RAJ K. GUPTA

ATTORNEY


U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

ORELIOUS WALKER, PRINCIPAL

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

DAVID BENTON

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

ROBERT L. MALLETT

DEPUTY SECRETARY

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

The Benchmarking Team thanks the corporate and government partners who willingly shared their experiences and bestpractices with us. Special thanks to Linda J. Bilmes, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration,United States Department of Commerce; John J. Phelan III, Director, Office of Management and Organization, UnitedStates Department of Commerce; Lisa Mallory, Deputy Director, National Partnership for Reinventing Government; and,

Tom Kowalczyk, Senior Engineer, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport.

Executive Summary Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

Diversity Affects the World

Advances in technology and the advent of aglobal economy bring the people of the worldcloser together than ever before. Given this fact,businesses, educational systems and other entitiesare investigating ways to better serve theirconstituents. This includes being able to attractand retain the best and most qualified workers.Organizations that can develop and employ thenecessary policies and procedures to do this willmaintain a competitive advantage among theircounterparts and increase their effectiveness. Theprivate sector competitive model may notsquarely fit Federal departments and agencies,given the lack of profit motive as the reason fortheir existence. Yet, Federal organizations mustcompete to recruit and retain the best talent ifthey hope to achieve their bottom line, theirstatutory missions.

The changing demographics of our nation alsoaffect the nation’s businesses and in turn thenation’s economy. For our government andbusinesses to continue to be effective and motivatecitizens to contribute to building theseinstitutions, our leaders must recognize andcapitalize upon the diversity of the nation.

Why is this important?

To achieve success and maintain a competitiveadvantage, we must be able to draw on the mostimportant resource – the skills of the workforce.With the increasing richness of diversity in theworld and in the workforce, we need to expandour outlook and use creative strategies to besuccessful. Employees can provide thisresource. This study identifies best practicesthat work in organizations that are doing justthat. These practices can be adopted in anyworkplace.

Why should we pay attention?

Our partners have created communities ofpractice that achieve and value workforce

diversity within their organizations. Thesepractices reflect our partners’ understandingthat valuing and recognizing diversity isimperative in order to maintain a competitiveadvantage. They know that using thesepractices enhances productivity, effectiveness,and sustained competitiveness.

How is this different?

Frequently, diversity is viewed in a limitedfashion, primarily addressing issues of race,ethnic or gender differences, and linked to thelaws providing protected status to certaingroups. We have used a very broad definitionof diversity, to encompass most characteristicsthat individuals possess that affect the way theythink and do things. This is critical. Thisstudy describes tested ways to draw on all thevaried skills of our workforce.

What did we learn?

This study emphasizes the most valuableinformation that the best practices organizationshave to offer. Our critical findings focus on thefollowing information because we can use it tofurther and strengthen the U.S. government’sefforts to achieve diversity in the workplace.

• Organizations Benefit from Diversity

Organizations that promote and achieve adiverse workplace will attract and retainquality employees and increase customerloyalty. For public organizations, it alsotranslates into effective delivery of essentialservices to communities with diverse needs.

• Leaders and Managers are Responsible for Diversity

Leaders and managers within organizationsare primarily responsible for the success ofdiversity policies because they must ensurethat the policies are effective.

Our success as aglobal companyis a direct resultof our diverse and talented

workforce. Ourability to develop

new consumerinsights andideas and toexecute in asuperior way

across the worldis the bestpossible

testimony to thepower of

diversity anyorganization

could ever have.John Pepper, CEO, Procter & Gamble

Executive Summary

• Leaders and Managers must Create a Strategic Plan to Develop Diversity Initiatives Throughout the Organization

Leaders and managers within organizations mustincorporate diversity policies into every aspect ofthe organization’s functions and purpose.

• Employees’ Views and Involvement are Keyto the Success of Diversity Initiatives

Organizations must view employeeparticipation as a necessary part of thediversity initiative, in order to develop andmaintain effective diversity policies.

The leaders of the best practices organizationsunderstand that they must support theiremployees in learning how to effectivelyinteract with and manage people in a diverseworkplace. They recognize that they shouldencourage employees to continue to learnnew skills in dealing with and managingpeople. They also recognize the impact thatdiverse clients will have upon the success orfailure of an organization, as businesses mustcompete to satisfy these clients.

Our Key Finding

A key finding of this report is that diversityneeds to be defined broadly and shouldencompass a wide range of initiatives that meetthe changing needs of customers and workers.Leaders and employees should take active rolesin implementing these diversity processeswhich, in order to succeed, should be fullyaligned with core organizational goals andobjectives. The findings in this report illustratethat the benefits of diversity are for everyone.Diversity is more than a moral imperative; it isa global necessity. Moreover, diversity is anessential component of any civil society.

Executive Summary Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

Today’s managers are responsible for bothleading employees and responding to the needsof customers who are more ethnically andculturally diverse, older, and in greater need ofchild and elder care. Leaders in both the publicand the private sectors are focusing moreattention on the issue of diversity. Whether thegoal is to be an employer of choice, to provideexcellent customer service, or to maintain acompetitive edge, diversity is increasinglyrecognized and utilized as an importantorganizational resource.

What is Diversity?

One of the major stumbling blocks indiscussions surrounding diversity is its verydefinition. For our purposes, we use thefollowing definition of diversity: "Diversityincludes all characteristics and experiences thatdefine each of us as individuals."1 A commonmisconception about diversity is that onlycertain persons or groups are included under itsumbrella, when in fact, exactly the opposite istrue. Diversity includes the entire spectrum ofprimary dimensions of an individual, includingRace, Ethnicity, Gender, Age, Religion,Disability, and Sexual orientation (referred to bythe Diversity Task Force as “REGARDS”).Secondary dimensions commonly include:communication style, work style, organizationalrole/level, economic status, and geographicorigin (e.g., East, Midwest, South). It is asimple fact that each of us possesses uniquequalities along each of these dimensions.Experience and recent research indicate thatwhen recognized and valued, diversity enhancesindividual productivity, organizationaleffectiveness, and sustained competitiveness.2

In order "to maximize the utilization of itshuman capital, organizations must go beyondmerely creating a more diverse workplace.Once there, the value of having diverseemployees must be recognized."3 Now is thetime to move beyond viewing diversity asmerely the numerical representation of certaingroups. It is time for a systematic application ofdiversity concepts to the business of the

organization. As one benchmarking partnerstated, "We view diversity as something morethan a moral imperative or a businessnecessity—we see it as a business opportunity."Aligning diversity with the mission and businessof the organization increases employeesatisfaction and retention; improvescompetitiveness and productivity; increasesresponsiveness; and adds value to the customer.

Scope of the Study

The United States Department of Commerceand Vice President Al Gore’s NationalPartnership for Reinventing Government(NPR) sponsored this benchmarking study.The study identifies best practices used byleading organizations to achieve workforcediversity. The study team identified thefollowing critical success factors to evaluate bestpractices:

1. Leadership and management commitment;

2. Employee involvement; 3. Strategic planning; 4. Sustained investment; 5. Diversity indicators;6. Accountability, measurement, and

evaluation; and7. Linkage to organizational goals and

objectives.

The practices that are included in this report arenot identified by specific organization in orderto preserve the partners’ confidentiality.

The study team reviewed a wide range ofdiversity literature and identified over 600companies and organizations—both public andprivate—which were recognized for their effortsin achieving workforce diversity. The study teamconducted an additional screening procedure toidentify organizations whose exemplary practicesin achieving workforce diversity were truly"world class" based on the identified criticalsuccess factors. As a result, 65 organizations wereselected for more detailed analysis.

Introduction Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

There were never

in the world two

opinions alike;

anymore than

two hairs or

two grains. The

most universal

quality is

diversity.Michel de Montaigne, French Essayist

1The working definition of diversity, asdeveloped and used by Vice President AlGore’s National Partnership forReinventing Government (NPR)Diversity Task Force, based on acomprehensive review of diversityliterature.

2See, e.g., Taylor Cox, Jr., CulturalDiversity in Organizations (SanFrancisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers),1994, pp. 19-40; Ann Morrison, TheNew Leaders: Guidelines on LeadershipDiversity in America (San Francisco: JoseyBass Publishers),1992, pp. 18-28.

3J. Renae Norton and Ronald E. Fox, The Change Equation(Washington, DC: AmericanPsychological Association), 1997, p. 80.

hapter 1: Introduction

The study team developed a telephone surveythat was administered to representatives of theseorganizations to gain additional insights ontheir current diversity practices. Based onsurvey results and availability considerations,nine benchmarking partners were ultimatelyselected for on-site visits. More than half ofthese partners have been recently featured inFortune and Next Step magazine articleshighlighting their cutting-edge diversity bestpractices.4

This report and other studies clearlydemonstrate that some organizations havesuccessfully implemented programs and policiesthat foster diversity and inclusiveness in the

workplace.5 There are common themes andelements among the organizations that havecharted successful courses in this area. Throughbenchmarking studies such as this one, theFederal civilian sector—which employs over 1.6million persons—has the opportunity to learnmore about diversity from world classorganizations. The Department of Commerceand NPR recognize diversity as a key resourcein fulfilling the goal of making governmentmore efficient, productive and responsive to theAmerican citizenry. As a result, it is importantthat the Federal sector begin viewing diversity asa process which influences work climates,organizational effectiveness, customer service,and ultimately, the way we do business.

Introduction Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

4See articles published in KeithEllison, "The Next Step Diversity 100,"Next Step (Philadelphia, Next StepEnterprises), Spring 1999, p. 34; EdwardRobinson and Jonathan Hickman, "TheDiversity Elite," Fortune (New York:Time, Inc.), July 1999, p. 62.

5See supra, footnote 2.

Taking Ownership andCommunicating the Vision

The degree to which our partners’ leaders areactively involved in implementing initiativesand risk taking distinguishes them from otherleaders. Managers manage change, but best-in-class leaders create change by inspiring theiremployees. Our partners champion diversity byinfusing it into all organizational processes andensuring that diversity is integrated into thecore values of the organization. They recognizediversity as an important goal, and position theresponsibility for diversity not merely withhuman resources departments or diversityoffices, but with top-level and senior executives.Our best-in-class leaders provide the visibilityand commit the time and resources to makediversity happen. In short, diversity is both atop priority and a personal responsibility forthese leaders.

• The top leader in one of our partnerorganizations personally leads the diversityefforts. He holds town hall meetings andregularly goes to the employee cafeteria tolisten and talk about diversity.

• A partner’s Chief Executive Officer requiresthe selection panel for key positions toidentify at least six persons qualified for theposition and has held up key selectionsbecause of the lack of diversity in applicantpools.

• The Chairman of the Board of one partnerorganization registered the corporation’sstatement of commitment to diversity withan external regulatory body. Changes to thiscommitment do not go unnoticed.

The top leaders of our benchmarking partnerorganizations are all personally involved inhelping the boards of directors, employees,other stakeholders and their respectivecommunities understand that diversityinitiatives create fairer employment systems andbenefits for everyone. Equity and improved jobsatisfaction contribute to increased productivityand better customer service. One partner’s chief

executive stated that the diversity vision,mission and strategic direction needs to beconveyed by leaders "clearly, concisely andrepeatedly" to enhance awareness, promoteopen dialog, and remove barriers. Severalpartners stressed that effective communicationneeds to be multidirectional within and acrossdepartments.

Creating a common frame of referenceestablishes a solid foundation upon which todiscuss diversity and develop action plans toeliminate biases and barriers. Our partners notethat there is no “one-size-fits-all” nor any“magic pill” to make diversity “happen.”However, some communication channelseffectively used by our partners to spread thediversity message include: policy statements,newsletters, meetings, speeches, trainingprograms,Web sites, and intranets.

• At one partner organization, top managementsupports the existence of a dedicated staff thatpromotes and oversees the infusion ofdiversity in its business lines and also designsactivities that promote and foster diversitythroughout the organization. A full time staffof six at the corporate level sends a messagethat there is top-level interest in diversity.This staff, located under the Vice Presidentfor Human Resources, is one level below theChief Executive Officer.

• To lead the company’s diversity efforts, onepartner created an Office of Diversity. TheVice President of Diversity, who reportsdirectly to the Vice Chair, heads the officeand has broad decision making authority.The Vice President of Diversity works closelywith the human resources division, theminority and women-owned businessprogram, and is a representative on everyboard and almost every committee in theorganization.

• When one partner organization recentlymerged with another company, the Chair,President, and Chief Executive Officer jointlysigned a diversity statement to keep diversityat the forefront. It states that, "Diversity

Leadership Commitment Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

We must be the

change we wish

to see in the

world.

Mahatma Gandhi, India’s Nationalist Leader

hapter 2: Leadership Commitment

Leadership Commitment Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

creates value and is an integral part of beingthe premier global company." The statementoutlined their goals to: (1) ensure a workforcereflective of the global communities theyserve; and (2) create a culture that usesdiversity to its competitive advantage.

Empowering Through Leadership

For our benchmarking partners, diversity doesnot depend on a single leader because it hasbeen woven into the very fabric of theorganizations—woven into the way theseorganizations conduct business on a daily basis.This is because the leadership understands theimportance of employee involvement in thechange process. They also recognize that beingcompetitive in a global economy requires fullutilization of the skills and talents of allemployees to better serve their customers,increase employee satisfaction, and meet theneeds of diverse communities. One of ourpartners contends, "Success will only beachieved through inspired people operating inan environment based on mutual trust, respect,openness, candor, empowerment, teamwork,innovation, risk taking, integrity, andencouraging and valuing diversity."

• For one of our partners, Ten CoreCommitments represent the values thatdefine the spirit of the organization—diversity is one of these core commitments.The diversity commitment states: "We are

committed to foster a diverse workforce andrecognize and value every individual’s uniqueskills and perspectives." These commitmentsare shared and reinforced on a daily basis.

• One partner has an upper-level leadershipteam that guides and evaluates the company’sprogress toward achieving its diversity goals.The team gains insights from an advisorygroup that represents eight employeecouncils. Each employee council has acorporate vice president as a sponsor. Thecouncils are inclusive—anyone who wants topromote cross-cultural communication isencouraged to become involved.

• To institutionalize diversity management atone partner organization, individuals who areseen as potential leadership successors areasked to become champions of diversitybefore assuming a leadership role. Once theybecome leaders they are already established asproponents for diversity.

• One partner recognizes the contributions ofits managers to advancing diversity. Forexample, in 1998 it created a Chief ExecutiveOfficer/Chief Operating Officer DiversityAward. This award recognizes managerswhose commitment to diversity makes themrole models for others. Such champions areused to share their experiences throughoutthe company to demonstrate the benefit ofdiversity to others.

Linking Diversity to Strategic Plans

Diversity strategic planning focuses on creatingmeasurable ways diversity can support thestrategic direction, goals, and objectives of theorganization.6 Strategic level long-rangeplanning for diversity is a more recentdevelopment. Previously, diversity was not seenas an integral part of strategic planning.Diversity initiatives were often poorlyconceptualized, lacked specificity, and were notlinked to strategic organizational plans. Today’sleaders realize that in order to be effective,successful diversity planning must be alignedwith and provide support for strategic businessobjectives and operational decisions.

• One partner builds its diversity strategic planupon its core values: (1) respect for thedignity of the individual, (2) integrity, (3)trust, (4) credibility, (5) continuousimprovement, and (6) personal renewal. Thispartner has also set a specific "GlobalPerformance Expectation," which is to buildand manage a truly diverse workforce.

• Another partner uses a Balanced Workforce(BWF) Strategy, which is an all-encompassingstrategy. It guides the organization in avariety of situations and it covers all employeepopulations. It tracks employee populationsand sets 10-year goals and annual targets.The BWF makes managers accountable forupward mobility. When layoffs occur, theBWF ensures that members of one group arenot affected disproportionately compared tomembers of other groups.

• One partner has six strategic business planksthat are its business priorities to help itsustain consistent quality and earningsgrowth. The six planks concentrate onbaseline growth, incremental growth, productquality, distributor service, productivity gains,and people. The "People" plank is tocontinuously improve our business throughengaging and developing our people. Itfocuses on building skills, offering training,improving the work environment, and

offering market-competitive, performance-based compensation and benefits that alsomeet the changing needs of its workforce.The diversity mission is to drive towards theattainment of the “People” plank goals thatare to create an environment in which peoplefrom diverse backgrounds, styles, cultures,and functions all work together to assure thelong-term success of the company.

• One partner’s operating management and thehuman resources department jointlydeveloped a five-year diversity plan. Thisplan included a monitoring system tomeasure diversity representation by functionat all levels to: (1) ensure a balancedworkforce, and (2) strengthen theorganization’s ability to attract, hire, retain,and develop the most highly qualifiedemployees. Specific measures included in theplan are: positive responses to employeesurveys, positive articles in publications,reputation as an employer of choice,improved representation of diversity at alllevels, effective remedial action whenappropriate, awards, and other recognition.

• One partner’s strategic plan was designed toprovide a link between the vision for diversitymanagement and the actions required formaking it happen. One of the firstrequirements was to define diversity, anddiversity management. Once this wasaccomplished, the definitions were used toform the foundation of the organization’sdiversity policy, vision statement, andstrategic plan. The core elements of thestrategic plan are strategic goals andobjectives, a plan for conducting a culturalaudit, a training and education plan, a planfor recognizing diversity-relatedaccomplishments, and measures ofeffectiveness. The strategic plan alsoaddresses accountability for implementingdiversity initiatives.

• One partner’s strategic plan uses a four-stepapproach for establishing and implementingdiversity:

Strategic Planning Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

When aligned

with

organizational

objectives,

diversity can be

a powerful

contributor

to the

organization’s

competitive

advantage.Dr. Edward E. Hubbard, Author,Measuring Diversity Results

6Edward E. Hubbard, MeasuringDiversity Results (Petaluma, CA: GlobalInsights Publishing), 1997, Chapter 7.

hapter 3: Strategic Planning


1. Creating a strong foundation (values,philosophy, dedicated resources, and commitment);

2. Building a solid internal structure (initiatives to support and educateemployees);

3. Building a solid external structure toinfuse diversity into the community; and

4. Measuring the progress and results (goal setting for all efforts).

• The components of one partner’s diversityplan include: (1) developing ongoingcommunication systems to create andreinforce the workplace diversity commitmentto all employees with an emphasis on why it isimportant and what it means to theorganization; (2) establishing departmentalaction plans to ensure the workforce reflectsthe diversity of the community; and (3)developing organization-wide assessment andevaluation systems to monitor diversityprogress throughout the organization.Additionally, training and empowermentinitiatives provide a foundation, for all levelsof the organization, to foster theaccomplishment of diversity goals.

• One partner conducted a study to developits diversity management policy. The workwas segmented into three phases: (1)Framework (diversity definition, policy andvision statement, best practices benchmarkingof other organizations and potentialapplication to the organization, and therationale for seeking a consultant’s assistance);(2) Strategic Plan (a plan of action forincorporating diversity management, a planfor conducting cultural audit, training plan,measures of effectiveness, accountabilitymethods, and rewards and recognition systemanalysis); and (3) Implementation(assessment of strengths and barriers in theculture, and a marketing strategy fordeploying diversity management).

• Another partner designed a strategic plan toprovide a link between the vision for diversitymanagement and the actions required forsuccess. The goals are to: (1) create a positiveenvironment (incorporate diversitymanagement training into all leadershiptraining programs); (2) conduct a culturalaudit and develop intervention strategies; (3)establish guidelines to define and addresssocial climate issues affecting personnel; (4) value all people (action plans to target

underrepresentation, and implementaccountability measures into evaluations); and(5) promote individuals’ ability to reach theirfull potential (identify and groom high-performing individuals in underrepresentedgroups for upper-level positions, and makementor programs accessible to all).

Accountability

A key element to ensuring the success of anyorganizational initiative—especially diversityinitiatives—is accountability. Accountability isachieved by making the appropriate leadersresponsible for diversity by linking performanceevaluation elements and compensation to thesuccessful implementation and progress of theseinitiatives. Accountability helps to ensure that"everyone is on board" and actively engaged inthe diversity process.

• One partner makes use of "ConsequenceManagement." The program philosophymaintains that poor diversity managementadversely affects a manager’s ability tomanage. Promotion to the next level requires"competent" or "role model" assessment.One component for evaluating managementperformance is the ability to manage a diversegroup of employees.

• In 1996, one partner established a top-levelDiversity Steering and Assessment Team toguide and oversee diversity plans andprograms, and to ensure the level ofaccountability necessary in order to achievedesired results. Members include thePresident, Chief Financial Officer, SeniorVice President of Human Resources, andother corporate officers. They meet monthlyto discuss diversity progress and challenges.The team receives counsel from the DiversityAction and Advisory Group, comprised ofeight employee affinity groups.

• At one partner organization, recurringdiversity training is mandatory for allemployees, and business unit managers areheld accountable for timely attendance byboth management and non-managementemployees. To ensure managerialaccountability, the company reduces theoperating budget of a business unit by $1,000for each manager and $500 for eachemployee who fails to attend scheduledtraining without giving 48 hours advancenotice of cancellation. Last minute no shows

are accordingly discouraged and managementis induced to treat diversity training with thesame seriousness as any other businessactivity. A director stated, "… if you grabthem by their wallet, their hearts and mindswill follow."

• One partner organization has an open doorpolicy at all organizational levels. Anemployee must receive a response within 48hours, and if dissatisfied, the employee mayelevate the concern to the next managementlevel, including the Chief Executive Officer.

• Believing that mandatory training is anenabler, the Chief Executive Officer of onepartner organization directs that all employeesattend diversity training. To facilitate thisinitiative, everyone on the diversitymanagement staff is a certified trainer. Fundsare provided for training and development, toinclude awareness training, cross-cultural orgender team building training, diversity skillstraining for managers, supervisors, andemployees, as well as diversity orientationtraining for the Board of Directors. Diversityis also integrated into training that focuses onother skills or knowledge.

• One partner’s action plan to improve diversitymanagement accountability includesinitiatives to: (1) publish an accountabilitycomponent to the Diversity ManagementStrategic Plan; (2) establish a workplaceenvironment management system to helpunits assess and address performance anddiversity issues on a continuing basis; (3)expedite the processing of Equal EmploymentOpportunity complaints and administrativegrievances; (4) expand data analyses of hiring,performance evaluations, disciplinary actions,complaint ratios, key assignments,promotions, recognition, and departures toidentify barriers or discrimination; and (5)revise performance evaluations to emphasizediversity management skills and actions.

• Another partner conducts an annual diversityreview and performance appraisal for allofficers. The officers present progress reportson goals and diversity initiatives to create amore balanced and inclusive workforce. Thesharing of accomplishments and challengesbefore the Diversity Committee is viewed asstrengthening the commitment to diversityand best practices.

• One partner incorporates diversitymanagement training into all leadershiptraining programs—establishing ties betweendiversity management and leadership, as wellas Total Quality Management, humanrelations and work/life issues. Allorganizational levels are held accountable fordeveloping initiatives that incorporatediversity management policies into theirbusiness and management processes. Leadersare also required to hold each individualaccountable for conduct consistent withvaluing and managing diversity.

Assessment and Evaluation

A number of our benchmarking partnerspointed out that one could not develop asuccessful diversity process without periodicallyassessing and evaluating the status andaccomplishments of the process. Although thefrequency may vary, world class diversityorganizations make assessing and evaluatingtheir diversity process an integral part of theirmanagement system.

Any diversity strategy must contain well-definedmeasures to assess effectiveness and to evaluatewhether outcomes support organizationalobjectives and targets. Such measures must bestraightforward and unambiguous so that allemployees and leaders clearly understand whatis expected. Organizations must be prepared toreward individuals or groups that meet thestated goals and objectives, as well as to penalizethose who fail to do so. According to ourpartners, some straightforward diversitymeasures include:

1. Employee attrition rates;2. Workforce satisfaction;3. Market share within new customer bases;4. External awards and recognition for

diversity efforts; and5. Workplace climate satisfaction.

• One partner conducts an annualorganizational chart assessment to identify itscurrent diversity status and whether it reflectsthe community it serves. Each departmenthead regularly meets with senior leadership todiscuss the "promotability" of currentemployees and what is being donethroughout all levels to develop theirorganization’s talent.


• One partner has set specific workforceobjectives. The goal is to have a workforcethat reflects the customers it serves and thecommunities in which the partnerorganization resides. By the year 2000, itsworldwide management ranks will reflect thedemographics of its global market. By theyear 2007, its exempt workforcerepresentation around the world will reflectthe demographics of the local markets itserves. This is indicative of how the partnerorganization integrated diversity into itsperformance-based culture.

• One partner defines coaching as the essenceof leadership. A "Leader as Coach" profile isused to define workplace behaviors andresults to be achieved. Specific behaviors aredefined in six target areas (e.g., Builds theRight Team, Encourages Excellence, CaresAbout People) and each is assessed as being a"strength" or a "development opportunity."A profile is completed annually for everyonein a leadership position. The leader andhis/her coach meet to discuss the feedbackgained from all sources and agree upon thetop two or three priority strengths anddevelopment opportunities. The profile isused in annual processes related todevelopment plans, human resource plans,and performance plans and appraisals.

• One partner uses a scorecard to assess itsdiversity progress. The scorecard includesthree areas: (1) coaching as the tool tobuilding awareness around diversity andcontinuing the company’s goal to mainstreamdiversity; (2) Workforce Representation Plan;and (3) Employee Council Activities.Specific measurements are established foreach area at the beginning of the year. Theseare included in a scorecard format that alsoincludes a description of activities that aresupportive of the goals in each area, and ablank area in which current results areannotated. Measurements track actions bymanagers, the Diversity Human Resourcesstaff, employee councils, and corporateleadership. A top-level team scrutinizes theresults of the scorecard in order to determineperformance and progress. Workforcerepresentation is one of three diversity-relatedmeasures that have been put into place.Senior leaders develop actionable plansfocused on internal development, cross-functional moves, retention, externalrecruitment, and measurement. The progress

of each manager’s plan is discussed everyother month at a top-level steering meeting.

• At one partner organization, leaders andmanagers must identify a minimum of fouractions in their respective annual performanceplans that visibly demonstrate their personalcommitment to promoting diversity. Theseactions are required to be specific andsubstantial—one of the four actions could bean undertaking to mentor five employeesduring the year, for example. To meet one ofhis four actions, one partner’s CEO organizedand attended a half-day meeting on diversitywith the CEOs of over 30 other majorcorporations. The organization intends topublish a summary of the proceedings topublicly demonstrate the top leadership’spersonal commitment to diversity.

• One partner created the "Managing DiversityDiagnostic Tool," a checklist to give thebusiness groups a template of suggestedaction items to enable managers to developtheir Diversity Action Plans. All action itemsare weighted so managers can see whichaction items senior leadership considers mostcritical. The Diagnostic Tool measureseffectiveness of actions implemented andexecutive commitment.

• One partner conducts an annual "Stages ofDiversity" internal diversity audit to assesseach unit’s progress in achieving diversity.The audit provides a common framework fordialog, work unit self-assessment, and unitand departmental diversity planning. Workunits develop a diversity plan with three tofive goals, qualitative and quantitativemeasures, beginning and end dates, anddesignation of a lead individual. Departmentheads and work unit managers meet annuallywith all employees to review where their unitsfall on a diversity continuum. Furtherinitiatives are developed based on the stagethe unit has achieved.

• A photograph audit helps one partner evaluatewhether the images it uses are stereotypical orrepresentative of the community it serves.The goal is to facilitate accurate, balanced,and inclusive coverage of the community’sdiversity. A month is randomly selected eachyear to conduct an assessment of all featuredphotographs. Corrective action is taken ifcertain segments of the community are notfully and accurately represented.


When it comes to employees, our partners haveseveral things in common. Namely, they havethree core organizational goals:

1. Maximizing workplace satisfaction for allemployees;

2. Retaining a world class workforce; and3. Maintaining an environment of lifetime

learning.

The leadership believes that employeeinvolvement and feedback are necessarycomponents in achieving these goals. Thus, our partners actively seek employee input.They use formal as well as informal channels.

• Many of our partners administer culturaldiversity audits. These audits take the pulseof the workforce and provide candidassessments of the work climate. The resultsform the basis upon which processimprovements are made.

• An example of an informal channel is onepartner’s use of internal Web sites whereemployees can express their concerns, engagein open dialog (e.g., chat rooms) and learnabout diversity.

• Still another example of an informal channelis the use of an employee feedback hotlinethat allows employees to contact diversityadvisors and provide feedback on questionssuch as those listed below:

1. How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the organization at the present time?

2. How satisfied are you with the informationyou receive from management regardingwhat is going on in the company?

3. Does management clearly outline a crediblefuture that you can believe in?

4. Does your employee development plan buildskills to remain competitive in the future?

5. Are differences valued?6. Are employees treated with dignity and

respect?

• One partner organized a diversity summitwith managers and employees from all levelsand geographic regions. Its purpose was toassess the status of diversity within theorganization by holding constructive dialogsessions where participants could speakopenly and honestly about differences in anon-attributive atmosphere. The summitincreased awareness, promoted the sharing ofbest practices and similar dialog inorganizational units.

• At another partner organization, its ChiefExecutive Officer conducts roundtables withrandomly selected employees. They are givena chance to hear about the status of diversitywithout it being filtered by employee groups.In turn, the Chief Executive Officer gainsvaluable insight and identifies action items topursue.

• In one organization, the variable portion of amanager’s compensation (e.g., bonuses) isaffected by the results of employeesatisfaction surveys. This feedback alsogenerates nominations for managementrecognition as well.

• In another, employee satisfaction is a keyissue and all employees are surveyedelectronically on a quarterly and an annualbasis for feedback. Managers are givenperformance "credit" if their respectivegroup’s survey return rate exceeds 60 percent.

Dialog with Affinity Groups

Our partners encourage and support theestablishment of employee groups, although theymay take different forms, names, and structures.Common types include diversity councils, taskteams, focus groups, affinity councils, issue studygroups, and networking groups. These groupsprovide a forum to both articulate andunderstand the varied needs and interests ofemployees. Participation in these groups iswelcomed. Often, input is sought fromemployee groups to determine their perceptionof progress achieved with regard to diversity.

Employee Involvement Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity

Hear me! A

single twig

breaks, but the

bundle of twigs

is strong.

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hapter 4: Employee Involvement

These groups act as sounding boards andprovide feedback on important diversity issues.

In most, but not all, employee groups,individuals who share commonalties in race,ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age,religion, national origin or cultural heritageform or join employee support groups. Theseorganizations provide a voice for members,allowing them to communicate diversity issuesand concerns to senior management. In oneorganization, representatives from these groupsserve on the company’s Diversity AdvisoryCouncil. Some use the groups to nominatepersons for diversity recognition awards.

• An affinity group from one organizationdeveloped criteria for an award that ispresented to an employee who embraces thespirit of diversity, confronts and removesobstacles, is involved in the community, andis willing to do what it takes to advancediversity. A leader in that same organizationstated: "Employee involvement is the driverin mainstreaming diversity." Personalaccountability for diversity is an integral partof employee reviews and is clearly outlined inmany policy statements.

• Another partner uses caucus groups.Through these groups, employees carry outemployee advocacy and self-development.These groups serve as a vehicle ofcommunication between employees andmanagers to uncover issues needing attention.Benefits of these groups include therecruitment of new employees; careerdevelopment of employees; retaining effectivestaff; senior management improvement; andthe inclusion of all diverse members in theworkforce.

• One partner has eight employee councils thatpromote awareness, understanding andcommunication of diversity, and identify andaddress specific needs. Each council receivesan identical amount of funding each year toconduct educational and other activities.These activities are closely aligned to fosteringthe company’s business goals. The councilsare also involved in community serviceactivities as well as promotional activities invarious targeted markets.

• Our partner organizations take advantage ofemployee participation in affinity groups tointegrate employee concerns and suggestions

into the decision making process. Thus,affinity group feedback is regarded as avaluable resource.

• Another partner shares its Balanced WorkforceStrategy reports with the leaders of itscorporate affinity groups and provides theman opportunity to meet with the Senior VicePresident for Human Resources and the ChiefExecutive Officer to discuss their concernsbased on those reports. The reports includedetailed data on representational imbalancesfor all employee groups—not just thehistorically underrepresented groups—withinall grade bands. These reports also showavailable opportunities for managers to fillvacancies and highlights the manner in whichmanagers take advantage of opportunities toachieve corporate diversity objectives.

• In one partner organization, employeediversity councils represent a cross-section ofthe organization’s workforce. A computerizedgrid of all of the characteristics desired forthis council is used to ensure diversity withinthis body. The diversity council elects a chairor up to three co-chairs from within itsmembership and meets monthly. Travelexpenses to meetings are centrally funded.New diversity council candidates areidentified by the Office of CorporateDiversity in consultation with unions andmanagement, and—when appointed for atwo-year term—the members receive diversitytraining. The members’ participation mustbe constructive and is considered to be partof their regular duties. For that reason, theselection criteria include clear demonstrationof leadership ability. Ineffective members areasked to leave before the end of their terms,and these members are not replaced at thattime. Members who complete their terms areformally recognized. The councils are able toidentify employee issues that may not haveotherwise been discovered. This process leadsto buy-in from employees and unions, andthe diversity management staff believes thatthis process is an effective part of thecorporate culture and is the result of anevolutionary process. Subgroups of thediversity council are formed in the regions;these diversity committees are part of theprocess that ensures regional differences areconsidered. As a result, more diversitychampions are created and benefits flowdown into the organization. Some of thesebenefits are the integration of work and


family life through family programs, bringingchildren to work, establishing virtual offices,job sharing, and split shifts.

Mentoring Employees

Most of our partners have established formalmentoring programs. Mentors are used to helpassimilate new employees into theorganizational culture. In others, mentoringinvolves the willingness of leaders to acceptproteges and introduce them to new and morechallenging aspects of the organization.

• One partner in conjunction with an academicinstitution developed a scholars program toattract outstanding undergraduate studentsand to recognize excellence amongacademically gifted students from diversebackgrounds.

• One partner works with the community andcolleges to "grow" talent in the sciences. Thecompany tracks and funds the education ofpromising scholars. This enables thecompany to insure skilled leaders will be apart of the industry in the future.

• All of one partner’s internship and fellowshipprograms include targeted development plans;assigned mentors; evaluation of the skillsgained for promotions; rotationalassignments; and succession planning.

• One partner’s advanced degree developmentprogram targets future leaders in functionalareas and considers what the organization willneed in 10 to 15 years. The program alsoincludes four one-year rotations and isfocused on exposure, not fast-tracking.

• The mentoring process in one partnerorganization entails the tracking, monitoring,and mentoring of candidates fromunderrepresented groups positioned for seniorassignments. These persons are educatedthrough an innovative development program,which culminates with an advanced degree.Participants are expected to capitalize on the

training and to maximize their promotionalpotential within the company.

Employee Wellness

Finally, as another venue for diversityparticipation, our partners establish linksbetween diversity and work life activities such asdependent care funds, alternative workscheduling, and life cycle assistance.

• One partner organization offers a healthyliving program free of charge to all employeesand their spouses and domestic partners.This program includes health assessments andcounseling. All participants earn a HealthyLiving day off for completing the fullscreening.

• Another partner sponsors a program designedto help expectant and new parentsunderstand and feel comfortable about breastfeeding their infants. The program offerseducation and counseling with a trainedlactation specialist. New mothers can nursetheir babies when they return to work, aslactation rooms are available in theworkplace.

• One partner’s internal structure deals with the"whole person." This company providesnumerous training, mentoring, work life andcareer development programs. Theseprograms are designed to retain and expandthe current workforce, and help employeesbalance career and personal needs.

• One partner recognizes the connectionbetween the employees’ personal lives andtheir productivity on the job and hasdeveloped various programs responsive to thediverse needs of its workforce. The LifeCycle Assistance Program was established toassist employees with the purchase of a firsthome, adoption and child care assistance,partial pay replacement for family andmedical leave, and elder care assistance foremployees with elderly parents.


Appendices

Terri BellOffice of Civil RightsU.S. Department of CommercePhone: 301-713-0500Fax: 301-713-0983Email: [email protected]

David BentonOffice of Leadership and Diversity ManagementU.S. Department of TransportationPhone: 202-267-0107Fax: 202-267-4610Email: [email protected]

Wilett BuntonOffice of the Assistant Secretary of theArmy for Financial Management and ComptrollerU.S. Department of the ArmyPhone: 703-697-8121Email: [email protected]

Warren ClaymanOffice of Environment, Safety and HealthU.S. Department of EnergyPhone: 202-586-4591Fax: 202-586-7980Email: [email protected]

Dee De LevaFederal Aviation AdministrationU.S. Department of TransportationPhone: 202-267-7345Fax: 202-267-7636Email: [email protected]

Sol del Ande EatonNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyU.S. Department of CommercePhone: 301-975-5481Fax: 301-975-5387Email: [email protected]

Dinah GriggsbyHuman Resources OperationsU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyPhone: 202-260-4193Fax: 202-260-1039Email: [email protected]

Raj K. GuptaOffice of Federal OperationsU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionPhone: 202-663-4581Fax: 202-663-7022Email: [email protected]

Marian HarrisOffice of Management, Human Resources Group U.S. Department of EducationPhone: 202-260-8354Fax: 202-205-0723Email: [email protected]

Carol HayashidaU.S. Merit Systems Protection BoardPhone: 202-653-6772Fax: 202-653-7211Email: [email protected]

Sharrelle HigginsOffice of DiversityU.S. Office of Personnel ManagementPhone: 202-606-1059Fax: 202-606-0927Email: [email protected]

Raymond JohnsonPatent and Trademark Office U.S. Department of CommercePhone: 703-308-2565Fax: 703-308-0818Email: [email protected]

Kathie KlassNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationU.S. Department of TransportationPhone: 202-366-9550Fax: 202-366-5962Email: [email protected]

Martin LevyOffice of the Assistant Secretary forManagement and BudgetU.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesPhone: 202-690-6191Fax: 202-690-8328Email: [email protected]

Appendix A

Benchmarking Agency Participants

Romanita LuceroOffice of Human ResourcesU.S. Small Business AdministrationPhone: 202-205-6153Fax: 202-205-7064Email: [email protected]

Lisa MalloryNational Partnership for Reinventing GovernmentPhone: 202-694-0006Fax: 202-632-0390Email: [email protected]

Carlton MannOffice of the Inspector GeneralU.S. Federal Emergency Management AdministrationPhone: 202-646-3921Fax: 202-646-3901Email: [email protected]

Curtis MarshallU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsPhone: 202-273-7522Fax: 202-273-5991Email: [email protected]

Charles MillerDefense Logistics AgencyU.S. Department of DefensePhone: 703-767-1132Fax: 703-767-1110Email: [email protected]

Sheila MingoOld Dominion UniversityPhone: 757-683-4383Fax: 757-683-5593Email: [email protected]

Rob M. SadlerOffice of General CounselU.S. Department of CommercePhone: 202-482-8042Fax: 202-482-2998Email: [email protected]

Robert StockmanOffice of Strategic PlanningU.S. Department of CommercePhone: 202-482-5976Fax: 202-501-3024Email: [email protected]

Orelious WalkerOffice of Strategic PlanningU.S. Department of TreasuryPhone: 202-622-0412Fax: 202-622-2549Email: [email protected]

Lori WayOffice of Executive Assistance ManagementU.S. Department of CommercePhone: 202-482-4115Fax: 202-482-3592Email: [email protected]

Carolyn WongOffice of Equal OpportunityU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsPhone: 202-273-5888Fax: 202-273-6537Email: [email protected]

Charles ZoltakFinance and Administration OfficeU.S. Department of CommercePhone: 301-457-3152Fax: 301-457-3846Email: [email protected]

Appendix B

Telephone Survey

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE’SNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR REINVENTING GOVERNMENT

ACHIEVING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY BENCHMARKING STUDY

- TELEPHONE SURVEY -

Name:

Title:

Company:

Address:

City: State/Province:

Zip/Postal Code: Country:

Phone: Fax:

For your information, below is our definition of "diversity."

Diversity in the workforce includes all characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals.

General Background Information:This survey is being completed for:

❑ Total Organization❑ Business Unit (Give name)

(Please respond to the following questions for the total company or business unit specified above.)

What is the total number of full-time equivalents (FTE) in your organization (total company or business unit)?

Section I: Organizational Diversity Goals and Objectives

1. What are your organization’s top three (3) diversity goals and objectives?

2. What processes are currently in place to achieve your organization’s top three (3) diversity goals and objectives? (Please check all that apply)

❑ Mentoring❑ Training❑ Family life❑ Work life❑ Recruitment❑ Management involvement❑ Affirmative employment programs❑ Regular inclusion of diversity topics at meetings❑ Recognition of diversity champions❑ Empowerment❑ Community involvement and outreach❑ Other

2a. Selecting from the list above, please identify the three (3) processes that are most effective.

Section II: Diversity Strategy and Processes

3. Does your organization have a diversity strategy?

❑ Yes (Continue with question #3a)❑ No (Please go to question #9)

3a. What is your organization’s diversity strategy focus?

❑ Internal ❑ External ❑ Both

3b. Is your organization’s diversity strategy incorporated into the following? (Please check all that apply)

❑ Organizational core values❑ Strategic plan(s)❑ Business case❑ Performance indicators❑ Quality programs❑ Succession planning❑ Other❑ Not incorporated

4. Does your organization have a budget to support its diversity strategy?

❑ Yes ❑ No

5. Listed below are some dimensions of diversity. Please mark all the dimensions that are specifically addressed in your organization’s diversity strategy.

❑ Race/Color❑ Asian❑ Ethnic origin (for example, Hispanic)❑ American Indian or Alaska Native❑ Religion❑ Black or African American❑ Gender❑ Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander❑ Age❑ White❑ Disability❑ Multiracial❑ Sexual orientation❑ Other(s)

a. Cultural Audit/Baseline Yes No Low Medium HighSurvey/Org. Assessment

b. Employee Survey Yes No Low Medium High

c. Customer Input Yes No Low Medium High

d. Focus Groups Yes No Low Medium High

e. One-on-One Interviews Yes No Low Medium High

f. Feedback/Suggestion Systems Yes No Low Medium High

g. Training Evaluations Yes No Low Medium High

h. Management/Employee Yes No Low Medium HighDialog

i. Affinity/Support Groups Yes No Low Medium High

j. Other: Yes No Low Medium High

k. Other: Yes No Low Medium High

6. Does your organization measure its strategy’s effectiveness?❑ Yes ❑ No

6a. If yes, what feedback mechanisms does your organization use to validate the success of its diversity strategy, and which mechanisms are the most effective in providing it with the needed information? (Please circle appropriate responses)

Feedback Mechanisms Used Effectiveness

6b. How often does your organization measure the effectiveness of its diversity strategy?❑ Quarterly ❑ Semiannually ❑ Annually ❑ Other

7. Does your organization have a process(es) in place to support your diversity strategy?❑ Yes ❑ No

7a. If yes, how long has the process(es) been in place?

7b. Is the process(es) centralized ❑ or decentralized ❑ ?

8. Who has lead responsibility for managing diversity in your organization?❑ Equal Opportunity/Civil Rights ❑ Diversity Office❑ Human Resources❑ Other

9. What is the total number of staff dedicated to diversity in your organization?Full-time Part-time Contract

Section III: Management Commitment 10. Does your organization have a formal succession planning process?

❑ Yes ❑ No

10a. If yes, how long has the succession planning process been in place?

11. What does senior leadership currently do to demonstrate its commitment to diversity? (Please check all that apply)

❑ Regular inclusion of diversity topics at meetings❑ Mentoring❑ Personal involvement in diversity training❑ Funding❑ Managing by example❑ Dedicated resources❑ Recognition of diversity champions❑ Empowerment❑ Community involvement and outreach❑ Other

11a. Selecting from the list above, please identify the three (3) approaches that are most effective:

12. Which of the following identifies how senior leadership is held accountable for diversity? (Please check all that apply)

❑ Performance standards❑ Linked to compensation❑ Bonus criteria❑ 360 degree evaluations or multilevel evaluations❑ Dialog with affinity groups❑ Rewards❑ Recognition❑ Other❑ Not held accountable

For your information, below are our definitions for different groups.

Affinity Groups – Recognized Employee GroupsWork Groups – Intact Teams Task Groups – Ad Hoc Teams or Matrix TeamsFocus Groups – Subject Matter Experts

Section IV: Employee Involvement13. What employee groups does your organization currently have in place? (Please check all that apply)

❑ Task force❑ Employee defined affinity groups❑ Focus groups❑ Advisory council❑ Union❑ Support groups❑ Change agents❑ Work groups❑ Partnerships with community-based groups❑ Other

14. Do senior leaders involve the employee groups identified in question 13 to participate in any of the following? (Please check all that apply)

Human resource planning ❑ Yes ❑ NoPerformance indicators ❑ Yes ❑ NoPeer review ❑ Yes ❑ NoEmployee benefits ❑ Yes ❑ NoPolicy planning ❑ Yes ❑ No Diversity action planning ❑ Yes ❑ NoBudgeting ❑ Yes ❑ NoFunding ❑ Yes ❑ No Other ❑ Yes ❑ No

❑ Does not encourage participation

15. Which of the following identifies how employees are held accountable for diversity? (Please check all that apply)

❑ Performance standards❑ Linked to compensation❑ Bonus criteria❑ 360 degree evaluations or multilevel evaluations❑ Collaboration between affinity groups❑ Rewards❑ Recognition❑ Other❑ Not held accountable

Section V: Diversity Indicators

16. Using the table below, has the use of any of the following measures contributed to your organization’s success in achieving its diversity goals?

16a. If so, what is the direction of the trend for each measure over the last three (3) years?

Measures Contribute to TrendSuccess

a. Employee Satisfaction Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

b. Customer Satisfaction Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

c. Workforce Demographics Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

d. Compensation Analysis Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

e. Retention Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

f. Turnover Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

g. Absenteeism Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

h. Proportion of Mgmt. Positions held by Women/Minorities/ Yes No Increase Decrease No ChangePersons w/Disabilities

i. Upward Mobility Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

j. Diversity Trng. Attendance Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

k. Worklife/Family Program Yes No Increase Decrease No ChangeUtilization

l. Complaints/Grievances Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

m. Internal Lateral Moves Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

n. Other: Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

o. Other: Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

p. Other: Yes No Increase Decrease No Change

Appendix C


- TELEPHONE SURVEY SCORECARD -

Team Member: Date of Interview:Company:

– General Background Information 00 00

1. What are the organization’s top three (3) diversity goals and objectives? 00 00

2. What processes are currently in place to achieve the organization’s 10 top three (3) diversity goals?

3. Does the organization have a diversity strategy? (Score for 3b) 5

4. Does the organization have a budget to support its diversity strategy? 5

5. Does the organization address dimensions of diversity in its strategy? 10

6. Does the organization measure its strategy’s effectiveness? 10

7. Does the organization have a process(es) in place to support its 00 00diversity strategy?

8. Who has the lead responsibility for managing diversity in the 00 00organization?

9. What is the total number of staff dedicated to diversity in the 00 00organization?

10. Does the organization have a formal succession planning process? 5

11. What does senior leadership currently do to demonstrate its 5commitment to diversity?

12. What identifies how senior leadership is held accountable for 10diversity?

13. What employee groups does the organization currently have in 5place?

14. Do senior leaders involve any of the employee groups identified in 10 question 13 to participate?

15. What identifies how employees are held accountable for diversity? 10

16. Has the use of the listed measures contributed to the organization’s 10 success in achieving its diversity goals?

Total Points 95

Maximum ActualScore Score Question

Score Card

Appendix D



- INFORMATION REQUEST -

Instructions: Please provide a copy of the following documentation, if possible, in preparation for the site visit.

1. Organizational Charts showing reporting and organizational (centralized, etc.) structures for diversity

2. Diversity Vision/Mission Statement

3. Diversity Strategic Plan

4. Diversity Policy Statement

5. Diversity Communications Plan (if not part of strategic plan)

6. Diversity Training Plan (if not part of strategic plan)

7. Summary of Diversity/Cultural Audits

8. Diversity Brochures, Newsletters, etc.--any relevant information not captured in above documents

Site Visit Guide



- SITE VISIT STUDY GUIDE -

Section One: Background

1. How does your organization define "diversity"?

2. If you are responding as a business unit or department, how is your diversity strategy linked to the corporate diversity strategy?

3. Please explain the impetus for establishing a diversity strategy in your organization.

◆ What was the catalyst for establishing diversity? ◆ Where did it begin, e.g., from the top or bottom?◆ How long has the diversity strategy been in place?

4. How is the diversity strategy supported in your organization?

◆ Review organizational chart, e.g., where is it located and what are the reporting relationships?◆ What is the percentage of the overall budget allocated to diversity?

Section Two: Diversity Strategy

1. Please explain how your organization developed its diversity strategy.

◆ Who was considered a stakeholder?◆ Who was involved in the development of the diversity strategy, e.g., management, employees,

consultants, unions, etc.?◆ How were management, employees, consultants, unions, etc., involved in the development of

the strategy process?

2. How have you integrated diversity into your succession planning?

3. Please describe the business case for your diversity strategy, e.g., bottom-line benefits, ROI, etc.?

4. What significant changes, if any, have been made to your diversity strategy since its inception?

5. What barriers had to be overcome to implement your diversity strategy?

6. Given your responses on question #12a on the Telephone Survey, please explain why these approaches are most effective.

◆ How has this approach enhanced overall diversity in your organization?

7. Why did you choose the methods in question #13 (or question #16) – Telephone Survey for holding senior leadership accountable?

◆ Have they been successful? Why or why not? ◆ What percentage of your leadership met the criteria under the methods chosen for them? ◆ How did your organization develop the measurable criteria for the methods being used?

Section Three: Processes

Please explain how each of the processes (identified in question #2a - Telephone Survey) contributes to the success of your overalldiversity strategy? (Please discuss, in detail, the three most effective processes)

Process A:

1. Please describe the steps in the process. (Is there a process flow chart?)

◆ How long has the process been in place?

2. What resources are required to support this process, e.g., # of people, time, $$, facilities, contractor support, etc?

3. Why did you choose this process?

◆ How did you develop the process?◆ What are the key enablers?

4. How did you implement this process?

◆ How was it tested?

5. What makes it successful, e.g., what are the key performance indicators?

◆ How do you measure its success, e.g., effectiveness, efficiency, bottom-line benefits, utilization, retention, etc.?

6. How has management commitment contributed to the success of the process?

7. How has employee involvement contributed to the success of the process?

Process B:












Process C:












Section Four: Management and Employee Involvement

From a management perspective:

1. Please describe how employee involvement in developing diversity strategies has impacted your organization.

◆ How do they participate? ◆ Do you think that employee involvement has a significant impact? If so, why?

2. Which of the groups selected in question #14-Telephone Survey-has had a significant impact in securing employee involvement in diversity? How?

From an employee perspective:

3. Please describe how employee involvement in developing diversity strategies has impacted your organization.

◆ How do employees participate? What are the activities/programs? ◆ Do employees also participate in strategic planning?

4. Do you think your input has an impact on the organization’s diversity strategy? If so, why?

5. Are you held accountable for diversity? If so, how?

Section Five: Conclusion

1. What do you see "on the horizon" for diversity?

Documents

BEST PRACTICES IN ACHIEVING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY