Information Technology Department

Diversity Action Plan

1. Inclusion
An inclusive workplace encourages all employees to participate fully & contribute at their highest level. Inclusion promotes equity. 

Strategy:   Communicate and solicit feedback from every employee regarding all events (projects, opportunities, issues, changes, etc) that affect Departmental personnel. Encourage attendance to departmental focus group meetings. 

Success Measures: Each employee affected will feel included and informed, and know they had a voice that was heard across all levels of management. 

2. Bias
Everyone has stereotypes & biases. Continuous education & open dialogue is needed to promote understanding & awareness of the biases that create barriers. 

Strategy:   Promote a culture that embraces a non-threatening attitude and that encourages all employees to discuss their feelings of bias, whether against others or against themselves.  

Success Measures: “Open door” policies are in place and understood by all.  Each employee feels that he/she treats others, and is treated with, respect and dignity.  

3. Good Old Boy
The good old boy network refers to favoritism based upon group affiliation. Effective workplaces help employees & managers move beyond their comfort zone, by creating opportunities for networking & systems for hiring/promoting the 'best candidate' regardless of diversity characteristics. 

Strategy:   Promote and encourage the use of development plans in order to level the playing field regarding technical training, travel, opportunities for special projects, promotions, etc.  Ensure that employees understand the differences between this syndrome and healthy networking, and encourage the latter. 

Success Measures: Equal opportunity for each employee to seek funding for training and travel.  Special projects/assignments are spread evenly across all workgroups.  Funding spread evenly across all employees of Information Technology.   

4. Promotions
Effective workplaces ensure equity by developing & implementing fairness & objectivity in their hiring, recruitment & promotional practices. 

Strategy: Ensure that each interview panel is diverse by representing different areas of ITD and IT’s constituency. 

Success Measures: Promotions and new hires are accomplished through appropriate policy and practices promoted through the city’s HR department. 

5. Conflict
Effective organizations help staff recognize that conflict can be healthy. Employees & managers learn to accept & appreciate differences. They learn how to resolve conflict before it becomes a major issue. 

Strategy:   Effective communication can resolve most conflicts before they happen.  Each supervisor should accept the role of communication “hub” for their respective areas.  Make available to everyone literature that is helpful with conflict resolution, such as the Successful Manager’s Handbook.  Utilize “SOLVE” tools to resolve conflicts. 

Success Measures: Employees understand that communication is a “receiver-centered” phenomena (listening is the most important part of all forms of communication, interpretation is key).  Issues are resolved in an expedient manner without eroding relationships.  Appropriate parties are included in order to reach resolution: the individuals involved, management, HR or Diversity if necessary.