Message from the Chairman
FDIC 2014 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan
To All FDIC Employees,
I am pleased to share with you the FDIC's 2014 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan. In 2012, I established performance goals to update the FDIC's Diversity Strategic Plan and asked each division and office to develop strategic plans that identify steps to promote increased diversity through the FDIC's recruiting and hiring processes. In 2013, we completed the initial updated FDIC Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan and committed to reviewing and updating it annually to ensure that it remains current and relevant. The updated 2014 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan continues to enhance our efforts in this important area and addresses our goals to develop and implement a more comprehensive, integrated, and strategic focus on diversity and inclusion. The plan lays out a course for promoting workforce diversity by recruiting from a diverse, qualified group of potential applicants; cultivating workplace inclusion through collaboration, flexibility, and fairness; and, ensuring sustainability of our diversity and inclusion achievements by equipping leaders with the ability to manage diversity, monitor results, and refine approaches on the basis of actionable data. The plan details specific steps to enhance diversity and inclusion at the FDIC in the areas of leadership engagement, analytics and reporting, training, communications, strategic planning, and program enhancement.
I am asking the FDIC's Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council (EAC) to continue to oversee the implementation of the annual plan and to ensure that our commitment to diversity and inclusion remains an important priority. The EAC will work together with the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) to maintain the FDIC's commitment to diversity and inclusion. I encourage all of you to take an active role in implementing the plan as well. By valuing the knowledge, ideas, and experiences of all employees, we will serve the public at the highest level.
Sincerely,
Martin J. Gruenberg
Chairman
Vision
Respect for diversity and inclusion is embedded in the FDIC's core values, which are integrated throughout its organizational structure and work environment to help the FDIC continue to effectively achieve its mission of preserving and promoting public confidence in the U.S. financial system.
Diversity
Diversity is defined by who we are as individuals. The FDIC recognizes that its strength comes from the dedication, experience, talents, and perspectives of every employee. Diversity encompasses the range of similarities and differences each individual brings to the workplace, including but not limited to national origin, language, race, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and family structures.
Inclusion
Inclusion is the process of creating a working culture and environment that recognizes, appreciates, and effectively utilizes the talents, skills, and perspectives of every employee; uses employee skills to achieve the agency's objectives and mission; connects each employee to the organization; and encourages collaboration, flexibility, and fairness.
Implementation
The strategies contained in this plan will be implemented in 2014. The FDIC’s Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council will oversee the implementation of the plan to promote leadership engagement on diversity and inclusion issues. OMWI, as advisor to FDIC leadership on issues related to diversity and inclusion, will provide actionable analytics and reporting on diversity and inclusion topics, and increase organizational awareness and engagement about diversity and inclusion throughout the agency on an ongoing basis.
Goal 1: The FDIC will recruit from a diverse, qualified group of potential applicants to secure a high-performing workforce drawn from all segments of American society.
Objective: Recruit highly qualified, diverse talent to sustain the FDIC’s mission.
Strategy 1: Ensure the FDIC’s recruitment process reaches and appeals to a diverse and highly qualified pool of candidates.
Action Items:
Use workforce analytics to advise managers and recruiters on individual, group and organizational patterns and trends of recruitment and hiring of a diverse group of employees; and to assess progress on implementing division and office diversity strategies.
Enlist recruitment teams for career fairs and outreach events that represent the mission occupations and the diversity of talent that the FDIC seeks to attract; that are skilled at interviewing candidates across all dimensions of diversity; and, that are trained to recognize and disregard cultural bias.
Use a variety of tools, such as print and social media, job boards and other vehicles that target demographically diverse audiences.
Enhance activities to support workforce needs across the FDIC by increasing the pool of diverse candidates interested in the Pathways Intern Programs, with a focus on high school seniors, college students and recent graduates, and students in advanced degree and continuing education programs.
Strengthen and broaden relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, veterans' organizations, and other institutions that serve diverse populations.
Enhance FDIC's recruitment strategy to include appropriately increasing its presence on college campuses by participating in career fairs, employer panels, classroom presentations and on-campus interviews pursuant to the findings of the FDIC's recruitment sourcing analysis.
Explore the feasibility and effectiveness of on-line media and forums to determine whether they can be used to attract a more diverse range of applicant pools.
Broaden associations with diverse local, national, and professional organizations that provide opportunities to source potential applicants for FDIC mission occupations and management and executive level positions.
Engage managers and supervisors in recruitment activities and ensure that outreach efforts are effective in reaching qualified candidates.
Establish a policy to ensure, to the extent possible, interview panels are appropriately diverse.
Have the OMWI Director work with the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Council to identify and address barriers affecting the inclusion of diverse representation in their organizations.
Appropriately leverage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for recruitment activities as alumni to their alma mater, for their professional networks and associations, and professional experience.
Strategy 2: Ensure that qualified internal FDIC candidates have an opportunity to compete for posted positions.
Action Items:
Employ interviewing techniques and flexibilities (e.g., the use of structured interview questions and, when practicable, diverse interview panel members) that promote fair and consistent treatment of all FDIC candidates and that foster the selection of the best qualified.
Educate selecting officials on effective position management techniques, consideration of internal candidates, and selection of diverse candidates, including CM and EM positions.
Train selecting officials on recognizing and avoiding cultural bias in the hiring, interviewing, and selection processes.
Ensure that vacancies available to internal candidates are advertised to the widest possible audience to promote and encourage open competition.
Use workforce analytics to advise managers on individual, group, and organizational patterns and trends of hiring, retention, and promotion of employees to assess progress on meeting the strategies of division and office diversity plans.
Goal 2: The FDIC will cultivate a culture that encourages collaboration, flexibility, and fairness to enable individuals to contribute to their full potential and to improve retention.
Objective 1: Retain the FDIC's valued and diverse workforce.
Strategy 1: Identify and implement strategies to retain valued employees.
Action items:
Maintain an open dialogue with managers, supervisors, and employees, through surveys, focus groups, Workplace Excellence Steering Committee and Councils, Chairman's Diversity Advisory Councils, and Employee Resource Groups, as appropriate, to identify workplace issues and/or enhancements to support retention of diverse employees.
Assess the results of exit surveys to identify reasons employees choose to leave the FDIC, and utilize data to enhance working conditions to promote retention and an inclusive environment.
Leverage the Workplace Excellence Program as a resource for maintaining, enhancing, and institutionalizing positive workplace programs and policies to enhance retention.
Use the Workforce Analytics Dashboard and other employment data to analyze attrition data to determine if disparities exist by race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and/or age and address identified retention issues.
Strategy 2: Integrate coaching into the FDIC's leadership competencies.
Action items:
Continue to integrate coaching behaviors in Corporate University’s leadership curriculum for managers, supervisors, and employees specifically related to promoting diversity and inclusion.
Continue to encourage coaching among all employees and between supervisors and employees.
Increase opportunities for collaboration among employees and encourage an open exchange of ideas and difference of opinions and perspectives.
Objective 2: Ensure every employee has an equal opportunity for career advancement opportunities to the extent possible.
Strategy 1: Apply developmental policies and practices consistently to all eligible employees.
Action items:
Improve transparency of developmental opportunities and support employees seeking developmental opportunities by ensuring that Expression of Interest announcements are widely posted and made accessible to all eligible employees.
Monitor the assignment of work and special projects to ensure qualified employees have a fair opportunity to participate in new and/or high-exposure learning experiences.
Have OMWI work closely with division and office directors, Corporate University, and the Division of Administration to identify and address barriers affecting the inclusion of diverse employees in career development programs and opportunities.
Encourage the use of flexible workplace policies that support employee engagement and empowerment, including, telework, wellness programs, and other work-life flexibilities and benefits.
Support employee participation in Employee Resource Groups and provide such groups with access to present ideas and issues to Workplace Excellence Steering Committee and Councils, Chairman's Diversity Advisory Councils, and Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council.
Expand awareness of the mentoring program and encourage employees to participate.
Encourage Corporate and Executive Managers to participate in the mentoring program as mentors.
Expand awareness of Corporate University's Executive Coaching Program for Corporate and Executive Managers.
Add the results of inclusion-specific questions from the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and the FDIC exit surveys to the Workforce Analytics Dashboard to assess the climate and overall sense of employee engagement.
Address issues identified by the Chairman's Diversity Advisory Councils, Workplace Excellence Steering Committee and Councils and Employee Resource Groups that inhibit employees’ inclusion in developmental opportunities and career enhancement and promotion opportunities.
Encourage eligible employees to seek the services of the Career Management Program, develop Career Development Plans and use Professional Learning Accounts to support career advancement.
Encourage employees interested in supervisory positions to seek a coach through the Career Management Program.
Strategy 2: Expand career development paths to meet FDIC long-term mission needs.
Action items:
Through collaboration across the FDIC, explore the feasibility of establishing additional career paths, (e.g., bridge positions, upward mobility, cross-training opportunities, and supervisory and managerial development.)
Use succession planning to identify and broaden career path opportunities that meet current and future organizational needs.
Objective 3: Develop, implement and institutionalize diversity and inclusion initiatives to ensure they are a consistent part of the FDIC’s work environment.
Strategy 1: Create additional methods for communicating the FDIC’s commitment to, and value of, diversity and inclusion to its workforce and to the public.
Action items:
Implement an ongoing communication strategy to reinforce the commitment of all employees to diversity and inclusion with an emphasis on its importance and what it means to the FDIC’s mission.
Develop informal channels of communication for employees to learn about diversity and inclusion and engage in open dialogue (e.g., Chairman’s Diversity Advisory Councils, Employee Resource Groups and Diversity Dialogue Groups.)
Identify potential topics and ensure that internal publications, such as the FDIC News, include articles on diversity and inclusion to further promote the importance and success of diversity and inclusion to the FDIC.
Promote and share activities, events, awards, and other diversity and inclusion interests with the FDIC workforce via the diversity and inclusion web site.
Raise public awareness by including information about diversity and inclusion efforts on the FDIC’s external web site and at FDIC minority and women outreach events.
Demonstrate appreciation of the diversity of all FDIC employees by hosting a Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Program annually that celebrates all cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, military experience, sexual orientation, etc.
Strategy 2: Nurture the acceptance of diversity and inclusion through continuous learning efforts.
Action Items:
Promote awareness and discussion of diversity and inclusion by focusing on issues that impact today’s workplace, such as generational issues, unconscious bias, and misconceptions about working with individuals with disabilities.
Review current learning and development programs to ensure that diversity and inclusion are included in developmental competencies that enhance organizational units, workgroups, and high-performing teams.
Promote completion of the diversity and inclusion online training program for all employees.
Develop and sponsor training for individuals involved in the selection, development, and promotion processes to increase their awareness of, and reduce the effects of, unconscious bias.
Develop a Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Series in partnership with agency executives, the Division of Administration, Corporate University, and the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion.
Enhance the Diversity and Inclusion Education Series by ensuring that programs and activities support the learning experiences for all employees, while continuing to recognize federal observances.
Incorporate diversity and inclusion messaging in classes for new employees such as One FDIC and Leadership 101: Introduction to FDIC Leadership.
Encourage diversity and inclusion as a panel discussion topic in Corporate University's advanced leadership courses.
Objective 4: Strengthen programs to increase employee engagement to support and promote agency-wide diversity and inclusion efforts.
Strategy 1: Leverage the Chairman's Diversity Advisory Councils' activities to expand awareness of diversity and inclusion at headquarters, regional and field locations.
Action Items:
Engage CDACs in the implementation of diversity and inclusion goals, objectives and initiatives.
Encourage managers, supervisors and employees to participate and support CDAC activities.
Strategy 2: Consider enhancements to existing diversity and inclusion programs by revitalizing and encouraging appropriate participation in FDIC Employee Resource Groups.
Action Items:
Implement the Employee Resource Group Directive to help provide employees with a supportive work environment that encourages networking and collaborating on career management and personal development issues.
Develop and implement a strategy to encourage employee interest and participation in Employee Resource Groups.
Encourage the development of Employee Resource Groups at headquarters, regional and field locations.
Encourage managerial support and sponsorship of the activities of Employee Resource Groups to the extent that the support provided will benefit the FDIC’s workforce.
Strategy 3: Recognize the differing priorities and needs of employees in maintaining healthy career/ work-life integration.
Action Items:
Seek out and adopt policies, programs, and benefits that support and enhance the career and work-life integration of employees.
Continue to encourage supervisors and employees to support and use career and work-life integration programs. Communicate and educate employees on the programs' benefits to employee retention and increased productivity.
Goal 3: The FDIC will develop structures and strategies to equip leaders with the ability to manage diversity, measure results, refine approaches on the basis of such data, and institutionalize a culture of inclusion.
Objective 1: Enhance diversity and inclusion analytics and reporting.
Strategy 1: Make diversity and inclusion reporting more actionable through improvements in data collection, presentation, and reporting frequency.
Action Items:
Continue the interdivisional diversity and inclusion analytics working group to review the ongoing production of actionable management reports on diversity and inclusion, and to make recommendations for updates and improvements.
Address data gaps related to recruitment, advancement, and retention analysis.
Enhance data analytics through enhanced reporting techniques and use of external data sources.
Increase the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion’s advisory role to the leadership of FDIC divisions and offices.
Report progress on the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion policies and programs quarterly to FDIC leadership through the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council.
Objective 2: Demonstrate continuous leadership commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Strategy 1: Tie diversity and inclusion to FDIC business success.
Action Items:
Establish annual performance goals that further promote diversity and inclusion throughout the FDIC.
Engage senior leadership through collaboration, consultation, and communication on diversity and inclusion issues impacting the FDIC through the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council.
Review the FDIC Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan annually and update as necessary to align with division and office level diversity plans, performance goals, and other related human resource strategies to support diversity and inclusion.
Strategy 2: Create opportunities for executives to demonstrate commitment to and support of diversity and inclusion in the FDIC.
Action Items:
Encourage and provide opportunities for all senior executives and managers to participate in the Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Series.
Encourage executives and managers to speak at both internal and external events that demonstrate their commitment and support of diversity and inclusion.
Collaborate with executives and managers on the Diversity and Inclusion Education Series to broaden program perspectives to meet the needs of their divisions and offices.
Engage employees in discussions about diversity and inclusion to allow management to gain insights and possible action items to pursue at the division and office levels.
Identify and share diversity and inclusion best practices at the division and office levels.
Objective 3: Demonstrate the FDIC's commitment to diversity and inclusion to its employees and the public.
Strategy 1: Expand the FDIC’s Awards Program to recognize and reward outstanding leadership in diversity and inclusion efforts.
Action Items:
Review the existing criteria for the Annie D. Moore EEO and Diversity Award to identify criteria to recognize and award leaders who have actively demonstrated a strong commitment and support of the FDIC’s diversity and inclusion goals.
Expand opportunities to reward and recognize employees, including leaders, who proactively further the FDIC’s diversity and inclusion goals.