Presented by

Georgia CoffeyDeputy Assistant Secretary for Diversity and InclusionU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs*

Federal government is one of the most diverse environments in American society in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender (REG), yet we still have barriers to equal opportunity. Despite our diversity, we maintain a largely homogeneous mindset which maintains barriers and creates cognitive dissonance, conflict, and flawed decision-making.

Defining diversity solely in terms of REG has a detrimental effect.* To gain full acceptance, we must define diversity broadly to include all that makes us unique, including the diversity of thought. Only then will we realize the performance advantages that diversity offers.

* Stella M. Nkomo. Identities and the Complexities of Diversity, in Susan Jackson and Marian Ruderman (eds.), Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace, 1999

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By 2042, there will be no single demographic majorityBy 2050, 1 in 5 people living in the US will be HispanicNew entrants to the labor market will dominate the work-scape.Currently 4 generations in the workplace; soon to be 5. Disabilities affect 20% of all Americans.Women earn the majority of college degrees awarded in U.S.There are an estimated 9 million LGBT individuals in the U.S. 1 in 5 workers have experienced discrimination at work.< 50% of employees who experience discrimination will stay; Attrition costs 150% of employees salary and lost productivity.Inclusive organizations have high employee engagement, which yields higher organizational performance.

References: US Census Bureau; The Gallup Organization. Employee Discrimination in the Workplace, Public Opinion Poll. December 8, 2005; Sirota Survey; Diversity Research Network, 2002; Nishii, 2010.*

Diversity and inclusion must be the cornerstones of our talent management strategy and our business processes.

Inclusion holds the key to organizational performance; diversity without inclusion, will not work.

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Civil Rights to Full InclusionInclusionManaging DiversityDiversityEqual Employment Opportunity Affirmative ActionCivil Rights MovementMelting Pot (Assimilation)Salad Bowl Inclusion(Multiculturalism) (Process & Performance)>

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EEO refers to the laws, regulations, and policies that guarantee our rights to equal opportunity in terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Diversity is all the ways in which we are similar and all the ways in which we differ." Outreach-focused

-- Dr R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.

Inclusion is leveraging the diversity in our workforce to achieve full participation and optimum performance; it is about empowerment and engagement. In-reach focused.

Reprinted with permission from Loden Associates..

Inclusion is the process of leveraging individuals diverse talent, not in spite of their differences, but because of them.

Inclusion requires a deliberate strategy to empower all human resources to engage them in the fabric and mission of the organization.

Diversity Research NetworkWorkforce diversity is positively associated with higher business performance outcomes.Racial diversity is positively associated with higher performance in organizations that integrate and leverage diverse perspectives.Gender diversity is positively associated with more effective group processes and performance in organizations with (inclusive) people-oriented performance cultures.*

Center for Creative LeadershipDiverse teams are more creative and perform better in problem solving than homogeneous teams.Diversity in workforce and processes results in better decision-making.The effects of diversity are highly dependent on the presence of facilitating or inhibiting conditions in the organization; absent facilitating conditions (inclusion) the aforementioned outcomes are reversed.

Conclusion: Diversity without Inclusion will not work* The Effects of Diversity on Business Performance: Report of the Diversity Research Network, October 2002.What does the research show?*

UNC Business SchoolWorkplace conflict results in 22-53% lost productivity.

EEOCAverage EEO complaint costs approximately $60,000 (administrative process) up to $250,000 (including settlement/damages).25-40% of workforce attrition rate and 5-20% in lost productivity can be attributed to poor diversity management; turnover costs 75-150% of the replaced employees salary.

Conclusion: There is a positive ROI for Diversity & Inclusion. The flip side*

Source: From Diversity to Inclusion. Katharine Esty, PhD. Northeast Human Resources Association. April 30, 2007 Changing an organizational culture requires re-engineering business processes and deconstructing silos.

True inclusion will drive employee engagement which increases organizational performance*

The Bureaucratic Model

HierarchicalChain of CommandControlled Communications; need to know basisLinear business processesSelf-reinforcing maintenance of status-quoConvergent thinking and decision-makingHeroic Leadership and Accountability*

*David Bradford and Allen Cohen, Power Up Transforming Organizations through Shared Leadership. Wiley & Sons, New York, 1998.*

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The Inclusive Model

Flattened organizationsEmpowered contributorsContinual, transparent communications; knowledge is empoweringMatrix ManagementInnovation and creativity rewarded; constructive conflictDivergent Thinking; open-ended decision processShared Leadership and Accountability*

*David Bradford and Allen Cohen, Power Up Transforming Organizations through Shared Leadership. Wiley & Sons, New York, 1998*

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Inclusion Engagement Performance

Self-examination & EducationProcess ReengineeringMetricsCommunication & Reinforcement

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Leadership:Recognize your unconscious bias (Harvard Implicit Analysis Test)Challenge assumptions; reduce confirmation biasOpen mind to new, untested notions; consider alternativePower and accountability must flow down; flip the pyramidSharing power does not= abdicating responsibilityUnderstand true motivators: autonomy, mastery, purpose*

Employees:Invest, own, and leadConnectTake risks

*Dan Pink, RSA Animate-Drive, The Surprising Truth About what Motivates Us, April 2010*

*Cultural Destructiveness forced assimilation, subjugation, rights and privileges for dominant groups onlyCultural Incapacity:racism, maintains stereotypes, unfair hiring practices

Cultural BlindnessCultural Pre-competence

Cultural Competence

Cultural Proficiencyimplements change to respond to cultural needs, do research and teachPOSITIVENEGATIVEdifferences ignored, treats everyone the same, only responds to needs of dominant groupexplores cultural issues, are committed, assess needs of organization and individualsrecognize individual and cultural differences, seeks advice from diverse groups, hires unbiased staff

Knock down walls:

Review current processes; identify barriers to inputDesign processes to yield more than one solutionUse interdisciplinary teams; encourage divergent thoughtDe-construct silos; employ matrix managementPractice 360 Communication & cont. learningDont fear creative tension; constructive conflict Align rewards systems accordingly; ensure fairness

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The VA Diversity & Inclusion Indices

Standardized metrics for

Workforce diversity Workplace inclusionOrganizational performance

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Diversity IndexA measure of workforce diversity based on the convergence of the representation of each demographic group in the organization (by race, ethnicity, gender) with the relevant/civilian labor force (R/CLF).

The Diversity Index is derived by the ratio of the workforce distribution to its corresponding R/CLF, up to a value of 100%. = *

91%Current (FY 2012, Dec) VA Diversity Index based on CLF = 87.44% Current (FY 2012, Dec) VA Diversity Index based on RCLF= 96.75%

Capped at 1.0 or 100%Representation Indices capped at 100%(Blowup of previous chart with the ratio cap)Ratio of VA workforce representation to corresponding RCLF*

VA Diversity IndexFY 2003 to FY 2012 (Dec) based on CLFPrior to 2009 the Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders population were combined into a single category. *

Inclusion IndexThe Inclusion Index is a single measure of organizational inclusion based on employee responses to select Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) items.

20 FEVS items were linked to six empirically validated dimensions of inclusion, based on multiple factor analyses and literature research.

Favorable responses (i.e. agree, strongly agree) on survey items were averaged to yield Inclusion Index.

Can be computed at Agency level Sub-agency level Occupational grouping*

ApproachIn partnership with Office of Personnel Management, VA performed factor analysis of FEVS survey items which yielded clusters of homogeneous items.

SMEs conducted review of research literature in the area of organizational inclusion to identify six empirically validated dimensions of inclusion (Shore 2011, Nishii 2010, April & Blass 2010).

Performed 2nd factor analysis to validate proposed dimensions of inclusion and identify the highest correlated/most appropriate items for each dimension.

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DIMENSIONS OF INCLUSIONFairness of Employment Practices (Rules and Procedures) Fairness of Employment Practices (Performance Evaluations)Inclusion/Participation in Decision-Making Inclusive Management and Leadership Information Access/Open Communication Integration of Differences*

Fairness of Employment Practices (Rules and Procedures)Arbitrary action, personal favoritism and coersion for partisan political purposes are not tolerated. (#37)Prohibited Personnel Practices are not tolerated. (#38)

Fairness of Employee Practices (Performance Evaluation)In my work unit, steps are taken to deal with a poor performer who cannot or will not improve. (#23)In my work unit, differences in performance are recognized in a meaningful way. (#24)Awards in my work unit depend on how well employees perform their jobs. (#25)

Inclusion/Participation in Decision MakingI have enough information to do my job well. (#2)I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things. (#3)My talents are used well in the workplace. (#1)Employees have a feeling of personal empowerment with respect to work processes. (#30)

FEVS Items Mapped to Dimensions of Inclusion *

Inclusive Management and LeadershipMy supervisor supports my need to balance work and other life issues. (#42)My supervisor/team leader provides me with constructive suggestions to improve my job performance. (#46)My supervisor/team leader listens to what I have to say. (#48)My supervisor/team leader treats me with respect. (#49)In the last six months, my supervisor/team leader has talked with me about my performance. (#50)

Information Access and CommunicationManagers promote communication among different work units. (#58)Managers support collaboration across work units to accomplish work objectives. (#59)

Integration of DifferencesCreativity and innovation are rewarded. (#32)Policies and programs promote diversity in the workplace. (#34)My supervisor/team leader is committed to a workforce representative of all segments of society. (#45)Managers/supervisors/team leaders work well with employees of different backgrounds. (#55) FEVS Items Mapped to Dimensions of Inclusion, cont. *

VA INCLUSION INDEX(Notional data)

Inclusion DimensionFavorable ResponsesUnfavorable ResponsesNo ResponsesScoreFairness of Employment Practices (Rules and Procedures)3089185013562.54%Fairness of Employment Practices (Performance Evaluation)361739633147.72%Inclusion/Participation in Decision making617738868561.38%Inclusive Management and Leadership9257308234675.02%Information Access and Communication2841203020358.32%Integration of Differences5852403026659.22%INCLUSION INDEX 30,833 18,841 1,066 62.07%

Robust, transparent communications (recurring in-person meetings, electronic, print, broadcast video)Continuous learning, career mappingMentoring/Coaching/Rotational AssignmentsD&I infused Leadership Development Programs (in outreach and curriculum)Cultural Competency/Unconscious Bias TrainingConflict Management TrainingTargeted outreach/Diversity Focused internshipsBarrier analysis (in recruitment, development, work processes)Process Reengineering; Matrix ManagementMandatory Leadership Accountability MeasuresMETRICS: VA Diversity & Inclusion Indices

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LESSONS LEARNEDINTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY: Obstacles leading to 9/11 intelligence failures included:Hardened attitudes against changeInsular organizationsResistance to external recommendationsInsistence on preserving the status quo

SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY: Causes that contributed to the Columbia shuttle accident included:An organizational culture that squelched dissent and stifled differencesResistance to external criticism and doubtImposition of the party line vision(which) led to flawed decision-making, self-deception, introversion, and diminished curiosityOrganizational barriers that prevented open, effective communication

ECONOMIC COMMUNITY: Issues leading to Lehman Bros. bankruptcy and economic meltdownInsular organizationNarrow decision-making; failure to gain broad input/perspectiveOutmoded, embedded cultural habits; rigid, inflexible cultureMisuse of talent

A culture that is too strong can also end up too rigid and can shut out diversity, especially diversity of perspective. Hope Greenfield. Culture Crash, The Conference Board Review, Fall 2009.

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Diversity & Inclusion yield higher organizational performance; they business imperatives.Diversity should be broadly defined, including but not limited to legally protected groups; diversity of thought is rooted in our race, gender, and ethnicity.Intolerance to diversity breeds disastrous and costly results; agencies must first guarantee equity in the workplace before diversity and inclusion can thrive. Diversity & Inclusion strategies should be infused in business goals and processes. Inclusion drives employee engagement which drives performance.Flip the pyramid!What does this mean for Federal govt?*

EquityWorkforceDiversityHigh PerformanceOrganizationalInclusion

SYNERGY FOR A HIGH-PERFORMING ORGANIZATION*

Presented by:

Georgia CoffeyDeputy Assistant Secretary for Diversity and InclusionU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsGeorgia.coffey@VA.Gov*

*The African American Civil Rights Movement began as early as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 passed by Congress over Johnson's presidential veto. Declared all persons born in the United States are now citizens. Movement was re-energized in 1954 when on May 17 The Supreme Court ruled against the "separate but equal" doctrine in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans. and in Bolling v. Sharpe, thus overturning Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). May 18, 1896 In Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court upheld de jure racial segregation of "separate but equal" facilities. Affirmative Action - March 6, 1961 - Executive Order 10925 makes the first reference to "affirmative action. President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 10925, which creates the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and mandates that projects financed with federal funds "take affirmative action" to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias. June 4, 1965 - Speech defining concept of affirmative action. In a speech to the graduating class at Howard University, President Johnson frames the concept underlying affirmative action, asserting that civil rights laws alone are not enough to remedy discrimination. September 24, 1965 - Executive Order 11246 enforces affirmative action for the first time. Issued by President Johnson, the executive order requires government contractors to "take affirmative action" toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment. On Oct. 13, 1967, the order was amended to cover discrimination on the basis of gender. August 8, 1969 - Executive Order 11478 was signed by President Nixon, prohibiting discrimination on certain grounds in the competitive service of the federal civilian workforce, including the US Postal Service and civilian employees of the US armed Forces. The order was amended and more protected classes were added in 1978 by EO 12106, in 1998 by EO 13087(sexual orientation), and in 2000 by EO 13152 (parental status). EEO - July 2, 1964, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation that outlawed unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public ("public accommodations"). Other laws enforced by EEOC include EPA 1963, ADEA 1967, ADA 1990, Rehabilitation Act 1973, CRA 1991, and GINA 2008.Diversity. The term "diversity" was coined in 1977 to refer to the changing demographics of the workforce by Merlin G. Pope Jr., founder of one of the nation's first diversity consulting firms. His spouse, Patricia Pope, is a pioneer in diversity measurement, training and consulting, Patricia Pope has worked to create an inclusive workplace for more than 250 Fortune 500 companies since 1976. Ms. Pope, one of the partners of Myca-Pope and Chief Executive Officer of Pope & Associates, Inc. Managing Diversity. The first use of the phrase managing diversity is often attributed to former Harvard Business School Professor R. Roosevelt Thomas. His 1990 article in the Harvard Business Review began with the prediction: Sooner or later, affirmative action will die a natural death. Its achievements have been stupendous, but if we look at the premises that underlie it, we find assumptions and priorities that look increasingly shopworn (Thomas 1990, 107). Instead, Thomas argued, The goal is to manage diversity in such a way as to get from a diverse workforce the same productivity we once got from a homogenous workforce, and do it without artificial programs, standardsor barriers (Thomas 1990,112). Moreover, Thomas contended, diversity is not just about race, ethnicity, and gender. Rather, it includes other ways in which people differ from one another, including age, background, education, work role, and personality.Inclusive Workplace. Coined by Mor Barak, the term 'inclusive workplace' refers to a model work environment that welcomes diversity on all levels. She developed the concept after seven years of research that included interviewing corporate executives, business leaders and employees from around the globe. She also relied on findings from a Rockefeller Foundation-funded international think tank. An Interview with Michlle E. Mor Barak By Judi Casey and Karen Corday Casey: What do you mean by the term inclusive workplace? Mor Barak: The concept is based on the idea that work organizations must create and sustain a culture that is accepting of individual differences. It refers to a work organization that respects and utilizes the diversity of its own workforce while also being active in the community, in state and federal programs that support disadvantaged populations, and collaborating fairly across cultural and national boundaries. Casey: Can you talk about the four levels of the inclusive workplace? Mor Barak: At the first level, the organization has to value and utilize individual and inter-group differences within its workforce. In order to accommodate these differences, the organization needs to conduct assessment, training, and interventions that will change the organizational culture. For example, the restaurant chain Dennys was the target of several lawsuits regarding discriminatory treatment of their customers. Since then, the company has done a tremendous job in changing its organizational culture to enhance and accommodate the diversity of its own workforce. In addition, theyve worked with their employees to change their attitudes toward customers from diverse backgrounds. Its all linked; thats the core idea of the inclusive workplace. Casey: Would you say that at the core, theres a respect for diversity that builds and moves from the employees to the customers to the local community to the global community? Mor Barak: You just said it perfectly. At the second level, the organization contributes to the surrounding community in which the organization resides. For example, Shell, the oil company, created a youth academy with several locations around the country where they prepare young people between the ages of 14 and 18 for the world of work. They teach work-related behaviors such as being on time and understanding the work environment and how to operate within it. Level two of my Inclusive Workplace Model includes any type of activity or project that benefits the local community. Another example for a level two activity is the University of Southern Californias Neighborhood Fund that provides support to projects in the local community such as a family counseling clinic and both financial and volunteer students support to local elementary schools. Casey: So its really about community building? Mor Barak: Yes, thats right. At the third level of the Inclusive Workplace Model, the organization works to improve the lives of disadvantaged groups in the wider environment. The people they help may not necessarily reside in the geographic vicinity of the organization. For example, the Marriott hotel chains Welfare-to-Work program helps people whove been on welfare find jobs; Marriott trains them to work in their hotels and then hires graduates of the program. At the fourth and final level of the Inclusive Workplace Model, the organization collaborates fairly with individuals, groups, and organizations across national and cultural boundaries. Here we examine the unfortunate behaviors that some companies exhibit overseas in which they exploit the local workforce and deplete community resources. Organizations that are inclusive will avoid these practices, contribute to the community and help communities grow while fostering true partnerships with the local residents. The Body Shop, for example, makes efforts not to exploit the natural resources and labor of the communities from which they get their products; instead, they give back to these communities by contributing to the development of beneficial community services. Source: http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/The_Network_News/19/The_Network_News_Whole19.pdfWe Are All Different Exercise. Secure a box of pencils, enough for each person present to have one. Hold up one pencil. Note the following: I have here a pencil. I dont know about you but Ive never thought much about pencils; Ive always taken them for granted. To me pencils are all alike. Sometimes I wonder if pencils arent a lot like people. Give audience time to respond. (NOT FOR VHA SLC TRAINING)

Secondary dimensions of diversity represent those characteristic that identify us with a group identity. Unlike the primary dimensions, we routinely have a choice to acquire or ascribe to a group identity.

Employers undeniably face a more diverse work force than ever before, both among those that they currently employ and those that they will look to employ in the future. Between age, ethnicity, language, and disability, employers must consider how the face of the American worker is changing: It is graying. While many Baby Boomers are approaching retirement-age, not all can or will consider retirement, especially in light of today's economy. Sixty-nine percent of workers over 45 plan to continue working past age 65 . Even those who anticipate retirement may change their plans as the recession marches on and retirement savings dwindle. It is becoming more culturally and linguistically diverse. By the middle of this century, over half of the working population will be minorities. It is becoming more diverse in terms of disability. Estimates suggest that up to 20% of working age Americans have a disability. And this figure will increase as the working-age population extends beyond age 65 and workers develop age-related health conditions. While diversity programs have brought awareness and education into the workplace, diversity managers and administrators are challenged by ensuring their diverse work forces are fully inclusive. In order for inclusion to occur, the environment that is created must reflect these values and those that promote cohesion, as well as equal physical and social access. Source: http://diversityinc.com/content/1757/article/6121/Diversity, a numbers gameThroughout the 1990's, diversity continued to be about the numbers of different kinds of people in the workforce as a whole and at each level. Diversity staffs tried to increase the number of people of color and women in their organizations. They saw this primarily as a hiring task.During that decade, the definition of diversity expanded. Diversity came to include many dimensions beyond gender and race: age, class, disability, ethnicity, family situation, religion, and sexual orientation. Companies started to pay attention to their representation of all these groups.It became clear over the years that it was not enough to focus on hiring alone. It became important to retain "diverse" workers, as well. Some organizations were astonished to learn that after years of effort, they had fewer African Americans than they had earlier. Companies became aware that for the most part the upper ranks of their organizations remained heavily white and predominately male. These were the years when companies offered diversity awareness training and diversity skills training to help their newly diverse employees work well together.

It's the cultureToday, in the 2000's, as organizations try to retain diverse employees in their workforce, companies have started looking at the quality of these employees' experience in the organization. Do employees in all groups and categories feel comfortable and welcomed in the organization? Do they feel included and do they experience the environment as inclusive? To answer these questions, diversity staffs need to assess their environment and identify the barriers to inclusion, whether they are practices, policies, or the informal culture of the organization. Having identified barriers, the job of the diversity staff is to change the company culture and to create an inclusive workplace environment.

Systems and policiesCompanies that are known for their inclusive climate do not rely on the goodwill of their managers but work hard so that each organizational system is equitable. Once barriers are identified, they take action to address them. Each system is analyzed to determine the degree to which it provides equitable access and benefits to all employees.

Source: http://www.boston.com/jobs/nehra/043007.shtml*As we look at diversity and inclusion from an organizational perspective, we must take three specific focal points (compliance, staff/student diversity, and organizational inclusion). For each of these areas there are distinct approaches/strategies for maximizing the benefits and advantages of diversity.