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08. Receive Central San's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Framework and Strategic Plan
Item 8. BOARD OF DI RECTORS POSIT ION PA PER M E E T ING D AT E:MA R C H 7, 2024 S UB J E C T: R E C E I V E C E NT R A L S A N’S D I V E R S I T Y, E Q UI T Y & I NC L US I O N (D E I ) F R A ME W O R K A ND S T R AT E G I C P L A N S UB M I T T E D B Y: P HI L I P L E I B E R, D E P UT Y G E NE R A L MA NA G E R -A D MI NI S T R AT I O N I NI T I AT I NG D E PART M E NT: D E P UT Y G E NE R A L MA NA G E R RE V IE WE D B Y:T E J I O'MA L L E Y, HUMA N R E S O UR C E S & O R G A NI Z AT I O NA L D E V E L O P ME NT MA NA G E R G R E G NO R B Y, D E P UT Y G E NE R A L MA NA G E R -O P E R AT I O NS R oger S . B ailey General Manager IS S UE R eceive C entral San’s Diversity, E quity & I nclusion (D E I ) F ramework and S trategic Plan. B AC K G RO UND Attached are three documents that represent the culmination of work completed to date on Central S an’s D iversity, Equity, and I nclusion (D E I ) journey since 2022. T his work has been guided by F erdman C onsulting, with the assistance of an internal team, the D E I Task F orce. T hese materials relate to the completion of the planning and development stage of the ef f ort, and provide the roadmap for the implementation of several initiatives related to an ongoing D E I effort. T he Central S an D E I F ramework and S trategic Plan (A ttachment 1) contains the proposed action plan for work over the next two years and items f or consideration in subsequent years. I t documents C entral San’s D E I Vision, Mission, and Principles, and provides definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and psychological safety. I t includes nine statements for desired f uture outcomes of the work to be conducted. I t acknowledges the foundation of current initiatives that were already in place that support aspects of the March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 63 of 306 Page 1 of 167 D E I vision. T he core of the document is the action plan of 15 initiatives organized around f our pillars. T his action plan was generated to address the findings of the D E I assessment conducted during the spring/summer of 2023, which included a comprehensive employee survey and group interviews. A summary report documenting the results of the assessment process is provided as Attachment 3. R oughly 40 initiatives were generated to address issues f rom the assessment. T hese initiatives were filtered through several rounds of prioritization to arrive at the current 15 that are documented as priorities for the next two years. T hese 15 initiatives have been prioritized and supported by both the D E I Task F orce and Management f or inclusion in this proposed action plan. P resently, the strategic plan for the next two years and budget f or F Y 2024-25 are currently under development. Concurrently, work is underway to review resourcing f or the prioritized initiatives. To facilitate this, planning templates (last page of A ttachment 1) are being completed f or each initiative. T hrough this planning work, Management will determine the extent to which f urther prioritization and potential extension or delay of some initiatives may be necessary to reflect overall and individual resource constraints related to this work. Attachment 2 contains research summaries and references as to how the strategies are targeted to provide real and specific benefits to organizations that advance this work. D r. F erdman presented this material to the D E I Ad Hoc committee on F ebruary 16, 2024, and will f acilitate the discussion with the Board on March 7, 2024. He will be joined by certain members of the D E I Task F orce to answer questions and provide context f or the ef f ort and the work products presented. ALT E RNAT I V E S /C O NS I D E RAT IO NS T he action plan identif ies 15 initiatives f or priority focus over the next couple of years. T he pace at which this work is completed is one alternative for consideration. Resource availability is a determinant of this. W hether existing staff and resources, or supplemental resources are dedicated to this is being considered through the individual initiative planning effort currently underway. W hether these initiatives, or others are prioritized is another consideration. B ecause these initiatives have been identif ied to address issues identified during the assessment phase of the effort, they are viewed as relevant and appropriate to advance Central S an’s work culture towards the ideals specified in the D E I F ramework of A ttachment 1. F I NANC IAL I M PAC T S T he D E I ef f ort to date has been supported by consulting resources (F erdman C onsulting) authorized in an amount not to exceed $417,457. I t is anticipated that this represents most of the overall resources invested through all phases (planning, development, and implementation) of this effort. A s this ef f ort transitions to the implementation phase, the level of resources needed to sustain the ef f ort is expected to change, and likely be reduced signif icantly. Staf f will take on responsibility f or driving f orward the initiatives, but in some instances, outside resources may be helpf ul to create deliverables, such as training materials. I t is expected that an overall D E I effort can be sustained within existing resources, but the pace of progress may be lesser than if some supplemental resources are provided. Management would identif y any proposed supplemental resources during the individual initiative planning and through Central S an’s overall budgeting process currently underway. C O M M UNI T Y O UT RE AC H C ommunity outreach outside of C entral San has been limited thus far. E lements of community engagement that may take place subsequently include outreach to other agencies with D E I programs for sharing of ideas and best practices. Outward f ocused community engagement may also take place in March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 64 of 306 Page 2 of 167 regard to P illar 3 of the D E I Strategic P lan "C O MMUNI T Y E NG A G E ME NT & V I S I B I L I T Y, E X T E R NA L R E L AT I O NS , & C US TO ME R S E RV I C E: Begin to incorporate D E I principles into C entral San’s approach to customer service and community engagement. C O M M I T T E E RE C O M M E ND AT IO N T his material was presented to the D E I Ad Hoc C ommittee on F ebruary 16, 2024, during which the C ommittee recommended Board receipt of the Central S an D E I F ramework & S trategic Plan. RE C O M M E ND E D B O ARD AC T I O N R eceive the Central S an D iversity, Equity and I nclusion F ramework & S trategic Plan. Strategic Plan Tie-I n G O A L TH R EE: Workforce Diversity and D evelopment Strategy 1 - Recruit from a diverse pool of qualified applicants, Strategy 2 - Engage employees and conduct labor relations in a transparent, effective and collaborative environment, Strategy 3 - Retain skilled workers by investing in resources and opportunities for all employees to grow and thrive, Strategy 4 - Foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion AT TAC HM E NT S : D escription 1. Central S an D E I F ramework and S trategic Plan 2. Central S an D E I P illars, Goals, and Strategies: E vidence-based I nsights 3. D E I C omprehensive A ssessment Report March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 65 of 306 Page 3 of 167 CENTRAL SAN DEI FRAMEWORK & STRATEGIC PLAN (2/7/24 working draft) Prepared and submitted by: CENTRAL SAN DEI TASK FORCE Ann Vallee Benjamin Johnson Heather Ramamurthy Joe Jackson Liana Olsen Lori Schectel Nicole Marshall Phillip Leiber Velisa Parks Winston Ingram Zachary Lee with support and facilitation by: Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D., & Karen Harris, FERDMAN CONSULTING TABLE OF CONTENTS DEI VISION, MISSION, AND PRINCIPLES ....................................................................................................... 3 DEFINITIONS.................................................................................................................................................. 4 VISION/DESIRED OUTCOMES ........................................................................................................................ 6 CURRENT INITIATIVES AND ACTIONS RELATED TO DEI (TO BUILD ON) ...................................................... 7 DEI PILLARS, STRATEGIC GOALS, & STRATEGIES ......................................................................................... 8 1. INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE: FOSTER A CULTURE OF INCLUSION, ENGAGEMENT, TRUST, AND COLLABORATION, WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE BELONGING AND TO CONTRIBUTE AT THEIR BEST. ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 2. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY & EQUITY: PROACTIVELY FOSTER AND DEVELOP EQUITABLE TALENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND SYSTEMS THAT CREATE AND SUSTAIN A DIVERSE WORKFORCE. ............................................................ 9 3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & VISIBILITY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, & CUSTOMER SERVICE: BEGIN TO INCORPORATE DEI PRINCIPLES INTO CENTRAL SAN’S APPROACH TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 10 4. DEI LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY: FOSTER AND MAINTAIN A VIBRANT CULTURE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION BY ESTABLISHING THE ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALLOCATING THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO LEAD, INTEGRATE, AND SUSTAIN CENTRAL SAN’S DEI INITIATIVES. .......................................................................... 11 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 66 of 306 Page 4 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 2 of 16 PROGRESS INDICATORS & SUCCESS METRICS ........................................................................................... 12 FUTURE DEI STRATEGIES ............................................................................................................................ 14 PLANNING TEMPLATE (SAMPLE)................................................................................................................. 16 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 67 of 306 Page 5 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 3 of 16 DEI VISION, MISSION, AND PRINCIPLES As a public agency whose mission is to protect public health and the environment, Central San seeks to serve our diverse communities fairly and equitably. We are committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and we value people of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. All members of Central San’s staff should experience the feeling of being included and belonging at work; when each of us does, we will be stronger and more effective, both individually and collectively. Embracing these principles and embedding DEI in everything we do creates a better workplace, enables us to cooperate and innovate to better achieve collective goals, and contributes to making our world better tomorrow than it was yesterday. DEI Vision Central San is an organization that engenders trust, both internally and externally, and is a workplace where all employees feel valued, included, and empowered to contribute their voice and expertise in pursuit of our organization’s mission and vision. DEI Mission Central San prioritizes a workplace culture that embraces diversity, champions inclusion, and promotes equity, benefiting both our team and the community. DEI Principles 1. Diversity, equity, and inclusion drive our strength, creativity, and innovation, shaping how we serve the community and collaborate at work. 2. Our diversity includes all the ways in which we are different and similar, including our identities, backgrounds, and perspectives. We celebrate and benefit from this diversity by making space for everyone’s voice, and respecting, trusting, and listening to each other. 3. We prioritize and foster inclusion at Central San by welcoming our differences and unique perspectives and cultivating a culture of psychological safety, trust, and respect, so that all employees can feel valued and empowered to do their best work. 4. Psychological safety—the ability to participate, speak up, disagree, or share creative ideas without fear of negative consequences—is important for fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, because it enables us to express our authentic selves, collaborate effectively, support each other, and learn from our mistakes. 5. We acknowledge, consider, and work to mitigate and remove historical and current inequities and barriers to inclusion to foster equity in decision-making and in how people are treated and rewarded. 6. We strive to work transparently and involve everyone at Central San to co-create and make progress toward the supportive, inclusive, and more just world we would like to live in. 7. Advancing DEI is everyone’s responsibility across Central San. It requires working across the organization, within workgroups, and on an individual basis to make it a reality, and to meaningfully address situations in which we fall short of our vision. 8. Because DEI is an ongoing journey, we are dedicated to continuous learning, growth, and adaptation, ensuring our efforts remain relevant and impactful. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 68 of 306 Page 6 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 4 of 16 DEFINITIONS The following constitute working definitions for the core concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as psychological safety, a critical underpinning for inclusion . These will evolve as we learn more and apply them to Central San and its needs. Diversity is the presence of a range of human characteristics, identities, backgrounds, and perspectives in a group, organization, or community. These characteristics and identities include race, gender and gender expression, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, age, physical attributes and disability, socioeconomic background, religious and political affiliations and beliefs, veteran status, national origin, immigration status, and many other dimensions that , together, make up who we are. “Diversity is a feature of a collective (for example, of a group or organization), not of a person; individuals are not 'diverse,' but rather may add to the diversity of a larger entity. For that reason, all of us can contribute in some way to the organization’s diversity. Diversity encompasses legally protected categories of people, as well as individual, interpersonal, organizational, and societal dimensions that define us as unique individuals. Often, diversity refers to group -based or social identities—some of which may involve historical patterns of societal or organizational exclusion or differential treatment—but can also comprise variations in working styles, strengths, and other individual features or attributes.”1 Equity refers to fairness in how people are treated, rewarded, and have their needs met, in ways that consider both similarities and differences among people and groups. Equity is not the same as equality and does not necessarily mean treating everyone in the same way, in that achieving equity can require removing unfair barriers and overcoming past discrimination and its repercussions that limit people’s abilities to thrive and succeed . Equity means offering just treatment and opportunity to persons in ways that are free of sociocultural and other biases and providing people with what they need to do their best . Inclusion is grounded in how much every employee or customer can be authentic and feel valued and that they belong. It involves creating an environment where every individual feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute fully, while leveraging diverse perspectives to foster collaboration and belonging. Inclusion incorporates 1 Source: Diversity & Inclusion Report and Recommendations, CalEPA Department of Toxic Substances Control, August 2017 (https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2018/04/DTSC -Diversity-Inclusion-Report-Recommendations-August- 2017.pdf) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 69 of 306 Page 7 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 5 of 16 practices that promote engagement and participation in the organization and/or group and that foster “experiences of inclusion” for everyone, across multiple identities. These experiences provide “a sense of safety, full belonging, participation, and voice across the range of diversity dimensions, without requiring assimilation or loss of valued identities.”2 Every member should feel valued for the skills and talents that they bring as a whole person to the organizational community or to the group, without having to hide or suppress valued identities . Inclusion is critical to leverage diversity as a strength, for the benefit of the organization and its people. Psychological safety is the “shared belief held by members of a team that it’s OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions, and to admit mistakes — all without fear of negative consequences.”3 Psychological safety can enhance engagement and motivation, lead to better decision-making, and improve learning and innovation. 2 Source: Ferdman, B. M. (2016). Diversity and organizational change/performance. In J. Stone, R. Dennis, P. Rizova, & A. D. Smith (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell encyclopedia of race, ethnicity, and nationalism . Wiley. https://doi.com/10.1002/9781118663202.wberen680 3 Source: Gallo, A. M. (2023). What is psychological safety? https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 70 of 306 Page 8 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 6 of 16 VISION/DESIRED OUTCOMES The following statements, developed to reflect the results of Central San’s DEI assessment, combine elements of how we are now and how we aspire to be as an organization, forming the foundation for our DEI strategic goals. It is important to note that in many cases, elements of this vision are already in place; our DEI initiative seeks to expand on those experiences and make them more consistent and widespread. Achieving and maintaining these outcomes will be an ongoing journey. 1. We care about the mission of Central San and take pride in our work. 2. We are committed to doing our part to foster an equitable, inclusive, and diverse culture at Central San. 3. We value the diversity of our workforce, embrace curiosity to learn more about one another, and appreciate employees from all backgrounds and diversity dimensions for their ideas, styles, and contributions. 4. Staff co-operate within and across workgroups, sharing constructive ideas and opinions through healthy forms of communication and skilled handling of conflict . 5. We address issues in healthy, productive, and authentic ways, in a culture that recognizes that disagreement and conflict often lead to creativity and growth. 6. We cultivate a culture of collaboration and mutual support, committing to exchange constructive feedback to drive high performance and collectively uphold accountability. 7. We distribute access to work opportunities equitably and based on merit, in ways that recognize and value employees’ diverse skills and talents. 8. We engage in regular and effective two-way communication, from staff up through management/leadership/Board and back. Staff are aware of key issues and challenges before final decisions are made and can provide bottom -up input to solutions, resulting in strong alignment throughout Central San on priorities and key decisions. 9. Leaders and staff engage in ways that engender and sustain trust. Staff from all levels are valued and know that their perspectives and ideas are seen as essential to the success of Central San. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 71 of 306 Page 9 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 7 of 16 CURRENT INITIATIVES AND ACTIONS RELATED TO DEI (TO BUILD ON) The following is an initial list of recent or current initiatives, practices, and actions at Central San related to and/or supportive of DEI and the vision outlined earlier in this document. These provide a foundation on which to build the DEI strategic plan that follows. Inclusive Culture • Service awards • Crucial Conversations training for managers & Board • Management DEI workshops & Inclusion@Work™ learning program • Clarifier Speaker Series • Mentorship program • Employee Suggestion Program • Division meetings/meetings with the GM • EAO events • Toastmasters • Wellness Program • Lateral Connection Workforce Diversity & Equity • Leadership Academy • Women Engineers in Water • Job fair participation/outreach • Science fair involvement • Diverse hiring panels • Increasing diversity of staff & leadership • Wide net cast for recruitment • Internship program • Unions/Labor relations/MOUs • Teleworking policy • Tuition reimbursement • Transfer opportunities • Intro to training programs Customer & Community Relations • RV Waste Disposal Station • Low-income assistance • Speakers Bureau • School education program • Central San Academy • Science fair involvement • Customer service focus • Pipeline newsletter • Reuse Room • Transparency/availability of materials & information (e.g., Board documents) • Women Engineers in Water • Central San representatives on boards and in organizations DEI Leadership & Sustainability • 3 years of including DEI in overall strategy • DEI as part of Central San’s values • DEI Task Force creation & investment • Leadership development on DEI March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 72 of 306 Page 10 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 8 of 16 DEI PILLARS, STRATEGIC GOALS, & STRATEGIES The following DEI strategic goals and associated strategies for 2024-2026, organized into four DEI pillars, are designed to bring Central San’s DEI principles to life and to notably move Central San toward its DEI vision as described in this document. 1. INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE: Foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, trust, and collaboration, where everyone has the opportunity to experience belonging and to contribute at their best. 1.1. Deepen partnerships, collaboration, trust, alignment, and effective two -way communication at Central San across levels, departments, divisions, and other differences. 1.1.1. Increase and improve cross-department/division initiatives and opportunities to overcome silos, promote meaningful interactions among staff, and create a greater sense of “One Central San.” 1.1.2. Increase opportunities for two-way dialogue between staff and management, designing these to be participative, inclusive, and psychologically safe , and to provide opportunities for input and feedback . 1.1.3. Develop an internal communication campaign and hold events to promote DEI values and practices (e.g., #WeAllBelong@CentralSan). 1.2. Strengthen our workplace culture so that people of all identities are recognized, valued, made to feel that they belong as an integral part of the organization , and can grow to their fullest capacity while contributing to collective goals . 1.2.1. Develop and roll-out a model of inclusive behavior and practices for Central San (including practices for integrity, follow-through, conflict management, recognition, appreciation, and feedback) that can be shared with all staff in meetings, trainings, and events. 1.2.2. Provide integrated learning and application opportunities to support staff to develop skills for inclusion and for practicing Central San’s DEI principles by: • Developing and implementing a course on inclusive leadership (that includes how to promote psychological safety and facilitate inclusive meetings) for all leaders and on inclusive communication and behavior for all staff, including components focused on reducing bias and increasing trust and psychological safety. • Developing and rolling out a learning module for all new employees focused on Central San’s commitment to DEI and the role that every employee plays in creating an inclusive culture. • Threading DEI into onboarding and ongoing training as part of safety, customer service, supervisory academy, and other job-related topics. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 73 of 306 Page 11 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 9 of 16 2. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY & EQUITY: Proactively foster and develop equitable talent management practices and systems that create and sustain a diverse workforce. 2.1. Continue to attract a diverse talent pool and begin to identify and address barriers and implement specific strategies to retain a diverse workforce and increase equity for all groups. In Years 1 and 2 (2024-2026): 2.1.1. Assess current systems, practices, and SOPs for recruitment and hiring to identify barriers and specific strategies to enhance accessibility for all groups and to eliminate bias; implement the most promising strategies. 2.1.2. Communicate established formal hiring recruitment practices to ensure transparency and alignment across the organization and to foster more accessibility for potential talent. 2.1.3. Ensure that all interview panels are diverse and that panelists and hiring managers are oriented on inclusive hiring practices. For consideration in subsequent years: 2.1.4. Discuss and define the dimensions of diversity that are particularly important to consider and address in expanding Central San’s talent pool. 2.1.5. Assess current systems, policies, and practices for compensation, performance management, staff development, and advancement to identify equity gaps and barriers (e.g., based on race, gender, disability, etc.) and specific strategies to create more inclusion for all groups (with attention to increase access, retention, and promotion for historically excluded talent). 2.1.6. Develop programs and resources for underrepresented groups to i ncrease equitable opportunities for staff development and advancement . 2.1.7. Identify and implement clear ways to expand career paths, especially at levels of the organization that currently have limited opportunity for growth (e.g., by creating additional opportunities within a particular classification), to promote workforce retention and increase transparency. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 74 of 306 Page 12 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 10 of 16 3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & VISIBILITY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, & CUSTOMER SERVICE: Begin to incorporate DEI principles into Central San’s approach to customer service and community engagement. In Years 1 and 2 (2024-2026): 3.1. Expand internal and external visibility of our DEI initiatives and learn best practices from other agencies and associations. 3.1.1. Share Central San’s DEI commitment and efforts via the website and other channels. 3.1.2. Leverage current relationships with sister agencies and regional organizations to engage on DEI, learn and share best practices and approaches in our field, and partner on DEI initiatives. 3.1.3. Promote and support staff engagement on DEI in professional associations and at conferences. For consideration in subsequent years: 3.2. Review our services and approaches to community engagement and outreach to incorporate an equity lens and to better involve underrepresented, marginalized, or under-resourced sectors of our service area. 3.2.1. Provide staff with the tools and training they need to communicate effectively with customers and to provide culturally and linguistically competent customer service. 3.2.2. Update Central San’s website and communication materials to address accessibility and to include the threshold languages in our service area (e.g., Spanish materials for businesses, recycled water, etc.). 3.2.3. Examine how other agencies address contracting to make it transparent, equitable, and inclusive and determine possible applications at Central San. 3.3. Partner with other agencies on regional DEI strategies and initiatives. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 75 of 306 Page 13 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 11 of 16 4. DEI LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY: Foster and maintain a vibrant culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by establishing the organizational infrastructure and allocating the resources needed to lead, integrate, and sustain Central San’s DEI initiatives. 4.1.Integrate DEI strategy into Central San’s overall strategy and ensure that it is reflected in our vision, values, policies, and practices. 4.1.1. Incorporate DEI strategic goals and metrics into Central San’s overall Strategic Plan and operations and provide regular progress updates to Board and staff. 4.1.2. Leaders regularly communicate the importance of DEI and align DEI principles and values to operational goals. 4.2.Develop the infrastructure and resources needed to sustain and implement DEI at Central San. 4.2.1. Evolve the DEI Task Force into a DEI Committee; define its role, composition, and timeframe to promote and lead organizational change, to advise and integrate Central San’s DEI initiatives, and to serve as DEI champions and catalysts across the organization. 4.2.2. Institutionalize DEI leadership and organizational infrastructure (including resources and staffing) to support implementation and to sustain the DEI strategy and action plans. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 76 of 306 Page 14 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 12 of 16 PROGRESS INDICATORS & SUCCESS METRICS The following, organized by Pillar, constitutes an initial list of possible indicators of progress toward the DEI vision, and will be further developed as part of implementation planning for the DEI strategic plan. Each of these indicators should be tracked over time to observe trends and improvements as well as acted upon to drive continuous improvement in DEI initiatives. Regular reviews and adjustments to the metrics themselves may also be necessary to ensure their ongoing relevancy and alignment with evolving DEI goals. INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE • Survey results – experience of inclusion across different identity groups • Are more people sharing stories and aspects of their identity? • Number of grievances, complaints WORKFORCE DIVERSITY & EQUITY • Workforce demographics; applicant and pipeline demographics (over time) • Perceptions of equity • Turnover, promotion rates – by demographic sub-groups COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & VISIBILITY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, & CUSTOMER SERVICE • Website and materials accessible, translated, and available. • DEI information added to website; maintained and updated on regular basis. • Customer service indicators: similar in more under-represented/marginalized communities. • Engagement with other agencies – number and quality of engagements and of relevant insights brought back. • Number of staff involved in DEI work in professional associations. DEI LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY • DEI work is active and vibrant. • There’s a vibrant and active DEI Council or advisory group. • DEI is on the agendas of leadership meetings and other District events . • Growth in number of people discussing, engaged, and participating. • Integration in leadership communication. • Results of future survey… March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 77 of 306 Page 15 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 13 of 16 ADDITIONAL METRICS FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION 1. Staff trust in leadership and value diverse perspectives • Employee trust index score from annual surveys and/or pulse surveys. • Number and diversity of participants in decision-making or brainstorming sessions. • Frequency of leadership recognition of diverse ideas and contributions. 2. Staff collaboration and communication across workgroups • Number, types of interdepartmental projects and initiatives. • Instances of cross-training or job-shadowing/mentorship programs. • Employee feedback scores on inter-departmental collaboration from satisfaction surveys. • Amount of consultation across units. 3. Effective two-way communication • Establishment and tracking of a formal feedback mechanism (like a suggestion box, town hall meetings, and feedback surveys). • Number of staff contributions that lead to changes or are included in final decision-making. • Response times from leadership to staff inquiries and suggestions. 4. Healthy handling of issues and conflict • Number and outcomes of conflict resolution sessions. • Employee feedback on the effectiveness of conflict management training. • Rate of resolution of issues raised by staff before escalating to formal grievances. 5. Valuing employees from all backgrounds • Diversity of the workforce compared to the relevant labor market or community demographics. • Employee satisfaction and perceived value scores disaggregated by diversity dimensions. • Representation of diverse groups in leadership and decision-making roles. • Experience of inclusion scores on inclusion assessments. 6. Valuing staff ideas at all levels • Number of ideas submitted through suggestion programs by employees at various levels. • Implementation rate of staff-generated ideas. • Employee perceptions of their impact on the organization, measured through surveys. 7. Fair distribution of work opportunities • Audit of work assignments to ensure equitable distribution. • Diversity of applicants and recipients of promotions and special projects. • Tracking of participation rates in development and training opportunities. • Number of complaints, degree of escalation. 8. Feedback and accountability for high performance • Regularity and consistency of performance reviews. • Number of employees meeting or exceeding performance benchmarks. • Rate of improvement or progress in performance post-feedback. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 78 of 306 Page 16 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p.14 of 16 FUTURE DEI STRATEGIES The plan outlined above is intended as the first two years of a longer-term DEI initiative, over at least five years or more. The following are additional strategies to consider implementing in a phased approach following the first two years. INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE 1.Utilize design thinking approach to ensure input on decisions and initiatives from multiple sources. 2.Expand internal mentorship program that pairs experienced staff with employees. 3.Develop new processes and channels to communicate initiatives, opportunities, and challenges and to get input more broadly throughout the organization. 4.Develop a framework and guidelines for starting an employee resource group and make it available to all staff to generate interest. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY & EQUITY 1.Develop a DEI dashboard with ongoing measurement/tracking of key DEI indicators and publish on website. 2.Review HR policies with attention to enhancing equity. 3.Identify and showcase three to five career paths at different levels of the organization (through panel discussions, short videos, spotlight stories, and other materials). 4.Offer career development workshops to prepare staff for promotional opportunities in targeted career paths. 5.Assess possibilities for reclassification within certain job classifications to allow for increased career growth (e.g. to go from 1 to 3 in job classes). COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & VISIBILITY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, & CUSTOMER SERVICE 1.Explore opportunities to reach out to new groups in new ways, including partnerships with community organizations, other agencies, etc. 2.Evaluate proposed capital projects through an equity lens, using the Envision Framework or similar. 3.Make public statements recognizing historically marginalized groups and commemorating key holidays (e.g., Indigenous American Day and mention of tribes from the region). 4.Incorporate DEI principles into vendor relations, contracting and sourcing : Make the contracting process more transparent and share the process with minority -owned businesses in the community. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 79 of 306 Page 17 of 167 WORKING DRAFT FOR REVIEW, 2/7/24 p. 15 of 16 DEI LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY 1. Expand the DEI champion role beyond the DEI committee to develop a cadre of people (an inclusion and change partners group) from across the organization to serve as catalysts, role models, and resources for increasing inclusion and working effectively acro ss differences, in alignment with Central San’s emergent model of inclusive behavior and practices. 2. Develop new mechanisms for ideation, process improvement, and innovation (e.g., include DEI approach/lens in optimization group). 3. Identify ongoing DEI learning opportunities based upon assessments, gaps, and barriers identified during implementation of DEI Strategic Plan. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 80 of 306 Page 18 of 167 p. 16 of 16 PLANNING TEMPLATE (Sample) GOAL STRATEGY (INITIATIVE) METRICS/ SUCCESS INDICATORS IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS (DELIVERABLES) ACTION STEPS RESOURCES NEEDED TIME- LINE RESPONSIBLE PERSON/ GROUP PILLAR 1: INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE. Foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, trust, and collaboration, where everyone ha s the opportunity to experience belonging and to contribute at their best. 1.1 Deepen partnerships, collaboration, trust, alignment, and effective two-way communication at Central San across levels, departments, divisions, and other differences. 1.1.1. Increase and improve cross- department/division initiatives and opportunities to overcome silos, promote meaningful interactions among staff, and create a greater sense of “One Central San.” 1.1.2. Increase opportunities for two-way dialogue between staff and management, designing these to be participative, inclusive, and psychologically safe, and to provide opportunities for input and feedback. 1.1.3. Develop an internal communication campaign and hold events to promote DEI values and practices (e.g., #WeAllBelong@CentralSan). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 81 of 306 Page 19 of 167 APPENDIX CENTRAL SAN DEI PILLARS, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES: EVIDENCE-BASED INSIGHTS Prepared by Ferdman Consulting (2/7/2024) PILLAR 1. INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE: Foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, trust, and collaboration, where everyone has the opportunity to experience belonging and to contribute at their best. Goal 1.1. Deepen partnerships, collaboration, trust, alignment, and effective two-way communication at Central San across levels, departments, divisions, and other differences. Strategy 1.1.1. Increase and improve cross-department/division initiatives and opportunities to overcome silos, promote meaningful interactions among staff, and create a greater sense of “One Central San.” Benefits of cross-collaboration: Cross-unit collaboration has demonstrated positive outcomes in organizations, including cost savings, increased revenue, enhanced decision-making, innovation, and strengthened collective capacity (Cross et al., 2006; Hansen & Nohria, 2004). Examples: • Hansen and Nohria (2004) found that when an oil and gas organization transitioned from siloed divisions to a highly collaborative structure, it achieved a 20% reduction in working capital needed by transferring best practices and sharing expertise across business units , contributing to enhanced cost savings and increased overall revenue. • According to a report from McKinsey & Company, an engineering company increased its revenue from $80 million to $275 million within one year, attributing this growth to collaboration among specialists in different groups (Cross et al., 2006). Barriers to cross-collaboration Four common barriers that hinder cross-unit collaboration were identified through a survey across 107 companies in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, and healthcare (Hansen & Nohria, 2004): 1. Unwillingness to seek input and learn from others. 2. Inability to seek and find expertise. 3. Unwillingness to help. 4. Inability to work together and transfer knowledge. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 82 of 306 Page 20 of 167 Page 2 of 27 The survey results indicated that companies experience economic benefits from cross -unit collaboration when senior executives successfully address the four identified barriers. In addition, when executives perceived greater barriers to collaboration, they perceived lower levels of value creation. This indicates the crucial role of senior executives in mitigating barriers to cross -collaboration. Based on these results, management can reduce barriers through leadership role, human resources procedures, and lateral mechanisms. (For more information, see the implementation notes.) Benefits of organizational identification : “Organizational identification occurs when employees perceive oneness with an employing organization and feel that they belong to it” (as cited in He & Brown, 2013, p. 14). Research studies have found that organizational identification positively correlates with: • Employee task performance (Walumbwa et al., 2008). Employees who had stronger identification with their work unit had higher task performance, as rated by their supervisors (Walumbwa et al., 2008). • Employee job performance (Weiseke et al., 2008). Employees with stronger identification with their organization had higher job performance , as indicated by the percentage of sales quotas achieved in the quarter (Weiseke, et al., 2008). • Employee creativity performance (Hirst et al., 2009). Employees who had stronger identification with their team were rated higher on creative performance by their program leaders (Hirst et al., 2009). Creative performance was assessed by the extent that employees generate and voice new and unique ideas to enhance task and organizational efficiency and effectiveness. This study also revealed a connection between organizational identification and employee creativity is moderated by the level of creative effort, suggesting that the effect of organizational identification on employee creativity is linked to employee willingness to put more effort into improving their organization or their task. • Financial performance (Weiseke et al., 2008). Employees’ and sales managers’ organizational identification were positively related to their business unit’s financial performance (Weiseke et al., 2008). Strategy 1.1.2. Increase opportunities for two-way dialogue between staff and management, designing these to be participative, inclusive, and psychologically safe, and to provide opportunities for input and feedback. Predictors of employee voice: • Lack of formal upward feedback channels is a key factor contributing to employee silence (Morrison & Milliken, 2000). • Employee voice is influenced by organizational culture such as its supportiveness of upward communication and management openness and responsiveness to employee voice (Dutton et al., 2002; Milliken et al., 2003). • Employees perceiving less psychological safety are more likely to exhibit silence or hesitation in expressing their voice (Sherf et al., 2021). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 83 of 306 Page 21 of 167 Page 3 of 27 The importance of employee voice: • Research found that “employee voice is associated with learning, improved work processes, innovation, error correction, the curtailment of illegal or immoral behavior, and crisis prevention” (Detert & Edmondson 2011; Detert & Trevino 2010; Grant 2013; LePine & Van Dyne 2001; Liang et al. 2012; Morrison & Milliken 2000; Tangirala & Ramanujam 2008, 2012, as cited in Morrison, 2014). The importance of psychological safety: • Psychological safety is linked to higher team engagement in qualitative improvement of work (Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006). • A study conducted by Singh, Winkel, and Selvarajan (2013) found a positive association between psychological safety and various aspects of employee performance in a Midwestern U.S. mid-size production organization. Specifically, employees who perceived higher levels of psychological safety were more likely to exhibit organizational citizenship behaviors directed toward the organization, demonstrate assistance towards coworkers, and fulfill their job duties. In addition, the relationship between psychological safety and employee performance was found to be even stronger among minority employees. Strategy 1.1.3. Develop an internal communication campaign and hold events to promote DEI values and practices (e.g., #WeAllBelong@CentralSan). The importance of internal communication on DEI: • According to Brown et al. (2023), transparency on DEI progress can help bolster DEI accountability, and further encourage engagement and commitment. • According to an article from Deloitte (Brodzik, et al., 2022), “a strategic communications plan can act as a catalyst for advancing DEI strategy and actions.” Goal 1.2. Strengthen our workplace culture so that people of all identities are recognized, valued, made to feel that they belong as an integral part of the organization, and can grow to their fullest capacity while contributing to collective goals. Strategy 1.2.1. Develop and roll-out a model of inclusive behavior and practices for Central San (including practices for integrity, follow-through, conflict management, recognition, appreciation, and feedback) that can be shared with all staff in meetings, trainings, and events. Strategy 1.2.2. Provide integrated learning and application opportunities to support staff to develop skills for inclusion and for practicing Central San’s DEI principles by: • Developing and implementing a course on inclusive leadership (that includes how to promote psychological safety and facilitate inclusive meetings) for all leaders and on inclusive communication and behavior for all staff, including components focused on reducing bias and increasing trust and psychological safety. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 84 of 306 Page 22 of 167 Page 4 of 27 • Developing and rolling out a learning module for all new employees focused on Central San’s commitment to DEI and the role that every employee plays in creating an inclusive culture. • Threading DEI into onboarding and ongoing training as part of safety, customer service, supervisory academy, and other job -related topics. The benefits of inclusive leadership: Based on the literature review, inclusive leaders help to (Henderson, 2014, p. 447): • “Attract and retain the best individuals from a shrinking pool of talent • Satisfy the needs of an increasingly diverse set of stakeholders (communities, investors, regulators, employees, customers, and so on) • Enhance the productivity, innovation, and engagement of our workforce • Create a culture that encourages increased candor and risk-taking • Better represent the diversity of our stakeholder s • Enhance our reputation as an employer of choice • Minimize financial risks in terms of litigation • Optimize problem solving and product or market development” Role of inclusive leadership in fostering inclusion and psychological safety: • McKinsey & Company’s survey (2020) found that in organizations where leaders prioritize inclusivity by fostering team cohesion and empowering others, employees are 1.7 times more likely to feel very included compared to employees in other organizations. • McKinsey & Company (2021) found that consultative leadership and supportive leadership had a significant effect on employees’ psychological safety. Benefits of inclusive leadership development: • McKinsey & Company (2021) found that “organizations that invest in leadership development are more likely to see leader behaviors that foster psychological safety (p. 7).” Specifically, it was found that for every 1 standard deviation increase in the organization's investment in developing leaders, the level of supportive leadership was expected to increase by 0.33 standard deviations, and the level of consultative leadership is expected to increase by 0.23 standard deviations, while holding other variables constant . The importance of integrated DEI training: • Well-integrated DEI training shifts the focus away from individual members of the target group, preventing them from being perceived as victims. Furthermore, this integration signals management's commitment to DEI and generates excitement among attendees (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 85 of 306 Page 23 of 167 Page 5 of 27 PILLAR 2. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY & EQUITY: Proactively foster and develop equitable talent management practices and systems that create and sustain a diverse workforce. Goal 2.1. Continue to attract a diverse talent pool and begin to identify and address barriers and implement specific strategies to retain a diverse workforce and increase equity for all groups. Strategy 2.1.1. Assess current systems, practices, and SOPs for recruitment and hiring to identify barriers and specific strategies to create more accessibility for all groups and to eliminate bias; implement the most promising strategies. Strategy 2.1.2. Communicate established formal hiring recruitment practices to ensure transparency and alignment across the organization and to foster more accessibility for potential talent. Strategy 2.1.3. Ensure that all interview panels are diverse and that panelists and hiring managers are oriented on inclusive hiring practices. Benefits of a diverse workforce: • Research found that recruiting minorities was linked to increased organizational creativity, innovation, organizational performance, and profit share (as cited in Mckay & Avery, 2005). According to a report from McKinsey & Company (Dixon-Fyle et al., 2020), studies found that: • Gender-diverse executive teams in the top quartile were 25% more likely to achieve above - average profitability compared to those in the fourth quartile . • Companies with over 30% women executives were found to outperform those with lower percentages (10-30%) of women executives. • Companies with higher levels of ethnic and cultural diversity among their employees tend ed to perform better financially (with a significant margin of 36% in profitability) compared to companies with lower diversity levels. The impact of recruiting strategy on diverse hiring: • L’Oréal's U.S. vice president implemented the "fishing in different ponds" recruitment strategy, targeting seven diverse talent pools. They also automated the application process, and removed the request for certain kinds of information that might contribute to recruiting bias. As a result, over 60% of general managers were women, exceeding L’Oréal International’s average of approximately 33%. Additionally, minority representation increased from 13.9% in 2001 to 16% in 2004 (Cummings & Worley, 2015). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 86 of 306 Page 24 of 167 Page 6 of 27 PILLAR 3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & VISIBILITY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, & CUSTOMER SERVICE: Begin to incorporate DEI principles into Central San’s approach to customer service and community engagement. GOAL 3.1. Expand internal and external visibility of our DEI initiatives and learn best practices from other agencies and associations. Strategy 3.1.1. Share Central San’s DEI commitment and efforts via the website and other channels. Strategy 3.1.2. Leverage current relationships with sister agencies and regional organizations to engage on DEI, learn and share best practices in our field, and partner on DEI and racial equity initiatives, approaches, and practices. Strategy 3.1.3. Promote and support staff engagement on DEI in professional associations and at conferences. The impact of a diversity statement on the company’s website: • A research study (Goldberg & Allen, 2008) found that including a diversity statement on the company’s recruiting website had a positive impact on African Americans’ engagement, as measured by attention focus, curiosity, and intrinsic interest. However, this positive relationship was not observed for White respondents. The impact of perceived inclusion: • In a 2020 survey by McKinsey & Company, 39% of 2,030 respondents stated that they had declined or decided not to pursue a job due to a perceived lack of inclusion within an organization. This pattern was particularly notable among specific demographic grou ps, with 44% of women, 50% of LGBTQ+ individuals, and 45% of racial or ethnic minorities indicating this reaction. This points to the importance of enhancing visibility of inclusion internally and externally. The impact of diversity initiatives: • Research found that voluntary diversity initiatives are the strongest predictor of individuals' perceptions of the organization and their intentions to pursue employment opportunities there (Goldberg & Allen, 2008). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 87 of 306 Page 25 of 167 Page 7 of 27 PILLAR 4. DEI LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY: Foster and maintain a vibrant culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by establishing the organizational infrastructure and allocating the resources needed to lead, integrate, and sustain Central San’s DEI initiatives. Goal 4.1. Integrate DEI strategy into Central San’s overall strategy and ensure that it is reflected in our vision, values, policies, and practices. Strategy 4.1.1. Incorporate DEI strategic goals and metrics into Central San’s overall Strategic Plan and operations and provide regular progress updates to Board and staff. Strategy 4.1.2. Leaders regularly communicate the importance of DEI and align DEI principles and values to operational goals. Goal 4.2. Develop the infrastructure and resources needed to sustain and implement DEI at Central San. Strategy 4.2.1. Evolve the DEI Task Force into a DEI Committee; define its role, composition, and timeframe to promote and lead organizational change, to advise and integrate Central San’s DEI initiatives, and to serve as DEI champions and catalysts across the organizatio n. Strategy 4.2.2. Institutionalize DEI leadership and organizational infrastructure (including resources and staffing) to support implementation and to sustain the DEI strategy and action plans. The importance of adequate resources and infrastructure to support DEI efforts: • According to McKinsey & Company (Brown et al., 2023), many organizations do not have adequate teams or budget to deliver widespread improvement in DEI. In fact, in a survey among HR and DEI practitioners, only 34% expressed the belief that their organizations possessed adequate resources to implement DEI initiatives. • Research conducted by McKinsey & Company (Catalino, et al. 2022) found that across 52 organizations, the majority of the organizations did not have a DEI infrastructure, including ERGs. In addition, they observed that ERG systems and infrastructure can help advance DEI efforts by fostering inclusion, improving diversity, and promoting external impact. The benefits of integrating DEI strategy into overall business strategy: • Alex Gorsky, the chair and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, stressed the significance of integrating DEI strategy with business strategy to attain sustainable competitive advantage. He highlighted that this integration fosters innovation and enables the developme nt of products and services that can better cater to diverse clientele (Cox & Lancefield, 2021). To build effective DEI teams: Gallup (Jamal & Tschida, 2021) found that DEI teams are more effective when they have: March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 88 of 306 Page 26 of 167 Page 8 of 27 • “A structured DEI charter detailing the purpose of the work, processes, goals, and a shared understanding of what success looks like. • Executive sponsorship from a credible and committed senior leader who is willing to champion DEI efforts with other leaders and across the organization . • Workstream leaders from different parts of the business with specific roles and responsibilities, who collaborate and represent diverse voices at the organization . • Financial and non-financial resources to support events and development activities. • Access to leadership. • A communication plan to continually fuel organization-wide awareness and a collective commitment to the work. • Metrics that assess and report on progress on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, etc.). • Mechanisms to gather employee feedback—such as pulse surveys, listening posts, DEI questions in annual surveys—gathered from all levels of the organization .” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 89 of 306 Page 27 of 167 Page 9 of 27 IMPLEMENTATION NOTES PILLAR 1. INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE: Foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, trust, and collaboration, where everyone has the opportunity to experience belonging and to contribute at their best. Strategy 1.1.1. Increase and improve cross-department/division initiatives and opportunities to overcome silos, promote meaningful interactions among staff, and create a greater sense of “One Central San.” A Change Model to Drive Inclusion Source: Corporate Practice Change Model, Travis & Nugent (2014). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 90 of 306 Page 28 of 167 Page 10 of 27 Source: Travis & Nugent (2014). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 91 of 306 Page 29 of 167 Page 11 of 27 Source: Travis & Nugent (2014). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 92 of 306 Page 30 of 167 Page 12 of 27 Keys to Foster Greater Collaboration, Trust, and Inclusion Strategies for implementation: 1. Develop a common language (Miller & Katz, 2014) o Lean into discomfort: Foster a willingness to challenge oneself and others, emphasizing the importance of speaking up and contributing one's unique voice to the collective conversation. o Listen as an ally: Practice active and attentive listening, considering others as collaborative partners sharing the same side of the table. Seek value in diverse perspectives, and actively build upon their insights. Engage with others to foster a sense of unity. o State your intent and intensity: Clarify intent and state notions, stakes, boulders, and tombstones. Say what you mean and how much you mean it. o Share street corners: Encourage individuals to share their unique perspectives, creating a welcoming environment that fosters a sense of safety to contribute fully and openly. Accept others’ thoughts and experiences as true for them. Hear others’ differences as additive. 2. Leadership role (Hansen & Nohria, 2004) o Articulate the shared values related to teamwork and developing unifying goals. o Leaders demonstrate collaborative behaviors and signal the importance of collaboration. 3. Human resources procedures (Hansen & Nohria, 2004) o Recruitment: Selecting job candidates who have an inclination to search for and offer help. o Promotion: Aligning promotion criteria with collaboration. o Compensation: Compensating employees based on their collaborative behaviors. o Performance Evaluation: Alignment of performance evaluation with collaborative efforts: assess both the achieved outcomes and the collaborative processes involved. 4. Lateral Mechanism: Informal Networks (Hansen & Nohria, 2004) o Cultivating connectors: identifying, nurturing, and promoting individuals who have a wide network to help facilitate collaboration and communication across the organization. Connectors are influential in bridging gaps and fostering a sense of community within the organization. o Fostering strong professional relationships: Developing formal cross-unit groups and committees to structure regular interactions. Providing a platform for individuals to get to know each other, fostering a sense of connection. Facilitating the sharing of information, ideas, and expertise through these structured interactions. 5. Lateral Mechanism: Information Systems (Hansen & Nohria, 2004) o Knowledge-management databases: Creating electronic pages or systems that list experts in specific areas within the organization. o Benchmark systems: Developing benchmarking systems to identify and document best practices within the company. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 93 of 306 Page 31 of 167 Page 13 of 27 Additional resource Source: Hansen & Nohria (2004). Strategy 1.1.2. Increase opportunities for two-way dialogue between staff and management, designing these to be participative, inclusive, and psychologically safe, and to provide opportunities for input and feedback. To foster psychological safety: • Leadership/Management role: trust serves as a foundation of psychological safety. Managers and leaders need to establish and maintain trust by: o Treating employees with respect (Nishii & Rich, 2014). o Being attuned to employees’ needs and feedback (Nishii & Rich, 2014). o Behaving inclusively, including inviting input and showing appreciation for others’ contributions (Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006). • Inclusive leadership is closely related to psychological empowerment and safety (Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006). To enhance employee voice: • Workforce listening programs (Lamoureux et al., 2023): 1. Gain executive support by allocating resources and investment to support ongoing listening. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 94 of 306 Page 32 of 167 Page 14 of 27 2. Build the infrastructure that supports an effective listening strategy: Evaluate the organization's current ability to facilitate active listening and assess the willingness of the organization to share insights and provide feedback. Use this assessment to determine suitable approaches and identify the necessary infrastructure. 3. Invest in an analytics platform: it is important to integrate listening data with other data for better analyses and to result in deeper insights. 4. Build a coalition of internal and external partners who have a vested interest in the success of a workforce listening program. 5. Bring in the right skills to adequately support the continuous collection and analysis of listening data. 6. Tap into collective insights as well as individual perceptions. 7. Be transparent and keep the workforce informed of listening approaches, uses of the collected data, and the benefits of the resulting insights. • Inclusive leadership 1. Develop a safe climate for employees to bring up new ideas by assuring them that negative consequences will not result from their free expression of new ideas (Jiang et al., 2020). 2. Develop trust and embrace ethical behavior by allowing participants to acknowledge multiple identities in positive and productive ways (Murrell et al., 2021). Additional resource Source: Longest, Rakich, & Darr (2000). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 95 of 306 Page 33 of 167 Page 15 of 27 Strategy 1.1.3. Develop an internal communication campaign and hold events to promote DEI values and practices (e.g., #WeAllBelong@CentralSan). Advice for internal DEI communication: • Frame DEI as a benefit rather than a problem or challenge. A study found that one in three employees fear of losing their role as an unintended consequence of increased awareness around D&I. This increased to 46% for White men (as cited in Kleiss, 2022). • DEI should be seen as a continuous growth process rather than an end-dated plan or strategy (Kleiss, 2022). • Establish a clear connection and alignment of DEI with the broader business strategy and corporate purpose. DEI is not seen as a separate or isolated initiative but an integral part of the overall business strategy (Kleiss, 2022). • Develop two-way communication. Ensuring internal communication involves interactive elements that allow employees to engage in discussions, share their thoughts, and participate in conversations (Wilson-Ojo, 2022). • Ensure all employees can access internal DEI communication and events. Consider the accessibility and representation of staff videos, documents, emails, and intranet pages (Wilson- Ojo, 2022). • Align DEI with communication and culture. Communication of DEI that involves formal interpersonal and hybrid communications (e.g., DEI workshops and events) promote inclusion (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023). Utilize organizational culture and shared values to promote DEI efforts, rather than coercion. Actively “engage senior leaders as strategic ‘meaning makers’ to actively shape the organization’s DEI agenda, translate initiatives, and promote progress toward inclusion” (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023, p. 9). Goal 1.2. Strengthen our workplace culture so that people of all identities are recognized, valued, made to feel that they belong as an integral part of the organization, and can grow to their fullest capacity while contributing to collective goals. Strategy 1.2.1. Develop and roll-out a model of inclusive behavior and practices for Central San (including practices for integrity, follow-through, conflict management, recognition, appreciation, and feedback) that can be shared with all staff in meetings, trainings, and events. Strategy 1.2.2. Provide integrated learning and application opportunities to support staff to develop skills for inclusion and for practicing Central San’s DEI principles by: • Developing and implementing a course on inclusive leadership (that includes how to promote psychological safety and facilitate inclusive meetings) for all leaders and on inclusive communication and behavior for all staff, including components focused on reducing bias and increasing trust and psychological safety. • Developing and rolling out a learning module for all new employees focused on Central San’s commitment to DEI and the role that every employee plays in creating an inclusive culture. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 96 of 306 Page 34 of 167 Page 16 of 27 • Threading DEI into onboarding and ongoing training on an annual basis as part of safety, customer service, supervisory academy, and other job -related topics. Inclusive Leadership Training: • Training on inclusive leadership behaviors can shift from emphasizing the recognition of unconscious biases to promoting proactive engagement. This shift offers a more positive message, guiding individuals to understand what they can do rather than what they need to stop doing or what they cannot do (Atewologun & Harman, 2021). • Leadership development must follow a systematic and continuous approach , encompassing micro-level learning within the organization for both leaders and followers, meso-level development within groups and teams, and macro -level processes throughout the entire organization (Atewologun & Harman, 2021). • Leaders can help to institutionalize inclusive micro-behaviors by: 1. Seeking to understand what inclusive leadership means in their context (Atewologun & Harman, 2021, p. 107). 2. Communicating how increasing inclusive leadership practices and reducing exclusionary practices will benefit the entire workforce, for example by making it a more collaborative and facilitative environment for everyone involved (Atewologun & Harman, 2021, p. 108). 3. Drawing attention to micro-behaviors as an inclusive leadership practice (Atewologun & Harman, 2021, p. 108): o Help translate inclusive leadership into meaningful everyday behavior for individuals. o Offer insight into some of the subtle (and low effort) methods of promoting affirming and inclusive cultures. o Help shift away from awareness of unconscious biases to thinking about what individuals can actively do about it. 4. Holding workshops (with assistance from external consultants where necessary) where potential targets of inclusive and exclusionary leadership practices come together to share their experiences. This helps to provide further examples of what exclusive and inclusive behaviors look like in a given organizational context, discuss how they can be addressed, and generate solutions or learn from others around how best to actively manage exclusion (Atewologun & Harman, 2021, p. 108). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 97 of 306 Page 35 of 167 Page 17 of 27 Source: Booysen (2014). Source: Booysen (2014). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 98 of 306 Page 36 of 167 Page 18 of 27 Examples of inclusive and non-inclusive practices: Source: Atewologun & Harman (2021). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 99 of 306 Page 37 of 167 Page 19 of 27 Source: Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D., Ferdman Consulting (Adapted from Inclusive Behaviors and Practices, Version 1.1, April 2009, by B. M. Ferdman, J. H. Katz, E. Letchinger, and C. Thompson). DEI Training Effectiveness: Integrating DEI training into various internal training programs: • According to Burnett & Aguinis (2023), it is important to integrate DEI training into different types of training programs, such as performance management, leadership development, and onboarding. • Adopt a “learner-centric” training approach that focuses on the broader context and its influence on trainee motivation, learning, and transfer (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023). • Support trainees by adopting strategies including offering pretraining exercises, presenting training role models, setting trainee personal goals, acknowledging emotions during training, offering rewards and recognition, and reinforcing learning via peers and managers (Roberson et al., 2024). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 100 of 306 Page 38 of 167 Page 20 of 27 PILLAR 2. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY & EQUITY: Proactively foster and develop equitable talent management practices and systems that create and sustain a diverse workforce. Goal 2.1. Continue to attract a diverse talent pool and begin to identify and address barriers and implement specific strategies to retain a diverse workforce and increase equity for all groups. Strategy 2.1.1. Assess current systems, practices, and SOPs for recruitment and hiring to identify barriers and specific strategies to create more accessibility for all groups and to eliminate bias; implement the most promising strategies. Strategy 2.1.2. Communicate established formal hiring recruitment practices to ensure transparency and alignment across the organization and to foster more accessibility for potential talent. Strategy 2.1.3. Ensure that all interview panels are diverse and that panelists and hiring managers are oriented on inclusive hiring practices. To enhance diverse recruitment, hiring, and retention: • Targeted recruitment can backfire if it results in misrepresentation, including sharing unrealistic representations and falsified information about diversity in the employee population. It is important to provide realistic job previews and promote the truth of current and aspiring DEI practices (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023). This is because person-organization fit, realistic job previews, and psychological contracts are linked to minority recruitment and retention (Mc Kay & Avery, 2005). • Management support. Engage management in the recruitment process and allow management to participate in hiring decisions, select sourcing channels, and assemble interview panels (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023). • Clarify merit-based decision-making in recruitment. It is important that organizations communicate both their DEI goals and their commitment to objective hiring decisions. Through targeted recruitment efforts, diverse talents are informed about opportunities , while merit- based decision-making ensures that hiring and promotion choices rely on qualifications rather than demographic factors (Burnett & Aguinis, 2023). • Develop action plan for targeting sources of minority applicants by identifying sources that cater to minority populations, such as predominantly minority colleges and professional organizations, popular print media, and radio outlets that cater to minority populations (McKay & Avery, 2005). • Enhance accessibility and awareness of job opportunities for diverse candidates through participation in fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events, and strategic partnerships. Utilize social media channels to share narratives of current employees (Cross & Braswell, 2019). • Communicating the organization's commitment to DEI on its website enhances minority (especially African Americans’) engagement with recruitment messages and indirectly increases their attraction to the organization (Goldberg & Allen, 2008). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 101 of 306 Page 39 of 167 Page 21 of 27 • Conduct diversity audits to help design minority recruitment initiatives. Diversity audits may encompass details on functional areas with limited minority representation, surveys evaluating employees' perceptions and experiences of diversity and inclusion, and exit interviews to understand the reasons for minority employees’ leaving the firm (McKay & Avery, 2005). • Effective diversity management can improve the recruitment and retention of minority employees. This includes offering all staff access to training and development opportunities, mentorship programs, challenging assignments, pathways for career advancement, professional and social support, as well as fair staffing an d workplace policies aimed at reducing discrimination and interpersonal conflicts (as cited in McKay & Avery, 2005). • Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to assess the potential effectiveness of each recruitment channel in attracting minority job applicants (McKay & Avery, 2005). Considerations for building diverse interview panels: • Diversity is more than just ethnicity or gender. Consider people with different roles, experiences, backgrounds, etc. (Schiller, 2020). • Be cautious of tokenism which involves assembling an interview panel with “token” interviewers who may appear to represent diversity but may not have relevance to the role or interview process. Instead of including individuals merely for appearance, strive for genuine inclusion by selecting panel members with meaningful connections to the job requirements or interview focus (Schiller, 2020). Additional resources: • Ways to minimize hiring bias: https://www.shrm.org/topics -tools/news/talent- acquisition/how-to-drive-bias-recruiting-hiring • Ways to improve hiring and training employees on the autism spectrum: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/inclusion-equity-diversity/autism-work-hiring- training-employees-spectrum • Ways to hire more people with disabilities: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/inclusion-equity-diversity/4-ways-to-hire-people- disabilities March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 102 of 306 Page 40 of 167 Page 22 of 27 PILLAR 3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & VISIBILITY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, & CUSTOMER SERVICE: Begin to incorporate DEI principles into Central San’s approach to customer service and community engagement. Goal 3.1. Expand internal and external visibility of our DEI initiatives and learn best practices from other agencies and associations. Strategy 3.1.1. Share Central San’s DEI commitment and efforts via the website and other channels. Strategy 3.1.2. Leverage current relationships with sister agencies and regional organizations to engage on DEI, learn and share best practices in our field, and partner on DEI and racial equity initiatives, approaches, and practices. Strategy 3.1.3. Promote and support staff engagement on DEI in professional associations and at conferences. Effective community engagement: • Research evidence indicates that community involvement is linked to higher productivity, improved talent recruitment, higher retention, and decreased in litigation costs and reputational risk (Mor Barak & Daya, 2014). • Distrust among community members and leaders poses a barrier to community -level inclusion; the organization is unlikely to reap benefits from community involvement if there is skepticism about the sincerity of the organizational plan (Mor Barak & Daya, 2014). • Organizations should develop a coherent strategy aligned with their business philosophy, objectives, and investment approaches, rather than simply imitating other companies for convenience (Mor Barak & Daya, 2014). • To help establish trust, organizations should view the community as a valued partner and stakeholder and collaborate with the community by involving company employees in community partnerships (Mor Barak & Daya, 2014). • The inclusion strategy should extend beyond internal initiatives and permeate external relationships and collaborations (Mor Barak & Daya, 2014). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 103 of 306 Page 41 of 167 Page 23 of 27 Pillar 4. DEI LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY: Foster and maintain a vibrant culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by establishing the organizational infrastructure and allocating the resources needed to lead, integrate, and sustain Central San’s DEI ini tiatives. Goal 4.1. Integrate DEI strategy into Central San’s overall strategy and ensure that it is reflected in our vision, values, policies, and practices. Strategy 4.1.1. Incorporate DEI strategic goals and metrics into Central San’s overall Strategic Plan and operations and provide regular progress updates to Board and staff. Strategy 4.1.2. Leaders regularly communicate the importance of DEI and align DEI principles and values to operational goals. Goal 4.2. Develop the infrastructure and resources needed to sustain and implement DEI at Central San. Strategy 4.2.1. Evolve the DEI Task Force into a DEI Committee; define its role, composition, and timeframe to promote and lead organizational change, to advise and integrate Central San’s DEI initiatives, and to serve as DEI champions and catalysts across the organizatio n. Strategy 4.2.2. Institutionalize DEI leadership and organizational infrastructure (including resources and staffing) to support implementation and to sustain the DEI strategy and action plans. Strategies to infuse DEI throughout the organization: Shared by Harvard Business Review (Cox & Lancefield, 2021): • CEO championing DEI efforts by incorporating DEI into the organization's purpose, embodying these values in the organizational culture, and taking responsibility for achieving DEI goals. • Center DEI in the business strategy by integrating DEI into the business strategy and woven into the organization's daily activities. Involve diverse individuals in the strategy development process that align with a diverse range of customers and employees. • Hold executive leaders accountable for driving DEI outcomes by defining key performance indicators for DEI and dedicate resources and time to business leaders for DEI development. • Assess D&I results: o Diversity: Representation in hiring, promotion, and mobility outcomes o Inclusion: Employee engagement, equity, and psychological safety outcomes • Mitigate implicit bias at the systemic level by conducting a comprehensive review of leadership, HR, DEI professionals, and talent management policies and processes to identify hinder opportunities, or necessary redesign or changes. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 104 of 306 Page 42 of 167 Page 24 of 27 References Anelas, N. (2023). 4 key strategies for growing ERG membership and increasing visibility . Diverst. https://diverst.com/growing-erg-membership-increasing-visibility. Atewologun, D. & Harman, C. (2021). Inclusive leadership practices: The power of microbehaviors. In B. M. Ferdman J. Prime, & R.E. Riggio (Eds.), Inclusive Leadership: Transforming Diverse Lives, Workplaces, and Societies (Chapter 7). Routledge. Booysen, L. (2014). The development of inclusive leadership practice and processes. In B. M. Ferdman & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion (Chapter 10). Jossey-Bass. Brodzik, C., Yim, M., Leonard, A., & Custer, J. (2022, February). Using strategic communications to accelerate your DEI strategy. Deloitte. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/blog/human-capital- blog/2022/dei-communication-strategy.html. Brown, J. S., Ellsworth, D., Katen-Narvell, A., & Maor, D. (2023, May). It’s (past) time to get strategic about DEI. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and- organizational-performance/our-insights/its-past-time-to -get-strategic-about-dei#. Burnett L. & Aguinis H. (2023). How to prevent and minimize DEI backfire. Business Horizons. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2023.11.001. Cox, G. & Lancefield, D. (2021, May). 5 Strategies to infuse D&I into your organization. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/05/5-strategies-to-infuse-di-into-your-organization. Cross, S. & Braswell, P. (2019, December). A data-driven approach to hiring more diverse talent? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/12/why-isnt-your-organization-isnt-hiring-diverse-talent. Cross, R. L., Martin, R. D., & Weiss, L. M. (2006, August). Mapping the value of employee collaboration. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people -and-organizational- performance/our-insights/mapping-the-value-of-employee-collaboration#. Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. (2015). Organization development and change (10th Ed.). Cengage Learning. Detert, J. R. & Edmondson, A. C. (2011). Implicit voice theories: Taken-for-granted rules of self- censorship at work. Academy of Management Journal, 54, 461–488. Detert, J. R. & Trevino, L. K. (2010). Speaking up to higher ups: how supervisor and skip -level leaders influence employee voice. Organization Science, 21, 249–270. Dixon-Fyle, S., Dolan, K., Hunt, D. V., & Prince, S. (2020, May). Diversity wins: how inclusion matters. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and- inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters. Dutton, J.E., Ashford, S.J., Lawrence, K.A., & Miner-Rubino, K. (2002). Red light, green light: Making sense of the organizational context for issue selling. Organization Science, 13, 335–369. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 105 of 306 Page 43 of 167 Page 25 of 27 Goldberg, C. B. & Allen, D. G. (2008). Black and White and read all over: Race differences in reactions to recruitment websites. Human Resource Management, 47 , 217-236. Grant, A. M. (2013). Rocking the boat but keeping it steady: the role of emotion regulation in employee voice. Academy of Management Journal, 56, 1703–1723 Hansen, M. T., & Nohria, N. (2004). How to build collaborative advantage. MIT Sloan Management Review, 46(1), 22-30. He, H. & Brown, A. D. (2013). Organizational identity and organizational identification: A review of the literature and suggestions for future research. Group & Organization Management, 38(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/10596011124738 Henderson, E. (2014). The chief diversity officer’s view of the diversity and inclusion journey at Weyerhaeuser. In B. M. Ferdman & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion (Chapter 15). Jossey-Bass. Hirst, G., van Dick, R., & van Knippenberg, D. (2009). A social identity perspective on leadership and employee creativity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30, 963-982. Jamal, N. & Tschida, T. (2021, April). 3 actions for leaders to improve DEI in the workplace. Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/348266/actions -leaders-improve-dei-workplace.aspx. Jiang, J., Ding, W., Wang, R., & Li, S. (2020). Inclusive leadership and employees’ voice behavior: A moderated mediation model. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01139-8 Kleiss, S. (2022). Communicating diversity, equity, inclusion in a meaningful way. Leadership & Culture Insights. https://www.ajg.com/employeeexperience/insights/2022/sep/communicating - diversity-equity-inclusion-in-a-meaningful-way. Lamoureux, K., Lesser, E., & Parilis, G. (2023, February 2). Sustain your workforce listening strategy: Keeping active listening in the workplace on track . Deloitte. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/blog/human-capital-blog/2023/active-listening-workplace- strategy.html LePine, J. A. & Van Dyne, L. V. (2001). Voice and cooperative behavior as contrasting forms of contextual performance: evidence of differential relationships with Big Five personality characteristics and cognitive ability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86,326–36. Liang, J., Farh, C. I. C, & Farh, J. L. (2012). Psychological antecedents of promotive and prohibitive voice: A two-wave examination. Academy of Management Journal, 55, 71–92. Longest, B. B., Rakich, J. S., & Darr, K. (2000). Managing health services organizations (4th ed.). Health Professions Press, Inc. McKay, P. F. & Avery, D. R. (2005). Warning! Diversity recruitment could backfire. Journal of Management Inquiry, 14(4), 330-336. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 106 of 306 Page 44 of 167 Page 26 of 27 McKinsey & Company. (2020, June). Understanding organizational barriers to a more inclusive workplace . https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our- insights/understanding-organizational-barriers-to-a-more-inclusive-workplace McKinsey & Company. (2021, February). Psychological safety and the critical role of leadership development. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people -and-organizational- performance/our-insights/psychological-safety-and-the -critical-role-of-leadership- development Miller, F. A., & Katz, J. H. (2014). 4 keys to accelerating collaboration. OD Practitioner, 46 (1), 6-11. Milliken, F.J., Morrison, E.W., & Hewlin, P. (2003). An exploratory study of employee silence: Issues that employees don’t communicate upward and why. Journal of Management Studies, 40, 1453–1476. Mor Barak, M. E. (2017). Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace (4th ed). Sage Publications. Mor Barak, M. E. & Daya, P. (2014). Fostering inclusion from the inside out to create an inclusive workplace: Corporate and organizational efforts in the community and the global society. In B. M. Ferdman & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion (Chapter 13). Jossey- Bass. Morrison, E. (2011). Employee voice behavior: Integration and directions for future research. Academy of Management Annals, 5(1), 373–412. Morrison, E. (2014). Employee voice and silence. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1, 173-197. Morrison, E.W., & Milliken, F.J. (Eds.). (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25, 706–725. Murrell, A. J., Jones, R., & Petrie -Wyman, J. (2021). Developing inclusive ethical leaders: An experiential service-learning approach to leadership development among millennials. In B. M. Ferdman J. Prime, & R.E. Riggio (Eds.), Inclusive Leadership: Transforming Diverse Lives, Workplaces, and Societies (Chapter 24). Routledge. Nembhard, I. M., & Edmondson, A. C. (2006). Making it safe: The effects of leader inclusiveness and professional status on psychological safety and improvement efforts in health care teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27(7), 941–966. DOI: 10.1002/job.413 Nishii, L. H., & Rich, R. E. (2014). Creating inclusive climates in organizations. In B. M. Ferdman & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion (Chapter 11). Jossey-Bass. Richard, O. C., Barnett, T., Dwyer, S., &Chadwick, K. (2004). Cultural diversity in management, firm performance, and the moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation dimensions. Academy of Management Journal, 47, 255-266. Roberson, Q. M., Moore, O. A., & Bell, B. S. (2024). An active learning approach to diversity training. Academy of Management Review. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2020.0231 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 107 of 306 Page 45 of 167 Page 27 of 27 Schiller, T. (2020, Jun). Three interviewing mistakes that sabotage your diversity and inclusion initiatives . LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/three-interviewing-mistakes-sabotage-your- diversity-todd-schiller Sherf, E. N., Parke, M. R., & Isaakyan, S. (2021). Distinguishing voice and silence at work: Unique relationships with perceived impact, psychological safety, and burnout . Academy of Management Journal, 64(1), 114–148. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2018.1428 Singh, B., Winkel, D. E., & Selvarajan, T. T. (2013). Managing diversity at work: Does psychological safety hold the key to racial differences in employee performance? Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86, 242-263. Tangirala, S. & Ramanujam, R. (2008). Exploring nonlinearity in employee voice: the effects of personal control and organizational identification. Academy of. Management Journal, 51, 1189–1203. Tangirala, S. & Ramanujam, R. (2012). Ask and you shall hear: Examining the relationship between manager consultation and employee voice. Personnel Psychology, 65, 251–282. Travis, D. J. & Nugent, J. S. (2014). Culture matters: Unpacking change and achieving inclusion. Catalyst. Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., & Zhu, W. (2008). How transformational leadership weaves its influence on individual job performance: The role of identification and efficacy beliefs. Personnel Psychology, 61(4), 793-825. Weiseke, J., Ahearne, M., Lam, S. K., & Von Dick, R. (2008). The role of leaders in internal marketing: A multilevel examination through the lens of social identity theory. Journal of Marketing, 73(2), 123-146. Wilson-Ojo, M. (2022, November 18). How to use internal communications to drive your DE&I strategy . DiversityQ. https://diversityq.com/how-to-use-internal-communications-to-drive-your-dei- strategy March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 108 of 306 Page 46 of 167 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Assessment Report February 2024 Submitted by Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D. Principal, Ferdman Consulting March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 109 of 306 Page 47 of 167 Table of Contents 2 Executive Summary Workplace Inclusion Inventory Report Group Interviews Report GDEIB Report Diversity Analyses Feedback & Visioning Sessions 3-13 14-52 53-54 (plus insert) 55-59 (plus insert) 60-66 67-103 (plus insert) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 110 of 306 Page 48 of 167 Executive Summary •Background •Assessment tools and process •Key findings (Workplace Inclusion Inventory™, GDEIB, diversity analyses based on HR data from May 2023) •Qualitative summary (based on ratings, open-ended survey responses, & group interviews) •Keep and From/To statementsMarch 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 111 of 306 Page 49 of 167 Background As a core component of Central San’s DEI initiative, and as a precursor to developing a strategic DEI action plan with Central San’s DEI Task Force, Ferdman Consulting conducted a comprehensive assessment of DEI at Central San, between February and July 2023. The DEI Task Force provided guidance and oversight into the assessment process and components, as well as into the customization of the employee survey. The goal of the assessment was to get a picture of the experiences of inclusion across Central San’s staff, as well as of the behaviors, practices,and aspects of the organizational culture that facilitate and/or hinder those experiences of inclusion. Additionally, the goal was to assess staff diversity on various dimensions, based on available data, as well as to gauge where Central San is and could aspire to be in relation to best practices in DEI. 4March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 112 of 306 Page 50 of 167 DEI Assessment Overview Workplace Inclusion Inventory™(survey) –customized version: This proprietary research-based instrument was customized based on input from the Task Force. It measured experience of inclusion (on 6 indices); teamwork/collaboration across departments; perceived priority of DEI at Central San; inclusive supervision; and self-rated preparation for inclusion All staff were surveyed between March 9 & April 3, 2023. Responses were submitted anonymously and confidentially via Qualtrics and maintained in a database by Ferdman Consulting. (No individual data were provided or available to Central San.) Received 215 responses (76.5% of all permanent staff) Group Interviews held May 9-18, 2023, with 9 groups, 62 participants total: Line staff (2 groups), Managers & Supervisors (2 groups), People of Color, Women, Staff with dependents at home, Employees with disabilities, LGBTQ+ staff Feedback & Visioning Sessions: These were opportunities to hear an overview of results and provide input, begin to craft a narrative of their meaning and a vision for the future. Sessions were held with the Task Force, the Management Team, and all staff (182 attendees at four DEI Forums, July 2023) Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks (Task Force, Managers, HR team): Each of these groups reviewed the Benchmarks on most of the categories and indicated at what level they believe Central San is currently. Strengths, Opportunities, Suggestions; Keep and From/To Statements: Based on the overall results, a list of strengths and opportunities was created, with some input from the Task Force. Additionally, suggestions from the survey, the group interviews, and the Feedback and Visioning Sessions were compiled. Finally, the Task Force and Management Team created “Keep” and “From/To” statements, and staff gave input on these at the DEI Forums in July. 5March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 113 of 306 Page 51 of 167 Summary of Key Results: Workplace Inclusion Inventory™(Survey Ratings) ◆215 (76.5%) staff members responded to the survey, from 3/9 to 4/3/23. ◆The survey included 67 ratings items grouped into 10 inclusion scales (as well as 6 open-ended questions and 19 demographic/background items). Scores could range from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). MOST FAVORABLE SCALES: •Trust & Collaboration with Co-Workers (4.0) •Inclusive Supervision (3.8) •Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency (3.7) •Preparation for Inclusion (Self) (3.6) LEAST FAVORABLE SCALES: •Trust in Higher Leadership (2.9) •Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments (2.9) •Priority of DEI (Org. Level) (3.1) •Authenticity & Psychological Safety (3.1) STRONGEST ITEMS (% agree/strongly agree; % disagree/strongly disagree; mean) •In my work unit or team, we cooperate to get our work done. (89%; 4%; 4.2) •My co-workers trust me.(90%; 1%; 4.1) •I am trusted to get my job done. (84%; 6%; 4.1) •I am well equipped to work with people who are very different from me –in culture, ethnicity, age, gender, background, and other dimensions of diversity. (81%; 3%; 4.1) •I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my co- workers. (79%, 8%, 4.0) •My supervisor treats me fairly.(79%, 11%, 4.0) •My supervisor makes efforts to accommodate my needs. (77%, 7%, 4.0) WEAKEST ITEMS (% agree/strongly agree; % disagree/strongly disagree; mean) •I trust Central San’s Board. (16%, 43%, 2.5) •At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them (28%, 50%, 2.6) •At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. (31%, 44%, 2.8) •At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. (31%, 37%, 2.8) •I trust Central San’s Executive Team (28%, 34%, 2.8) •At Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together (25%, 28%, 2.9) •At Central San, staff communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. (31%, 33%, 2.9) •When important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them. (27%, 35%, 2.9) •I trust Central San’s management. (33%, 32%, 2.9) •I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San's Executive Team. (36%, 36%, 2.9) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.6March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 114 of 306 Page 52 of 167 Scale Means (1=Strongly Disagree, 5=Strongly Agree) 2.9 2.9 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 4 1 2 3 4 5 Teamwork and Collaboration Across Departments Trust in Higher Leadership Priority of DEI (Organizational Level) Authenticity and Psychological Safety Fairness and Equity Belonging and Respect Preparation for Inclusion (Self) Autonomy, Empowerment, and Transparency Inclusive Supervision Trust and Collaboration with Co-workers Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.7March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 115 of 306 Page 53 of 167 8March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 116 of 306 Page 54 of 167 Race/Ethnicity (overall, by level, & by gender)White, 161, 58% Two or more races, 29, 10% N/A, 13, 5% Hispanic or Latino, 32, 12% Black or African American, 15, 5% Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, 24, 9% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4, 1% Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity by Level Local 1 MSCG Management Total American Indian or Alaska Native 1.9% (3)1.0% (1)0.0%1.4% (4) Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander 6.8% (11)9.9% (10)18.8% (3)8.6% (24) Black or African American 6.2% (10)3.0% (3)12.5% (2)5.4% (15) Hispanic or Latino 11.2% (18)12.9% (13)6.3% (1)11.5% (32) Not available 5.0% (8)4.0% (4)6.3% (1)4.7% (13) Two or more races 13.0% (21)7.9% (8)0.0% (0)10.4% (29) White 55.9% (90)61.4% (62)56.3% (9) 57.9% (161) Overall N 161 101 16 278 and by Gender Women Men 2.8% (2)1.0% (2) 11.3% (8)7.8% (16) 7.0% (5)4.9% (10) 7.0% (5)12.6% (26) 5.6% (4) 4.4% (9) 7.0% (5)11.7% (24) 59.2% (42)57.8% (119) 71 206 9March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 117 of 306 Page 55 of 167 Gender Local 1 Management MSCG Female 20.5%37.5%31.7% Male 79.5%62.5%67.3% (blank)0.0%0.0%1.0% 20.5% 37.5%31.7% 79.5% 62.5%67.3% Gender by Level Female Male (blank) Overall: •71 Women (25.5%) •206 Men (74.1%) Average Tenure (years) Local 1 MSCG MGMT Overall Women 7.7 9.7 10.8 8.9 Men 9.9 13.2 10.3 11.0 All 9.4 12.1 10.5 10.5 Local 1 MSCG Combined Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander 9.17 10.74 9.92 Black or African American 11.93 16.85 13.06 Hispanic or Latino 9.18 14.91 11.47 Two or more races 9.80 9.75 9.79 White 9.84 11.91 10.68 Combined 9.84 12.14 10.73 Tenure 10March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 118 of 306 Page 56 of 167 Qualitative Summary(based on ratings, open-ended survey responses, & group interviews) Strengths ◆Workforce: Staff care about the mission of Central San and take great pride in their work; many staff (although not all) like the job security, benefits, and work-life balance at Central San. ◆DEI: positive views about direction; staff are committed to DEI; want to learn ◆Work Teams: trust in and by supervisor and co-workers; valued by co-workers; cooperation within teams Opportunities ◆Org. culture & work environment: low communication, trust, & support across depts./divisions; alignment with values; negativity & gossip ◆Fairness & equity: opportunity allocation not always seen as fair; concern about COL & benefits; differences in benefiting from certain policies; limited advancement options ◆Leadership culture/communication: management viewed as unable to share fully/transparently and afraid to make decisions; fear of conflict & lack of psychological safety; fear of retribution; Board seen as “out of touch” ◆Lack of trust: staff don’t feel respected by leadership & Board; want voices to matter, even when dissenting ◆DEI: not sufficiently leveraging diversity; commitment to DEI not yet aligned with actions; jokes, mistreatment of certain groups ◆Lack of resources: low staffing relative to workload; needed investments & facilities improvements; desire for more cross-training, development ◆Staff with disabilities:need/desire for more complete inclusion ◆Staff of color: feel boxed in and stereotyped, see double standard in certain treatment ◆Women: There is a lack of women in leadership; women engineers feel less valued; stereotypes regarding roles/positions women should have are alive and well, so women believe they must work harder to be seen as capable; taking time off for dependent care can adversely affect career 11March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 119 of 306 Page 57 of 167 A Vision for Our Future KEEP (aspects of the culture to sustain) We care about the mission of Central San and take pride in our work Staff co-operate with their work teams and share ideas and opinions with one another We value the diversity of our workforce and are curious to learn more about one another We are committed to doing our part to foster an equitable, inclusive, and diverse culture at Central San 12March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 120 of 306 Page 58 of 167 From (current state)To (vision for the future) TRUST We don’t trust leadership and fear that if we disagree or share our perspective, we may face repercussions Staff from all levels trust leadership and know that our perspectives and ideas are valued and seen as essential to Central San’s success COMMUNICATION We work in silos, and when we lack information, we fill in the gaps with gossip We work as one organization, where we learn and collaborate across workgroups and share constructive ideas with healthy forms of communication Staff don’t understand why decisions are being made by management and communication seems to be only one direction: top-down We have regular and effective two-way communication from staff up through management/leadership/Board and back. Staff are aware of key issues and challenges before final decisions are made and can provide bottom-up input to solutions, resulting in strong alignment throughout the organization on priorities and key decisions. We are uncomfortable with conflict, which suppresses diversity of ideas We handle Issues in a healthy, productive and authentic way. We recognize that disagreement and conflict often leads to creativity and growth, as part of our organizational culture. VALUING DIVERSITY Employees who have been historically excluded experience microaggressions and stereotyping Employees from all backgrounds and diversity dimensions are respected and valued for their ideas, styles, and contributions to the organization TALENT DEVELOPMENT Staff perceive that opportunities for career development and mobility are inequitable or limited Work and opportunities are distributed fairly and available to all high-performing employees There is a perception that excellence is not expected of everyone at Central San All employees are provided constructive feedback and held accountable for contributing to a high-performing, inclusive organization 13March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 121 of 306 Page 59 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory™Report •Workplace Inclusion Inventory™Overview & Background •Survey details •Results summary •Items & indices results •Open-ended items: top 3 themes and quotes •Technical notes 14March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 122 of 306 Page 60 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory™Overview & Background The Workplace Inclusion Inventory™is a robust assessment designed to diagnose the organization’s strengths and needs regarding inclusion and to provide new insights for action planning to advance diversity,equity,and inclusion (DEI)in the organization. Based on Central San’s needs and input from Central San’s DEI Task Force,a customized version of the inventory was administered,which included 67 items organized into nine inclusion indices:Authenticity &Voice;Belonging & Respect;Trust &Collaboration with Co-workers;Trust in Higher Leadership;Autonomy,Empowerment,& Transparency,;Fairness &Equity,Teamwork &Collaboration Across Departments;Priority of DEI (Organizational Level), Inclusive Supervision,and Preparation of Inclusion (Self). The items on the inventory each include a scale ranging from Strongly Disagree (1)to Strongly Agree (5).Ratings for items within each index are averaged (after reversing ratings on any negatively worded items)to arrive at the overall score for that index. The Workplace Inclusion Inventory report provides a detailed view of current DEI dynamics in the organization and identifies strengths,gaps,and opportunities related to DEI.The results can be used as a starting point for dialogue at varying levels in the organization to explore the change efforts that may be needed for individuals,groups,and the organization.In a sense,the results can be seen as an evidence-based “mirror”that can be used to catalyze change and greater inclusion.To better understand and make interpretations of the report findings,it is important to understand the framework on which the Workplace Inclusion Inventory is based. 15March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 123 of 306 Page 61 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory™Overview & Background (cont’d) 16 Systems of Inclusion: A Multilevel Analytic Framework The Workplace Inclusion Inventory is grounded in Bernardo Ferdman’s multi-level systems model of inclusion (Ferdman, 2014,2021),depicted in Figure 1,which indicates that inclusion is best simultaneously considered and assessed at multiple levels of system,including individual,group/team,leadership,and organization.The Inventory focuses on respondents’inclusive experiences at the individual level (in the context of various social identities),their own inclusive behavior and commitment to DEI, their supervisor’s inclusive behavior (related to inclusive leadership),and the organization’s approach to and commitment to DEI. Ferdman,B.M.(2014).The practice of inclusion in diverse organizations:toward a systemic and inclusive framework.In B.M.Ferdman &B.R.Deane (Eds.).Diversity at work:The practice of inclusion (pp.3-54).Jossey-Bass Ferdman,B.M.(2021).Inclusive leadership:The fulcrum of inclusion.In B.M.Ferdman,J.Prime,&R. E.Riggio (Eds.),Inclusive leadership:Transforming diverse lives,workplaces,and societies (pp.3-24). Routledge. Figure 1. Systems of Inclusion: A Multilevel Analytic Framework March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 124 of 306 Page 62 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory™Overview & Background (cont’d) Experience of Inclusion The foundation and key criterion of inclusion is the individual’s experience, across multiple identities. The experience of inclusion focuses on the extent to which individuals feel that they are valued and fully belong, in the context of participation, voice, and fairness, without compromising important parts of their identities. To foster inclusion in a group or organization, we need to make sure that individuals of many different identities fully experience inclusion, and believe that they can show up, participate, speak up, and engage in core activities of the group and organization in ways that are mutually enhancing and beneficial and that allow them to be fully themselves. The Workplace Inclusion Inventory includes indices to assess various aspects of the experience of inclusion: Authenticity & Voice, Belonging & Respect, Fairness & Equity. The customized version at Central San included three additional indices: Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers; Trust in Higher Leadership;and Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency . Inclusive Interpersonal Behavior Inclusion at the interpersonal level focuses on the extent to which individuals engage in inclusive behavior in their day- to-day interactions with others around them (i.e., those behaviors that are likely to result in experiences of inclusion). The Inventory incorporates a measure of the respondents’ self-rated inclusive behavior, as well as a measure of their supervisors’ inclusive behavior (also related to inclusive leadership). Additionally, the Authenticity & Voice, Belonging & Respect,and Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers, and Trust in Higher Leadership components include items related to how people in the organization work with and treat each other. 17March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 125 of 306 Page 63 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory™Overview & Background (cont’d) Group Level Inclusion Inclusion at the level of the group or team focuses on the extent to which workgroups or teams engage in inclusive practices and establish inclusive norms, including an emphasis of collaboration, working through conflicts productively and authentically, treating everyone with respect, and giving everyone in the group a voice. In the Workplace Inclusion Inventory, the Authenticity & Voice, Belonging & Respect, Fairness & Equity, Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers, Trust in Higher Leadership, and Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency measures provide indications related to workgroup inclusion. Inclusive Leaders and Inclusive Leadership Inclusion in the context of leadership focuses on the extent to which individual leaders value, facilitate, encourage, and engage in inclusive behaviors and practices throughout the organization. Inclusive leadership is also about the degree to which leaders serve as a bridge or “fulcrum” connecting organizational imperatives or goals (mission, vision, values, and strategy) to inclusive behavior and the experience of inclusion and vice versa (Ferdman, 2021). On the Inventory, the Inclusive Supervision and the Trust in Higher Leadership items provide an indication of inclusive leadership. Inclusive Organizations Inclusion at the organizational level focuses on the extent to which organizational policies and practices foster a climate of inclusion and lead to experiences of inclusion across the organization and for its many component groups. Organizations with a climate of inclusion are ones that create an environment in which all members—across many identities—feel respected, appreciated, supported, and valued. In such organizations, particular attention is also given to encouraging, embracing, and valuing a range of differences while, at the same time, fostering a collective sense of mission, purpose, and goals. The Organizational Commitment to DEI and the Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments items provide an indication of respondents’ views of how inclusive their organization is. 18March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 126 of 306 Page 64 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory details Sent survey to 281 permanent staff; received 215 (76.5%) partial or complete responses (between 3/9 and 4/3/2023) Survey components ◆67 rating scales, grouped into 10 inclusion indices ◆6 open-ended questions ◆19 demographic & background items Experience of Inclusion (6 scales) 1.Authenticity & Psychological Safety –7 items (3, 7, 9-13), α=.91 2.Belonging & Respect –8 items (2, 14, 15, 17-20, 37), α=.93 3.Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers –5 items (1, 5, 27, 28, 33), α=.82 4.Trust in Higher Leadership –6 items (#6,30-32,35,36), α=.91 5.Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency –7 items (8, 21-26), α=.87 6.Fairness & Equity –7 items (16, 38-43), α=.92 Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments –3 items (34, 44, 45), α=.82 Priority of DEI-Organizational Level –7 items (46-52), α=.94 Inclusive Supervision –10 items (4, 29, 53-60), α=.94 Preparation for Inclusion (Self) –7 items (61-67), α=.97 19Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 127 of 306 Page 65 of 167 DEI Survey Scales & Items Authenticity & Psychological Safety 3. I often feel like I have to hide parts of myself to succeed at Central San. (-) 7. At Central San, it’s safe for me to express divergent ideas and opinions. 9. At Central San, I can contribute at my best in a way that feels authentic. 10. At Central San, I can readily speak up on important issues, without fear of retaliation. 11. At Central San, we readily express diverse views and perspectives to make better decisions and achieve stronger results. 12. At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them. 13. At Central San, we readily accept different work habits and styles. Belonging & Respect 2. At Central San, I am treated the way I would like to be treated. 14. At Central San, people communicate with respect. 15. At Central San, I often feel like an outsider. (-) 17. I am comfortable being myself at work at Central San. 18. People at Central San treat me with dignity and respect. 19. I feel like I truly belong at Central San. 20. At Central San, I feel valued and appreciated. 37. I am proud to work at Central San. Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers 1. My co-workers value my ideas and opinions. 5. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my co-workers. 27. My co-workers trust me. 28. I trust my co-workers. 33. In my work unit or team, we cooperate to get our work done. Trust in Higher Leadership 6. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San’s Executive team. 30. I trust Central San’s management. 31. I trust Central San’s Executive Team. 32. I trust Central San’s Board. 35. When important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them. 36. I feel quite positively about Central San’s future direction. 20Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 128 of 306 Page 66 of 167 DEI Survey Scales & Items (cont’d) Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency 8. I have the authority to make decisions within my area of responsibility. 21. I have the flexibility I need to balance work and personal responsibilities. 22. I am trusted to get my job done. 23. I have the autonomy I need to make appropriate decisions for my role. 24. I am given the information I need to get my job done efficiently and effectively. 25. I am given the tools I need to get my job done efficiently and effectively. 26. I am regularly updated on important developments at Central San. Fairness & Equity 16. People like me have ample opportunities to contribute and advance at Central San. 38. I have opportunities to grow and develop my skills and career at Central San. 39. I am treated fairly at work, without discrimination based on my gender, race, ethnicity, national background, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, culture, age, or other identities. 40. At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. 41. People are treated fairly and without bias at Central San in terms of work assignments, responsibilities, evaluations, and compensation. 42. People like me have ample opportunities to contribute and to advance their careers at Central San. 43. If I had a concern about unfair treatment at Central San, I would know where and how to address that concern and feel comfortable doing so. Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments 34. At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. 44. At Central San, there is teamwork and collaboration between departments. 45. At Central San, staff communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. 21Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 129 of 306 Page 67 of 167 DEI Survey Scales & Items (cont’d) Priority of DEI 46. At Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together. 47. Central San places a high priority on diversity, equity, and inclusion. 48. Central San is very diverse and inclusive. 49. At Central San, we truly value people of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, and we are committed to equity and inclusion. 50. Central San’s leadership team is committed to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace. 51. Actions by our Executive Team closely align with Central San’s strategic commitment and values regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. 52. Actions by Central San’s Board closely align with Central San’s strategic commitment and values regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Inclusive Supervision 4. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my supervisor. 29. I trust my supervisor. 53. I feel heard by my immediate manager or supervisor. 54. My supervisor values my contributions, my ideas, and my opinions. 55. My supervisor treats me fairly. 56. My supervisor regularly gives me constructive feedback on my performance. 57. My supervisor involves me in decisions that affect my work. 58. My supervisor gives me praise or recognition for a job well done. 59. My supervisor makes efforts to accommodate my needs. 60. My supervisor consistently demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through their actions. Preparation for Inclusion (Self) 61. I am well equipped to work with people who are very different from me—in culture, ethnicity, age, gender, background, and/or other dimensions of diversity. 62. I seek out opportunities to work with people who are very different from me —in culture, ethnicity, age, and other dimensions of diversity. 63. I have the tools and resources I need to help me learn how to recognize my own biases and to be more inclusive. 64. I am comfortable addressing difficult topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 65. I usually take time to get to know others at work, especially those who are different from me or with whom I disagree. 66. I regularly take intentional steps to make Central San a more inclusive place to work. 67. I am highly committed to doing my part to foster an equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture at Central San. 22Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 130 of 306 Page 68 of 167 Results Summary Workplace Inclusion Inventory™(Survey Ratings) MOST FAVORABLE SCALES: •Trust & Collaboration with Co-Workers (4.0) •Inclusive Supervision (3.8) •Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency (3.7) •Preparation for Inclusion (Self) (3.6) LEAST FAVORABLE SCALES: •Trust in Higher Leadership (2.9) •Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments (2.9) •Priority of DEI (Org. Level) (3.1) •Authenticity & Psychological Safety (3.1) STRONGEST ITEMS (% agree/strongly agree; % disagree/strongly disagree; mean) •In my work unit or team, we cooperate to get our work done. (89%; 4%; 4.2) •My co-workers trust me. (90%; 1%; 4.1) •I am trusted to get my job done. (84%; 6%; 4.1) •I am well equipped to work with people who are very different from me –in culture, ethnicity, age, gender, background, and other dimensions of diversity. (81%; 3%; 4.1) •I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my co-workers. (79%, 8%, 4.0) •My supervisor treats me fairly. (79%, 11%, 4.0) •My supervisor makes efforts to accommodate my needs. (77%, 7%, 4.0) WEAKEST ITEMS (% agree/strongly agree; % disagree/strongly disagree; mean) •I trust Central San’s Board. (16%, 43%, 2.5) •At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them (28%, 50%, 2.6) •At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. (31%, 44%, 2.8) •At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. (31%, 37%, 2.8) •I trust Central San’s Executive Team (28%, 34%, 2.8) •At Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together (25%, 28%, 2.9) •At Central San, staff communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. (31%, 33%, 2.9) •When important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them. (27%, 35%, 2.9) •I trust Central San’s management. (33%, 32%, 2.9) •I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San's Executive Team. (36%, 36%, 2.9) 23Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 131 of 306 Page 69 of 167 Scale Means (1=Strongly Disagree, 5=Strongly Agree) 2.9 2.9 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 4 1 2 3 4 5 Teamwork and Collaboration Across Departments Trust in Higher Leadership Priority of DEI (Organizational Level) Authenticity and Psychological Safety Fairness and Equity Belonging and Respect Preparation for Inclusion (Self) Autonomy, Empowerment, and Transparency Inclusive Supervision Trust and Collaboration with Co-workers Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.24March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 132 of 306 Page 70 of 167 Highest-Rated Items (top 7) 33. In my work unit or team, we cooperate to get our work done. (Mean: 4.2)N=214 27.My co-workers trust me. (Mean: 4.1) N=214 N=214 22. I am trusted to get my job done. (Mean: 4.1) 61. I am well equipped to work with people who are very different from me –in culture, ethnicity, age, gender, background, and other dimensions of diversity. (Mean: 4.1) N=207 5. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my co-workers. (Mean: 4.0)N=215 55. My supervisor treats me fairly. (Mean: 4.0) N=207 N=207 59. My supervisor makes efforts to accommodate my needs. (Mean: 4.0) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.25March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 133 of 306 Page 71 of 167 Lowest-Rated Items (bottom 5) N=214 N=214 32. I trust Central San’s Board. (Mean: 2.5) 12. At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them. (Mean: 2.6) N=214 N=214 N=214 34. At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. (Mean: 2.8) 40. At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. (Mean: 2.8) 31. I trust Central San's Executive Team. (Mean: 2.8) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved.26 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 134 of 306 Page 72 of 167 Lowest-Rated Items (cont’d) N=207 N=207 N=214 46. At Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together. (Mean: 2.9) 45. At Central San, staff communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. (Mean: 2.9) 35. When important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them. (Mean: 2.9) N=215 N=214 30. I trust Central San’s management. (Mean: 2.9) 6. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San's Executive Team. (Mean: 2.9) 27Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 135 of 306 Page 73 of 167 Survey Results (cont’d) ◆Many participants did not respond to all or some of the background/demographic items. Those who selected “prefer not to say” on 9 items or more gave significantly lower scores on 9 of the 10 scales. And the 22 participants who left the demographic section completely blank had significantly lower scores on Authenticity & Psychological Safety, Belonging & Respect, Trust in Higher Leadership, and Teamwork/Collaboration Across Departments than staff who partially or fully completed that section. ◆No statistical differences between supervisors and non-supervisors across the 10 scales. ◆Divisions & job functions ◆Planning & Dev’t Services<CSO & Plant Maintenance on Authenticity & Psychological Safety ◆Planning & Dev’t Services< Plant Maintenance on Trust in Higher Leadership ◆Operations work<those in admin/mgmt. & other on Trust in Higher Leadership. ◆Overall, those at Central San for more than 12 years gave lower scores than those at Central San between 1 and 3 years (on 6 scales). ◆Staff who are 26-35 years old had lower scores on Trust in Higher Leadership than those 46 to 55 years old (2.63 vs. 3.36) ◆Men>Women on Trust and Collaboration with Co-Workers (4.20 vs. 3.92) ◆Staff who reported that they applied for promotion but were not promoted (N=18) rated Fairness & Equity (2.9 vs. 3.5) and Trust in Higher Leadership (2.6 vs. 3.2) lower than those who had not applied for promotion (n=98). ◆Although not statistically significant due to a low N (8), Black/African American respondents gave lower scores, on average, on 8 of the scales, compared to staff of other ethnicities. ◆Trust in Higher Leadership was most strongly predicted by scores on the Fairness & Equity scale (r=.77). The next contributor was Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments. 28March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 136 of 306 Page 74 of 167 Items & Indices Results 29March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 137 of 306 Page 75 of 167 Items and Indices Results 30Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 138 of 306 Page 76 of 167 Items and Indices Results (cont’d) 31Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 139 of 306 Page 77 of 167 Items and Indices Results (cont’d) 32Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 140 of 306 Page 78 of 167 Items and Indices Results (cont’d) 33Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 141 of 306 Page 79 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q1) 1. Work Culture/Environment Psychological Safety/Authenticity •A workplace where all employees feel safe and encouraged to be themselves. •A place where people can work safely and get there job done without fear of being different •Somewhere that people feel free to be themselves and express their opinions without retaliation Consideration of diverse needs and support all employees (e.g., provide accommodations, tools, resources) •a place that gives everyone the tools and resources they need to succeed and be happy. •all employees would receive the support they need to do their best work •given the tools they need to succeed in their own way. •One that accepts people of all backgrounds and provides accommodations as needed to help them succeed. Respect, welcome, value, and appreciate everyone •At Central San, this would look like employees being respectful of one another •Central San welcomes and appreciates people and their ideas •Central San would feel like a welcoming place for all All voices are heard, valued, and considered (especially constructive feedback) •Inclusivity gives all a voice. It doesn’t shun someone because their thoughts aren’t the same. It doesn’t punish people for being high performers, and it doesn’t punish people for being a certain age. It takes all of those things and puts them together and uses all of the strengths of each category to reach a common goal. •An inclusive and equitable organization values the voice of all of its workers •Constructive feedback for on touchy subjects are listened to and engaged with. Inclusive decision-making; Transparency •At Central San, this would involve including all levels of employees on more decisions •one with transparency, less lip service to things, less decision making in a vacuum with only lip service to inclusion/feedback/input. 34 1. How would you describe an inclusive and equitable workplace, and what would that look like at Central San? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 142 of 306 Page 80 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q1)(cont’d) 1. Work Culture/Environment (Cont.) Inclusion of all workgroup members; Encourage feedback; Full participation •An equitable environment is one of which allows me to fully participate regarding issues affecting my work area. •An equitable workplace is being included in discussions that affect the team More collaboration/build relationships •An inclusive and equitable workplace sounds more social! Connecting groups of people in different departments. •more opportunity to collaborate and know our co-workers that work out in the field, Trust and a sense of belonging •have a sense of belonging •Trust is the foundation No inappropriate Comments/Jokes •It would be like no more jokes about race, etc. Autonomy/no micromanagement •Central San allows this harmony to exist by not trying to micromanage our humanity and allow us to grow together without hyper focusing on mere physical traits. Hold everyone accountable •Make everyone accountable for their actions. Friendly and supportive work environment; Employee centric •"Friendly, safe and helpful working environment. Employees help out each other." 35 1. How would you an inclusive and equitable workplace, and what would that look like at Central San? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 143 of 306 Page 81 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q1)(cont’d) 2. Fairness/Consistency Treat everyone equally, fairly, and with the same respect and principles •A place without judgement where everyone is treated equally as long as the contributions are equal as well. •All people treated fairly and follow the same rules. •An inclusive and equitable workplace is one where all employees are treated and respected equally Hire and promote based on merit •A workplace where job applicants are selected based only on their merits and ability to perform the job •Equitable would mean all employees compete for positions based strictly on merit. Equal opportunities and consideration for advancement/development/promotion/pay/benefits; No favoritism •Equitable means creating a level playing field for all. At Central San this means eliminating the tiers of favoritism and allowing ALL the opportunity to grow and advance -not just those that are well liked. No assumptions/unbiased •No assumptions just because you're white or male that you'll discriminate Consistency in praise and criticisms •Everyone from top to bottom and bottom to top receive the same praises Workload distribution •Where employees who perform well are not burdened with added tasks reassigned from others who aren't performing. 36 1. How would you an inclusive and equitable workplace, and what would that look like at Central San? 3. Leadership Promote diversity (e.g., gender) in the top leadership/the Board •bringing diversity to our Board Listen and support staff (e.g., working parents) •management supporting the needs of working parents Leaders are role models •Division Managers model the behaviors they want staff to follow –such as getting along March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 144 of 306 Page 82 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q2) 1. Improve morale People feel heard, respected, cared for, and valued •Employees want to feel valued, respected and supported by their organization. •people that feel heard and respected will in turn feel better about their work. Foster positive work environment •It makes for a better work environment for everyone. More welcoming, less fear •An inclusive and equitable workplace benefits all of Central San if people are able to work in a more welcoming environment, free from fear of retaliation of hate. •Feeling safe in your own skin is paramount to shining as an individual. When individuals thrive, organizations thrive too. Happy and content employees •It's very important to me because I am a happy person and I want to be happy at work and do well here. •when people feel they are being treated the same as everyone else they seem to be more content and happier Foster a sense of belonging •and a sense of belonging to the workplace. Build connection •we get a connection Build trust, confidence, and commitment •Diverse and inclusive workplaces earn deeper trust and more commitment from their employees. Improve culture •Inclusion and equity are important to me because these efforts improve culture and work output quality. Improve employee involvement and voice •It involves the company and employees as a whole and gives employees more say. 37 2. Why is an inclusive and equitable workplace important to you and/or Central San? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 145 of 306 Page 83 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q2)(cont’d) 2. Better outcomes/productivity Diversity of ideas/perspectives •An inclusive workplace offers a diverse perspective of views and ways to accomplish goals. Bring out the best in people •The employees would also be more productive if they had the tools necessary to work in a way that was best for them. •When people feel good about where they work, they are better employees. That makes working with these people more pleasant, and for Central San, it produces better results. Better decision-making •Inclusive behavior/leadership only leads to better decision making from getting diverse input. Promote innovation •An inclusive workplace is important because it promotes innovation, Improve customer service/relationship w/public •I believe that different people bring different points of view, and it's important for an organization to see all perspectives when working for the public. 38 3. Fairness Hire and promote based on merit •If you promote based on race, gender or culture and not merit then your workforce will not meet its full potential. •the best candidate should be chosen based on merit and performance •I belive in hiring and promoting the best possible canadte, to help Central San be a leader in the industry. Hiriing or promoting based on any other factor, other than they are the best person for the job, will not help or elevate us to be industry leaders. •To be a leader in the industry, Central San must be an inclusive and equitable workplace. It is important to me to know that advancement opportunities are based on merit and not other reasons. 2. Why is an inclusive and equitable workplace important to you and/or Central San? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 146 of 306 Page 84 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q3) 1. Diversity Diverse employees/management/team (e.g., gender, age, ethnic, religion, background diversity) •We have a diverse workforce. •Employees are from different ethnic groups, backgrounds, schools, and ages. •we have a very diverse management team and the rest of the workforce •We have many people here from all walks of life Represent the community we serve •The workforce at Central San roughly represents the community in which we serve. •The Bay Area is diverse and central san represents that. No problems with diversity •Diversity is not an issue at Central San. •We have no problem with diversity. 39 3. What is going well at Central San regarding diversity, equity, and/or inclusion? 2. Central San’s DEI efforts Committee/Task Force •They have created the Task Force and seem to fully support it's efforts. Commitment from the top •"that our Board is allowing this to move forward. they we are doing ""something"" to embark down this path. " •I think upper management is doing a great job of making an effort. Discussion and advocacy on DEI •We are talking about it. This needs to remain a topic of discussion until everyone is actively listening. Awareness and recognition of DEI issues and the need to improve •they are making every employee aware of DEI •The fact that it is recognized that improvement must be made. The new DEI Initiative •DEI initiative (e.g., the survey) 3. HR practices Hiring/Promotions •I feel that hiring is diverse and those with varying backgrounds often have similar opportunities to get hired. I think this is more true in some groups/departments than others. •That is why we hire the best candidates over color, race, or creed. •I truly believe candidates are selected based off their skills to perform a job and are not discriminated against when applying for jobs or promotions. Training •Training -I feel like I have ample opportunity to train and learn within the workplace. Pay transparency/Pay/Benefits •Frankly, pay transparency is huge! March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 147 of 306 Page 85 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q4) 1. Work Environment/Culture Fear to speak up to the Board; Fear of retaliation; Need to make employees feel safe; Not feel threaten by new movements •The Board discourages anonymous comments from staff at Board meetings but staff are afraid to speak up. The Board seems to blindly trust "the show" from management and leadership and is far removed from the reality for staff. •A challenge is not to be threatened by some agendas of new movements and bend their core principals, those should stay the same. •Making employees feel safe by not continuing to employ people who have engaged in racist and sexist behavior. Need to change mindset, attitudes, be open-minded, and don’t make judgement off based on demographic characteristics •Getting around the mind set of "that's way we have always done it" is a big challenge. Just because a person may know an easier or faster way to do something does not make them lazy. Being more open-minded to new and more efficient ways of doing things is a big challenge here. •To make sure that we judge each other off of character, integrity, and merit. To ensure in turn that we do not make judgments off of race, gender, age, sex, or religion. Need to have more empathy, respect, openness to diverse ideas/opinions, maturity, professionalism, and understanding •Professionalism, Maturity, Respect. •if there's a diverging opinion, it gets shot down with defensiveness. Need more openness to diverse opinions and expertise. Poor communication •I think some have a problem with communicating •Central San still needs to recover from the loss of communication caused by Covid protocols. Many employees were hired during Covid and have not expereienced a lot of the annual events that bring people together. Need to make people feel heard, appreciated, and rewarded •and making sure people are heard •feeling appreciated/rewarded for some of the things they do. 40 4. What are key challenges or needs at Central San regarding diversity, equity, and/or inclusion? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 148 of 306 Page 86 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q4)(cont’d) 2. Leadership Women in leadership/ Lack of diversity on board of directors •More diverse Board •There are 6 female members in the 15-member management team. There is 1 female currently in the Executive Team. •2. Women in leadership. 3. board lacks diversity Upper management/the Board with old school mentality, values, and beliefs (lack of openness) •The challenge is that you have to change the way upper management thinks. •The generational beliefs and core values from those in positions that have the authority to make change happen (The Board) are a major hurdle in my point of view. Lack of trust, respect, openness to diverse ideas, understanding from the leadership and management •This is going to be challenging in a workplace where employees do not trust management. Need higher management/the Board to be a role model, follow fair principles, and listen to staff •Role Models from Board Members/GM/Exec Team/Division Managers Need managers to build personal connection/rapport with their staff •How many managers can name all of the line employees in their work groups, and know 1 personal fact about them? 41 3. Lack of equity Disparities around teleworking/working from home •The only thing that is an issue now is equity for telework options for plant and admin staff. •Equity -Some staff working from home, and some not, is causing a division and lack of quality that wasn't there before. Favoritism •Favoritism needs to be addressed in some areas of Central San. •Favoritism runs rampant so the unevenness of praise or conversely discipline is staggering, even when facts demonstrating the contrary are clearly presented. Pay disparity •equity, pay/compensation is a challenge for the workforce vs management/executive team compensation. The pay disparity seems rather high between the groups. Different groups are treated differently •Not always equal, fair treatment for all. Depends which section you work in, if you're liked, a protected class, who is your supervisor, untrue rumors, etc. Need to address what constitutes fairness: equity doesn’t mean equality •The difference between equitable and equal is not addressed and this causes confusion about what is fair. 4. What are key challenges or needs at Central San regarding diversity, equity, and/or inclusion? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 149 of 306 Page 87 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q5) 1. Work environment Foster a positive and respectful culture (appreciation, respectful, understanding, etc.) •Appreciation for hard working staff (create options that staff can use to thank employees, funds, resources, events). •To treat each other with respect and grace. Discourage rumors, gossip, racism, harassment and bullying; Encourage reporting of discrimination •Zero tolerance for racism, harassment and bullying. I mean zero. •Strongly discourage rumors/gossip. Have optimistic attitude; Approach feedback as an opportunity for improvement •I believe that having a more optimistic attitude would be very beneficial for many here. 42 2. Hiring & promotion practices Hiring/promotion based on merits; no favoritism in promotion •Make sure you advance people on merit. Not based on race or gender, that undermines diversity. •Hire the best. Promote the best. Everything else will work itself out. Expand opportunities for advancement; Allow lateral transfers to similar positions •Allow lateral transfers between similar (but not equal) positions. •presenting greater opportunities for staff who are qualified and want to advance to be able to do so Hire more diversity •Hire more diverse people for blue-collar jobs •Hire more young people 3. Training & Onboarding DEI training (e.g., bias recognition/listening to diverse opinions/empathy/awareness of micro-aggressions) •In addition, employees need to be trained on DEI and how to accept and embrace different ideas and different people, and what equity is and how it looks different for different employees. •Awareness of microaggressions •Training. Teaching people to not talk over other people, letting people talk and state their opinions fully. Not ignoring them, sending emails or talking to other people about them behind their back. Leadership training •Leadership training •Better Leaders. 5. What specific suggestions do you have for making Central San a more inclusive and equitable workplace? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 150 of 306 Page 88 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Q6) 1. DEI efforts (17/17%) This effort is important/critical; Glad/Excited; This is a worthy mission •Thank you for spending the time and resources on this critical effort! •I am glad to see Central San getting a start to this very important topic. Hope this is a genuine effort and will lead to actions or real change; remain a priority •I am glad this is being undertaken and I hope in can result in some actual change, not just a way to say "look, we did something." Hope to know the overall goal, plan, desirable outcomes, and ways to measure success •I'm curious what the overall goal of this is, whether that is changing hiring practices or just bringing awareness to employees. 43 2. Change the culture (9/9%) Improve trust especially between workers and managers •While I have said these issues aren't important, this doesn't mean the District has reached Shangri La in terms of the perfect organization. I would like to just focus on Management/Worker trust. In today's environment, everyone is claiming victim status thus the diversity rudder is in a wind of constant flux. I've experienced unbelievable and heartbreaking comments regarding race, yet it does not deter me from my mission of striving for greater performance and letting my manager and co-workers know that 'we' that is 'I' consider that meeting their needs is crucial to my success. 3. Pride & Engagement (6/6%) Proud to work at Central San and hope to remain proud of future decisions •This is a wonderful organization with a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture. I am proud to work here. Thank you. •I am proud to work at Central San 6. Is there anything else you would like to add or any questions you have about Central San's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 151 of 306 Page 89 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes (Comments Items 1-42) 1. Work Environment/Culture “Old boys” club culture; Clique and hierarchical environment •"The good old boy network is alive and well here. “ •There is definitely what I'll call a "clique" environment here. If you're one of the workgroups that management thinks is important, you're listened to and treated well. Same thing if you're male. If you're not male and not part of one of the cliques, you're pretty much stuck. Fear of retaliation; Fear of speaking out, especially divergent ideas •While it has been mentioned before, and is downplayed when brought up, retaliation is real here and if you speak up, the headhunting begins by the loyal followers (managers and above). •Dissenting opinions expressed to Board are treated as attacks and I do not feel they are truly listened to. Some Board members are retaliatory. Toxic environment: lack of respect, appreciation, and professionalism, with blame-shifting, tolerance of blatant self-interest, and a culture of distrust •I am appalled at the behavior and conduct of management staff in particular, they set the tone, and the masses are following that tone. I have never worked at such a corrosive environment. There is no incentive to work hard here. Complaints come quick. Appreciation is infrequent. No one takes responsibility for their role here. Pointing fingers and asking staff to do the job of other staff, because of slack workers is unacceptable. Preferential treatment: Not everyone is treated equally •favoritism is very prevalent at Central San with certain staff and workgroups getting special treatment. Lack of employee voice (especially dissenting voices) and value •The central San board of directors is tearing this place apart. They do not value their work force one bit. •Staff often do not feel that they are truly heard when discussing problems with the executive level or that their solutions/needs will actually be considered. Strong differing opinions or dissent (even if respectfully) are often not valued. Discrimination against unvaccinated individuals and failure to address discrimination overall •"When people are discriminated against, it is not addressed." 44March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 152 of 306 Page 90 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes(Comments Items 1-42) (cont’d) 2. HR practices Unfair recruitment/promotion; Favoritism in advancement/promotion; promote based on “who you know” or personal relationship; promotion not based on merits •to get promoted-all you need to do is kiss someone's ass for a couple months or damage property and not get reprimanded •Strongly disagree to career advancements, career opportunities, and advancements based on merits/contributions due to many years of working here and seeing that none of that matters. It has been based off of buddies through Carollo Engineers, in-house good'ol boy groups, clicks, etc. Lack of accountability for low performance/productivity/problem employees; This leads to inequality in work distribution •conflict is avoided, and poor performers are tolerated. This increases the workload on those who are productive. Problem employees should be handled more directly. Need to stop hiring management positions; Need more technicians/local 1 union positions •Management Group needs to stop hiring management positions, need to hire more, more Local 1 Union positions. Hiring/promotion based on merits •Employees are rewarded and promoted based on their skills not by their ethnicity or color of skin. 45 3. Lack of equity Inconsistency in application of rules and disciplines •I do not feel like the management team enforces Policies across the board. •Also, district rules don't apply to everyone, only the select few. It makes it difficult to take this place seriously. Different treatment and opportunities for advancement and voice between engineers and non-engineers •Engineers are treated differently than non-engineers. There is ample opportunity for advancement if you are an engineer. If you are not, you have no opportunity for promotion unless it is a non-engineer position, which are very, very, very few. Non-engineers and non-managers are not encouraged to speak and share ideas. •Non-engineers don't have as many opportunities to advance their careers as do engineers. Pay inequality •I disagreed with 2 of the questions about the Board and the Executive team because, after the union contract they received a huge pay increase while the employees received nothing but COI that doesn't even match the current cost of living. Disparities around teleworking/working from home •For example, some employees get to work from home and also have an alternative work schedule, while coworkers are not allowed to have any work schedule options March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 153 of 306 Page 91 of 167 Top 3 Themes & Illustrative Quotes(Comments Items 43-67) 1. Survey concerns/limitations Survey limitations (broad and situational)/interviews can provide more accurate understanding •Some of these questions are difficult to answer appropriately because grouping diversity, equity, and inclusion into a single question doesn't equate to a single response. •Some of your questions don't allow for a more accurate answer. I know that would be difficult to do and this is more of a general overview survey but interviewing several willing employees should give you a better idea of what you're looking for. Neutral response due to DEI being a relatively new topic of discussion •DEI is a new topic and priority at Central San and to me. Several responses were neither agree nor disagree because inclusion hasn't been a topic of discussion. 46 2. . Work environment Fear of retaliation or been seen as a troublemaker •If and when i have had issues to discuss regarding equality, etc. I know who is suppose to be the people to go to....but I wouldn't nor have never gone to those resources bc it is considered trouble or a problem employee. Also, depending on the topic of diversity (ethnic, race, gender, etc.) this can be a career killer if you would like mobility. It is not an accepted topic but a disruptive employee attitude. I think this is the key to addressing the issue -if anyone uses their race, ethnicity, gender as a reason for an issue or non-advancement (even if it is valid) it gives the impression that you are a "troublemaker" employee. Lack of staff empowerment and value •Again, without a management title, you are a nobody here -your input is not valued. 3. Self-Inclusive behavior Behave inclusively with others or can work with everyone •I try to be welcoming to new employees so they know they can come to me with questions or concerns. •I always attempt to treat everyone with respect and professionalism. •I have been and continue to practice treating everyone equally regardless of their sex, gender, race, and other BS monikers talking heads like to use these days. I do it in my personal life and at work. I don't need to be told what to do in this area. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 154 of 306 Page 92 of 167 Scale Internal Reliabilities Scale Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments .82 3 Priority of DEI-Organizational Level .94 7 Inclusive Supervision .94 10 Preparation for Inclusion (Self) .97 7 Note. Cronbach’s alpha indicates consistency of responding to items within a survey scale. Values above .70 are considered to indicate acceptable reliability, and values above .8 or .9 are considered very strong. Scale Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items Authenticity & Psychological Safety .91 7 Belonging & Respect .93 8 Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers .82 5 Trust in Higher Leadership .91 6 Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency .87 7 Fairness & Equity .92 7 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 155 of 306 Page 93 of 167 Factor Analyses Scale % of Item Variance Explained # of Factors Authenticity & Psychological Safety 60%1 Belonging & Respect 63%1 Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers 49%1 Trust in Higher Leadership 64%1 Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency 50%1 Fairness & Equity 62%1 Scale % of Item Variance Explained # of Factors Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments 62%1 Priority of DEI-Organizational Level 68%1 Inclusive Supervision 78%1 Preparation for Inclusion (Self) 42%1 A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to determine whether survey items within each scale measured one or multiple dimensions. All of the scales were found to have a single factor, which explained the majority of variance across the items in the scale. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 156 of 306 Page 94 of 167 Driver Analysis for Trust in Higher Leadership Driver Strength of Relationship with Perceived Trust in Higher Leadership (The higher the number, the stronger the relationship; max = 1.00) Fairness & Equity 0.77* Authenticity & Psychological Safety 0.75* Priority of DEI (Organizational Level)0.72* Belonging & Respect 0.71* Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments 0.71* Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency 0.67* Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers 0.45* Inclusive Supervision 0.43* Preparation for Inclusion (Self)0.36* Note. These numbers are bivariate correlations between the drivers and perceived Trust in Higher Leadership. * Indicates a significant correlation (p<.05) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 157 of 306 Page 95 of 167 Driver Analysis for Trust in Higher Leadership (cont’d) Driver Beta weight (Unstandardized) Beta weight (Standardized)ΔR2 1. Fairness & Equity 0.27**0.29**0.59 2. Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments 0.23**0.23**0.05 3. Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency 0.27**0.23**0.02 4. Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers -0.29**-0.20**0.02 5. Authenticity & Psychological Safety 0.19*0.19*0.01 6. Priority of DEI (Organizational Level)0.17*0.15*0.01 ** Indicates a significant contribution with a p value < 0.001 * Indicates a significant contribution with a p value < 0.05 Note. The negative (-) sign denotes an inverse relationship between the driver and perceived trust in higher leadership, indicating that an increase in the driver is associated with a decrease in perceived trust in higher leadership, when controlling for the other drivers. The model significantly explained 70% of variance in perceived trust in higher leadership. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 158 of 306 Page 96 of 167 This diagram represents the hierarchical regression model. Each box represents a predictor variable, and the arrows represent the order in which the variables were entered into the model. The numbers on the arrows represent the change in R-squared (ΔR2) when that variable is added to the model, indicating the additional explanatory power provided by that variable. The diagram shows the relationship between different drivers and the perceived trust in higher leadership.The numbers on the arrows represent the Beta weights (unstandardized and standardized),which indicate the strength and direction of the relationship between each driver and trust in higher leadership in the regression equation. For example,"Fairness &Equity"has a Beta weight of 0.27 (unstandardized)and 0.29 (standardized),indicating a positive relationship with trust in higher leadership.This means that as fairness and equity increase,perceived trust in higher leadership also increases. On the other hand,“Trust &Collaboration with Co-workers”has a negative Beta weight,indicating an inverse relationship.AS trust and collaboration with co-workers increase,the perceived trust in higher leadership decreases,when controlling for the other drivers. The model explained 70%of the variance in perceived trust in higher leadership,which means that these drivers together account for 70%of the changes in trust in higher leadership. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 159 of 306 Page 97 of 167 Correlations of 10 Inclusion Indices Note. ** p < 0.01., * p < 0.05 Authenticity & Psychological Safety Belonging & Respect Trust & Collaboration with Coworkers Trust in Higher Leadership Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency Fairness & Equity Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments Priority of DEI Inclusive Supervision Preparation for Inclusion Self Authenticity & Psychological Safety X Belonging & Respect 0.84**X Trust & Collaboration with Coworkers 0.63**0.75**X Trust in Higher Leadership 0.75**0.71**0.45**X Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency 0.71**0.76**0.65**0.67**X Fairness & Equity 0.84**0.82**0.64**0.77**0.72**X Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments 0.71**0.69**0.51**0.71**0.58**0.71**X Priority of DEI 0.75**0.72**0.51**0.72**0.61**0.78**0.70**X Inclusive Supervision 0.49**0.53**0.54**0.43**0.70**0.53**0.43**0.45**X Preparation for Inclusion Self 0.35**0.37**0.28**0.36**0.32**0.33**0.30**0.41**0.15*X March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 160 of 306 Page 98 of 167 Group Interviews •Process & Participants •Group Interview Participation Guide •Key Themes (combined with open-ended results on survey) 53March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 161 of 306 Page 99 of 167 Group Interview Process All staff were invited to participate in group interviews, held either in person or virtually between May 9 and May 18, 2023, and facilitated by Bernardo Ferdman & Karen Harris of Ferdman Consulting. Staff could self-select and register (via Ferdman Consulting) for a group that fit their identity. The following group interviews were held, with a total of 62 participants across the 9 groups: •Line staff (2 groups) •Managers & Supervisors (2 groups) •People of Color •Women •Staff with dependents at home •Employees with disabilities •LGBTQ+ staff Participants in each group received a Group Interview Participation Guide that included key definitions, group norms, and interview topics and questions. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 162 of 306 Page 100 of 167 We appreciate your participation and willingness to share your experiences! If you think of something else you would like to share, please feel free to reach out to us at bernardo@ferdmanconsulting.com Group Interview Participation Guide Thank you for participating in a group interview on DEI, as part of the DEI assessment that Ferdman Consulting is conducting on behalf of Central San, in partnership with the DEI Task Force. In this guide you will find some key definitions and protocols for this process. DEFINITIONS • Diversity: composition of staff, leadership, board etc. relevant to processes such as recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion, advancement. Also, the “varied perspectives and approaches to work that members of different identity groups bring.” • Inclusion: “Creating a full sense of belonging, safety, and participation in the organization for everyone so that no one feels the need to hide their differences, everyone can tap into their strengths and contribute them for the collective benefit, and patterns of social inequality and their effects are disrupted, eliminated or mitigated.” • Equity: Creating just outcomes and processes. Giving everyone what they need to be successful, while acknowledging and removing systemic barriers. All people are treated in ways that respect and take account their identities, backgrounds, needs and similar factors. GROUP NORMS/CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT o Be fully present o Make room for all to engage and speak o Speak for yourself o Accept others’ reality as true for them o Honor confidentiality INTERVIEW TOPICS/QUESTIONS Central San’s Workplace Culture 1. Tell us what it is like to work at Central San. (What do you most appreciate or enjoy about working here? What are you most concerned about?) 2. How would you describe the workplace culture and particularly what it’s like to be you in this organization? Inclusion at Central San 3. To what degree and in what ways can you be authentic (fully yourself) at work? What gets in the way or makes it challenging? 4. What is one norm, practice, or behavior that keeps Central San from being more inclusive or more equitable? What is one current norm, practice, or behavior at Central San that supports diversity, equity, or inclusion? 5. If the culture at Central San were truly inclusive, how would that look and feel? What would be happening? How would people be treated? The Future of DEI at Central San 6. What is concerning, confusing, or challenging for you regarding DEI and the work on DEI at Central San? What would you like to learn more about? 7. What is one hope you have regarding DEI at Central San? What specific recommendation(s) do you have for becoming a truly diverse and inclusive organization? 8. What else would you like to tell us or talk about? 9. Questions for us? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 163 of 306 Page 101 of 167 We appreciate your participation and willingness to share your experiences! If you think of something else you would like to share, please feel free to reach out to us at bernardo@ferdmanconsulting.com CENTRAL SAN DEI TASK FORCE MEMBERS • Ann Vallee, Community Affairs Representative • Benjamin Johnson*, Internal Auditor • Heather Ramamurthy*, Management Analyst • Joe Jackson*, Environmental Compliance Inspector I • Kathleen Rodriguez, Real Property Agent • Liana Olsen, Assistant Engineer • Lori Schectel*, Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Division Manager • Mary Lou Esparza, Laboratory Program Administrator • Nicole Marshall, Accounting Technician • Philip Leiber*, Deputy General Manager • Randy Petitt, Maintenance Crew Member II • Velisa Parks, Administrative Services Assistant • Winston Ingram, Senior Household Hazardous Waste Technician * Coordination Team members are indicated with an asterisk (*) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 164 of 306 Page 102 of 167 Key DEI Survey & Interview Themes (presented on 11/2/23 to Central San’s Board) This document lists key themes that surfaced from the analysis of Central San’s DEI survey and group interview data conducted by Ferdman Consulting. STRENGTHS Workforce • Staff care about the mission of Central San and take great pride in their work . • Many staff (although not all) like the job security, benefits, and work-life balance at Central San. “What I appreciate most is that the work I do has a bigger mission, in terms of benefiting the environment .” “I really enjoy the work I do. People are proud of their work, and the purpose of Central San, to protect the environment. I take pride in that.” DEI (When asked, “what is going well at Central San regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion?” on the survey, 29% of the 152 staff comments mentioned diversity and 18% mentioned Central San’s DEI efforts) • Many staff generally feel positively about the direction that Central San is going in with current DEI efforts (though see results for “Priority of DEI” ratings). • 81% of staff believe they are well-equipped to work with people from diverse backgrounds. • Staff are interested in learning more about DEI and 81% say they are committed to doing their part to foster an equitable, inclusive, and diverse culture at Central San. • Many staff believe the Central San workforce is diverse and they are curious to learn more about their colleagues (though see results for “Priority of DEI” ratings). “I see a wide range of people in both staff and management, and the groups that I routinely work with appear to appreciate diversity.” “It seems that most people are open to learning more about DEI efforts and participating in them.” Work Teams (This category represents 9 of the 12 items with the highest ratings on the DEI survey). • Staff generally trust their supervisor (72%) and co-workers (78%) and believe they cooperate well within their teams to get work done (88%). • Staff generally feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions with co-workers (79%) and believe that co-workers value those ideas and opinions (76%). March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 165 of 306 Page 103 of 167 2 • Staff generally feel they are trusted by their co-workers (90%) to get work done, that their supervisor values their contributions, ideas, and opinions (76%), and feel heard by their supervisor (71%). • Staff generally believe that their supervisor treats them fairly (80%), tries to accommodate their needs (78%), and involves them in decisions affecting their work (74%). “What I appreciate most, is my supervisor. She's extremely supportive. And I appreciate the work I do.” AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY Organizational Culture & Work Environment (This was the biggest area of opportunity identified on the survey on the open-ended question, “What are the key challenges or needs at Central San regarding diversity, equity, and/or inclusion.” Of the 151 comments, 16% focused on the work environment and work culture, 15% focused on leadership, and 13% focused on equit y. In response to the question, “How would you describe an inclusive and equitable workplace, and what would that look like at Central San?”, 43% of the 212 comments focused on the work culture and environment.) ▪ There is a feeling that staff do not communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. (It doesn’t feel like we are all on the same team; 44% of survey respondents disagreed with the statement “At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team”, and only 30% agreed. Only 42% agreed that “there is teamwork and collaboration across departments,” and 27% disagreed. Only 32% agreed that “staff communicate, trust, and support each other across departments and divisions, and 33% disagreed. Across the three items, the mean score was 2.9, just below neutral.) ▪ There is a lack of familiarity, understanding, and connection with people who work in different departments as well as lack of connection to people who work in higher positions. ▪ The experience of Central San’s organizational culture varies depending upon one’s department. ▪ Some staff feel that the organization is not living up to its values and that there is a disconnect between “what we say and what we do”. ▪ There is a lot of negativity, assuming the worst, and out-of-control gossip. “When something happens that feels or seems unfair, too many people sulk or gossip rather than ask why it happened. Imagine a workplace where asking such a question is welcomed, not discouraged.” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 166 of 306 Page 104 of 167 3 Fairness & Equity (In response to the question, “How would you describe an inclusive and equitable workplace, and what would that look like at Central San?”, 37% of the 212 comments focused on fairness and consistency. The mean score on the seven survey items focusing on fairness and equity was 3.2, just above neutral.) ▪ There is a perception that employees do not always get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. ▪ There is concern about the rising cost of living and health/retirement benefits and how this may impact recruitment and retention. ▪ There are differences in which groups can take advantage of district policies (e.g., teleworking). ▪ Staff feel like there is a lack of flexibility with teleworking policy—particularly expressed by staff with dependents at home. ▪ Staff often believe that that there are more advancement opportunities for management than opportunities for line staff. “Equitable means creating a level playing field for all. At Central San this means eliminating the tiers of favoritism and allowing ALL the opportunity to grow and advance—not just those that are well liked.” “Favoritism runs rampant so the unevenness of praise or conversely discipline is staggering, even when facts demonstrating the contrary are clearly presented.” “To be a leader in the industry, Central San must be an inclusive and equitable workplace. It is important to me to know that advancement opportunities are based on merit and not other reasons.” Leadership Culture & Communication ▪ There is a perception that management is unable to share freely and communicate at full capacity. ▪ There is a fear of conflict and a low degree of psychological safety, which limits people’s ability to be authentic. This also impacts leaders’ ability to give feedback to people and hold them accountable. (Only 46% of survey respondents agreed that “at Central San, it’s safe for me to express divergent views and opinions, only 44% agreed that “I can readily speak up on important issues, without fear of retaliation,” 28% agreed that “we address disagreements rather than avoid them,” and 38% agreed that “we readily accept work styles and perspectives.”) ▪ Staff believe that there is an expectation of perfection—especially when it comes to dealing with the board. ▪ Staff report that they often do not understand the reasons why decisions are being made . (Only 27% of survey respondents agreed that “when important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them, and 43% disagreed.) ▪ There is a perception that management is afraid of making decisions. ▪ There is a belief that upper management and the board seem “out of touch” and insincere . March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 167 of 306 Page 105 of 167 4 ▪ There is a fear of retribution if one is seen to go against upper management , which limits employees’ desire to share their ideas and opinions. “Being more open-minded to new and more efficient ways of doing things is a big challenge here.” “If there's a diverging opinion, it gets shot down with defensiveness. We need more openness to diverse opinions and expertise.” “I think equity and inclusion are the areas that need work. We can have a diverse workforce, but if input isn't sought out or listened to, then what difference does the diversity make? There needs to be more listening from executive management .” Lack of Trust This category represented 4 out of 10 of the lowest rated questions on the quantitative survey data). ▪ Staff generally do not trust the board, senior leaders, or management. (On the survey, only 33% agreed with the statement, “I trust Central San’s management,” 28% with “I trust Central San’s Executive Team,” and 16% with “I trust Central San’s Board.” In contrast, 33%, 34%, and 43% disagreed with these statements, respectively.) ▪ Employees who do not telework distrust employees who telework . ▪ There are too many judgements about other people’s work products . ▪ There is very little confidentiality at Central San, even with HR “Lack of respect, understanding, and trust among the leadership and managers affects all aspects of the business and staff beneath them .” Respect ▪ Staff don’t feel respected by leadership and Board ; they don’t like the constant messaging “to do more with less.” ▪ Staff report that many leaders don’t know employees’ names. ▪ Staff want to feel that their voices matter, even when they are dissenting voices. “How many managers can name all of the line employees in their work groups, and know one personal fact about them?” “There is a hierarchy at Central San. Engineers are treated differently than non- engineers. There is ample opportunity for advancement if you are an engineer. If you are not, you have no opportunity for promotion unless it is a non -engineer position, which are very, very, very few. Non-engineers and non-managers are not encouraged to speak and share ideas.” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 168 of 306 Page 106 of 167 5 DEI ▪ We are not leveraging the diversity of our workforce to drive creativity and innovation. (On the survey, only 25% agreed with the statement that “at Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together.”) ▪ There is not yet a sufficiently high priority on or commitment to DEI. (On the survey, the seven items focused on the priority of DEI scored at 3.1, just above neutral. Agreement with the items ranged from 47% for “at Central San, we truly value people of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, and we are committed to diversity and inclusion” to 22% for “actions by Central San’s Board closely align with Central San’s strategic commitment and values regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.”) ▪ Employees tell jokes about certain groups and people . “Feeling safe in your own skin is paramount to shining as an individual. When individuals thrive, organizations thrive too.” “An inclusive and equitable organization values the voice of all of its workers”. “We are talking about it (DEI). This needs to remain a topic of discussion until everyone is actively listening.” Lack of Resources ▪ Staffing and workload challenges: staff report that there are sometimes not enough people to do the work, and that the workload can be unmanageable. ▪ Many interviewees brought up the need to invest in infrastructure and machinery. ▪ The lunchrooms and bathrooms in some of the facilities are inadequate, and this is demoralizing and difficult. ▪ Many staff expressed a desire for more cross-training and development opportunities. “Management has created 5 to 10 new positions to support management non -critical functions, and no new positions to support the engineers who are grappling with an ever-increasing demand to maintain and replace deteriorating infrastructure .” Employees with Disabilities • There is a desire to move from accommodations for employees with disabilities to inclusion for employees with disabilities. “I have found that the district tends to do the bare legal minimum. I have to fight to get accommodations.” Employees of Color • Employees of color feel boxed in by ideas of who they should be or can b e and that they must be on better behavior or be sure not to make people uncomfortable. • There is a perception of a double standard about who gets sent to HR and who doesn’t. • There is a perceived lack of understanding about race and employees of color often hear inappropriate comments related to race/ethnicity. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 169 of 306 Page 107 of 167 6 “As a Black woman, I see other people going off on other people and I think I can’t do that, I would be called up to HR. I have had people I work with who say ‘you need to calm down and I think ‘why do I need to calm down if I am upset.’” “The term ‘woke’ is used in a derogatory way and people don’t understand the reason why this matters, the pain that is behind why being woke matters. If there was a way to help people understand what people have gone through. Our experiences don't take away from the White man and what they have been through. I wish there was a way we could really educate people about what our experiences are like.” Women • There are stereotypes related to the roles/positions that women should have . As a result, women believe that they must work harder to be perceived as capable. • Taking time off to care for dependents can adversely affect one’s career. • Lack of women in leadership. • Less value for female engineers. “There's good work-life balance. They're willing to work with you. But, from my experience and what I’ve noticed ... work-life balance silently gets held against me. It's totally a gendered thing.” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 170 of 306 Page 108 of 167 Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) DEI Task Force members, the management team, and the HR team were asked to review the GDEIB and provide their individual assessment of which benchmarks were currently true at Central San. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 171 of 306 Page 109 of 167 Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks: Standards for Organizations Around the World Nene Molefi, Julie O’Mara, Alan Richter, and 112 Expert Panelists https://GlobalDEIBenchmarks.org March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 172 of 306 Page 110 of 167 15 Categories in Four Groups BRIDGING Align & Connect 8: Assessment, Measurement, and Research 9: DEI Communications 10: DEI Learning and Development 11: Connecting DEI and Sustainability FOUNDATION Drive the Strategy 1: Vision, Strategy, and Business Impact 2: Leadership and Accountability 3: DEI Structure and Implementation INTERNAL Attract & Retain People 4: Recruitment 5: Advancement and Retention 6: Job Design, Classification, and Compensation 7: Work-Life Integration, Flexibility and Benefits EXTERNAL Listen to & Serve Society 12: Community, Government Relations, and Philanthropy 13: Services and Product Development 14: Marketing and Customer Service 15: Responsible Sourcing ©2021, The Centre for Global InclusionMarch 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 173 of 306 Page 111 of 167 Focal Goals: “15 Actions for World-Class DEI Work” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 174 of 306 Page 112 of 167 5 4 3 2 1 FIVE LEVELS of PROGRESS BEST PRACTICE Demonstrating current global best practices in DEI; exemplary. PROGRESSIVE Implementing DEI systemically and showing improved results and outcomes beyond what is required or expected. PROACTIVE A clear awareness of the value of DEI; starting to implement DEI systemically. This is what is required and expected of all organizations. REACTIVE A compliance-only mindset; actions are taken primarily to comply with relevant laws and social pressures. Doing the bare minimum. INACTIVE No DEI work has begun; diversity, equity, and inclusion are not part of organizational goals. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 175 of 306 Page 113 of 167 Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks Checklist Integrated Report Prepared by Ferdman Consulting, September 12, 2023 Background Ferdman Consulting assessed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Central San using the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) framework. This assessment encompassed three groups: DEI Task Force (N=9), Managers (N=10), and the Human Resource Department (HR) (N=6), with a total of 24 respondents. The assessment was distributed between June and August 2023. Overall Ratings Category Task Force Managers HR Vision, Strategy, & Business Impact Proactive - Proactive + Proactive + Leadership & Accountability Proactive - Proactive - DEI Structure & Implementation Proactive + Proactive + Recruitment Reactive + Proactive Proactive Advancement & Retention Reactive/Proactive Proactive + Progressive + Job Design, Classification, & Compensation Proactive Proactive + Progressive Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, & Benefits Proactive - Proactive + Progressive Assessment, Measurement, & Research Reactive Reactive/Proactive DEI Communications Proactive - Proactive - DEI Learning & Development Reactive + Proactive - Connecting DEI & Sustainability Reactive Reactive + Community, Government Relations, & Philanthropy Reactive Reactive + Services & Products Development Reactive + Proactive - Marketing & Customer Service Reactive + Proactive + Responsible Sourcing Reactive - Reactive + March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 176 of 306 Page 114 of 167 2 Note: 1=Inactive; 2=Reactive; 3=Proactive; 4=Progressive; 5=Best Practice 2.8 2.6 3.2 2.1 2.4 3.0 2.7 3.2 2.8 3.3 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.2 3.0 4.3 3.8 3.8 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 Vision, Strategy, & Business Impact Leadership & Accountability DEI Structure & Implementation Recruitment Advancement & Retention Job Design, Classification, & Compensation Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, & Benefits Means (Categories 1-7) HR (N=6)Managers (N=10)Task Force (N=9) 2.0 2.6 2.2 2.0 1.9 2.1 2.1 1.6 2.5 2.7 2.6 2.1 2.2 2.7 3.1 2.1 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 Assessment, Measurement,… DEI Communications DEI Learning & Development Connecting DEI & Sustainability Community, Government Relations,… Services & Products Development Marketing & Customer Service Responsible Sourcing Means (Categories 8-15) Managers (N=10)Task Force (N=9) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 177 of 306 Page 115 of 167 3 CURRENT STATE OF DEI: TOP 23 BENCHMARKS OVERALL The following list includes all benchmarks that 80% or more participants in at least one of the groups marked as being currently true at Central San. 1.8 The majority of stakeholders acknowledge that DEI is important to the success of the organization. (Progressive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (HR: 83%) 1.13 A DEI vision, mission, strategy, and business impact statement has been developed and communicated to all employees. (Proactive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (HR: 100%) 1.15 DEI qualitative and quantitative goals that include input from a variety of internal and external stakeholders are being developed. (Proactive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (HR:100%) 1.16 Compliance with legislation that protects human rights and ensures safe workplaces is included in the strategy. (Proactive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (HR: 83%) 1.17 A basic DEI vision, mission, and strategy have been developed and communicated to all employees. (Reactive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (Managers: 90%) 1.18 DEI is defined broadly to include some dimensions beyond gender, race, and ethnicity. (Reactive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (Task Force: 100%, HR: 83%) 1.19 Compliance with basic legislation is in place. (Reactive – Vision, Strategy, Business Impact) (Task Force: 100%) 3.10 An organization-wide DEI council/committee, which includes line and staff employees, is given visible and meaningful support by leaders. (Progressive – DEI Structure and Implementation) (Managers: 80%) 4.10 Staff are hired for their competence and their ability to bring diverse perspectives to the work and not only because they are from an underrepresented identity group. (Proactive – Recruitment) (Managers: 90%, HR: 83%) 5.5 Turnover is at an acceptable rate. Adverse impact, unfairness, and discrimination are not the primary cause of turnover. (Best Practice – Advancement and Retention) (HR: 100%) 5.8 All employees are encouraged to consider advancement opportunities and positions outside their current functional, technical, or professional area. (Progressive – Advancement and Retention) (HR: 83%) 5.10 The organization has established mentoring and/or coaching processes to help ensure advancement and retention. (Progressive – Advancement and Retention) (Managers: 80%, HR: 100%) 6.2 Jobs are designed to ensure that roles and responsibilities support work/life integration and decent work for all. (Best Practice – Job Design, Classification, and Compensation) (HR: 83%) 6.10 The organization pays wages that exceed the legal minimum for the local marketplace. (Proactive – Job Design, Classification, and Compensation) (HR:100%) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 178 of 306 Page 116 of 167 4 6.11 Work and job roles are designed to align individual talents and needs with organizational requirements. (Proactive – Job Design, Classification, and Compensation ) (HR: 83%) 6.12 Job classification and compensation systems are understood by most employees. (Proactive – Job Design, Classification, and Compensation) (HR: 83%) 6.13 The organization has standardized job designs to minimize subjectivity and ensure equity. (Proactive – Job Design, Classification, and Compensation) (HR: 100%) 7.1 The organization’s policies and practices regarding benefits, work-life integration and flexibility meet the organization’s commitment to decent work and respect for human rights. (Best Practice – Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, and Benefits) (HR: 83%) 7.6 Benefits and services are regularly adapted to changing conditions such as pandemics and natural disasters, and technological breakthroughs. (Best Practice – Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, and Benefits) (HR: 83%) 7.9 Paid leave beyond what is legally required is provided and used. The definition of family is inclusive. This may include caregiving for partners, children, and adult dependents or bereavement for extended families. (Progressive – Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, and Benefits ) (HR: 83%) 7.10 Using flexible work arrangements does not negatively impact employee performance, evaluation, advancement, or benefits. (Progressive – Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, and Benefits) (Managers: 80%) 7.12 Technology support for mobility, disabilities, mental health, and flexible work arrangements are available for employees. (Progressive – Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, and Benefits) (HR: 100%) 7.15 Flexibility in personal appearance and designing one’s workspace are accepted if done in a non-offensive manner and under an agreed upon policy. (Proactive – Work-Life Integration, Flexibility, and Benefits) (HR: 100%) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 179 of 306 Page 117 of 167 Diversity Analyses Based on HR’s dataset from May 2023 (provided in anonymized form for the purpose of this study), various analyses were conducted to get a picture of the diversity of Central San’s workforce along various dimensions, to the extent possible from the available data. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 180 of 306 Page 118 of 167 Race/Ethnicity (overall, by level, & by gender)White, 161, 58% Two or more races, 29, 10% N/A, 13, 5% Hispanic or Latino, 32, 12% Black or African American, 15, 5% Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, 24, 9% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4, 1% Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity by Level Local 1 MSCG Management Total American Indian or Alaska Native 1.9% (3)1.0% (1)0.0%1.4% (4) Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander 6.8% (11)9.9% (10)18.8% (3)8.6% (24) Black or African American 6.2% (10)3.0% (3)12.5% (2)5.4% (15) Hispanic or Latino 11.2% (18)12.9% (13)6.3% (1)11.5% (32) Not available 5.0% (8)4.0% (4)6.3% (1)4.7% (13) Two or more races 13.0% (21)7.9% (8)0.0% (0)10.4% (29) White 55.9% (90)61.4% (62)56.3% (9) 57.9% (161) Overall N 161 101 16 278 and by Gender Women Men 2.8% (2)1.0% (2) 11.3% (8)7.8% (16) 7.0% (5)4.9% (10) 7.0% (5)12.6% (26) 5.6% (4) 4.4% (9) 7.0% (5)11.7% (24) 59.2% (42)57.8% (119) 71 20661March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 181 of 306 Page 119 of 167 Gender Local 1 Management MSCG Female 20.5%37.5%31.7% Male 79.5%62.5%67.3% (blank)0.0%0.0%1.0% 20.5% 37.5%31.7% 79.5% 62.5%67.3% Gender by Level Female Male (blank) Overall: •71 Women (25.5%) •206 Men (74.1%) Average Tenure (years) Local 1 MSCG MGMT Overall Women 7.7 9.7 10.8 8.9 Men 9.9 13.2 10.3 11.0 All 9.4 12.1 10.5 10.5 Local 1 MSCG Combined Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander 9.17 10.74 9.92 Black or African American 11.93 16.85 13.06 Hispanic or Latino 9.18 14.91 11.47 Two or more races 9.80 9.75 9.79 White 9.84 11.91 10.68 Combined 9.84 12.14 10.73 Tenure 62March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 182 of 306 Page 120 of 167 Tenure & Gender 0.42 22.49 2.53 5.97 12.43 0.57 23.83 34.9735.4436.99 3.73 8.54 15.63 Female Male 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 LOCAL 1 1.37 23.60 4.43 8.26 15.42 0.28 32.8834.32 7.08 10.95 17.87 Female Male MSCG 63March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 183 of 306 Page 121 of 167 Age & Gender 25.36 62.42 37.67 49.22 53.85 21.72 67.33 38.90 44.71 52.75 Female Male 0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 AGE BY GENDER: LOCAL 1 28.72 57.08 39.21 44.92 52.84 24.01 69.93 40.23 46.26 55.27 Female Male AGE BY GENDER: MSCG 64March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 184 of 306 Page 122 of 167 MEDIAN SALARY GRADE BY RACE/ETHNIC GROUP AND GENDER LOCAL 1 (161)N % within bargaining unit Median salary grade Average tenure (yrs) Hispanic women 2 1.24%68 6.1 White men 72 44.72%67 10.3 Black men 7 4.35%67 12.8 White women 18 11.18%66 8 Asian men 8 4.97%66 8.5 Hispanic men 16 9.94%65.5 9.6 Multiracial women 2 1.24%64 2.3 Multiracial men 19 11.80%64 10.6 Black women 3 1.86%60 9.9 Asian women 3 1.86%57 10.9 MSCG (101) Hispanic women 1 0.99%78 10.4 White men 43 42.57%76 12.7 Multiracial men 5 4.95%75 12.4 Hispanic men 9 8.91%74 8.2 White women 19 18.81%73 10.1 Asian men 6 5.94%73 10.7 Multiracial women 3 2.97%73 5.4 Black men 1 0.99%72 24 Asian women 4 3.96%72 10.9 Black women 2 1.98%60.5 13.3 Correlation of tenure & grade (Local 1) = 0.42 Correlation of tenure & grade (MSCG) = 0.36 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 185 of 306 Page 123 of 167 MSCG 66 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 People of color White Es t i m a t e d M a r g i n a l M e a n s Race/Ethnicity (combined) Pay Grade Gender Female Male Correlation of pay grade and tenure: Men: .25 Women: .43 Group Mean Pay Grade N People of color 73.00 35 White 76.00 62 Men 76.8 65 Women 71.5 31 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 186 of 306 Page 124 of 167 Feedback & Visioning Sessions Following is the deck for the Staff DEI Forums held in July 2023. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 187 of 306 Page 125 of 167 Staff DEI Forums July 18 & 19, 2023 Ann Vallee Benjamin Johnson Heather Ramamurthy Joe Jackson Liana Olsen Lori Schectel Mary Lou Esparza Nicole Marshall Randy Petitt Velisa Parks Winston Ingram Bernardo Ferdman & Karen Harris Ferdman Consulting Central San DEI Task Force: March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 188 of 306 Page 126 of 167 Welcome from ROGER BAILEY General Manager March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 189 of 306 Page 127 of 167 March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 190 of 306 Page 128 of 167 Who Are We? ◆DEI Consultants ◆Bernardo Ferdman ◆Karen Harris ◆DEI Task Force Representatives ◆Benjamin Johnson ◆Heather Ramamurthy ◆Phil Leiber ◆Velisa Parks March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 191 of 306 Page 129 of 167 TODAY’S GOALS Share and discuss the DEI assessment results Review & discuss strengths and areas of opportunity Envision our collective future March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 192 of 306 Page 130 of 167 Our road map for today… AGENDA ◆Welcome from Roger ◆Goals, Agenda, Community Agreements/Norms, Check-in ◆Our DEI Journey thus far ◆Why Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity? ◆DEI Assessment Findings ◆Central San’s Diversity (Workforce Demographics) ◆Survey Ratings ◆Key Themes (including from open-ended survey responses & group interviews) ◆Break-Out Groups ◆Envisioning the Future (“From à To”) ◆Call to Action & Next Steps March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 193 of 306 Page 131 of 167 Agreements for Our Work Together Model & practice respect & inclusion •Be fully present •Listen to understand •Make room for all to engage and speak. Move up, move back. •Speak for yourself in your own voice. Don’t assume agreement or consensus. Co-create a “brave space” for learning & dialogue •Recognize we’re all in process •Lean into discomfort •Accept others’ reality as true for them •Remember that impact matters –not just intent Honor confidentiality of individual behavior, stories, participation (and of the DEI assessment results). Anything else? (What do you need to fully engage? What do we need to be effective and to build trust with each other and across the organization?) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 194 of 306 Page 132 of 167 “Check-In”: Bringing everyone’s voice into the “room” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 195 of 306 Page 133 of 167 Core concepts Diversity •“counting differences” •presence in a group or organization of people with a variety of identities, backgrounds, styles, and perspectives on a range of dimensions of difference Inclusion •“making differences count” •fostering a work culture where everyone-- across identities and backgrounds--can do their best and make their full contribution without having to hide or suppress valued aspects of themselves •necessary to gain the benefits of diversity Equity •creating just outcomes & processes •working to foster fairness in experiences and opportunities (and service) so that these do not unfairly depend on one’s identities or social position Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 196 of 306 Page 134 of 167 Our DEI Journey Thus Far Where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 197 of 306 Page 135 of 167 DEI Task Force Formed in August 2022, with 12 members across levels and functions Mission •Advises Central San leadership and the organization overall on ways to enhance and better appreciate diversity and foster inclusion and equity, so that Central San continues to be an employer of choice and can best serve the entire community in accordance with its mission, vision, and values. •As members of Central San's DEI Task Force, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are a source of strength, creativity, and innovation and thus central to how we do business and how we engage with each other at work. We seek to build an inclusive culture at Central San by addressing and creating space for our many differences, including those based on gender and gender expression, socio-economic class, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, disability status, age, sexual orientation, and the intersection of these identities. We work to create opportunities for all to engage, to develop and contribute their talents, and to feel that they are valued and fully belong. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 198 of 306 Page 136 of 167 Central San’s DEI Journey DEI Briefings & Initial Orientation •Briefings for the Board’s Ad Hoc DEI Committee (February 10, 2022) and the full Board (March 17, 2022) •District-wide launch of the DEI initiative for all staff (July 2022) Creation, Launch, & Initial Work of DEI Task Force & DEI Coordination Team •Recruitment & launch of Central San’s DEI Task Force and DEI Coordination Team (August & September 2022) •Monthly Task Force meetings (since October 2022) •Work on Charter, Vision/Rationale/Principles, District-Wide Communication, and DEI Assessment Senior Leader Engagement & DEI Learning/Professional Development •Management team: multiple learning and professional development workshops •Inclusion@Work® learning journey for management team and DEI Task Force (July-October 2022) •DEI Task Force learning workshops (September/October 2022) Board DEI Workshop (June 2023) DEI Assessment Yet to come: DEI Learning; DEI Action Plan & Implementation March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 199 of 306 Page 137 of 167 Why is an inclusive and equitable workplace important to you &/or Central San? A better and higher performing workplace •To create a positive work environment that allows employees to perform at a higher level •To foster a productive work environment •To attract and retain top talent •To create a more enjoyable place to work and invest energy in •To ensure that the most capable employees are hired and promoted It supports our staff –and is the right thing to do •To improve staff happiness, morale, and ability to contribute and perform •To make employees feel valued and respected •To ensure that everyone is treated equally and fairly •To balance out a heavy masculine environment •To demonstrate that all employees are valued and heard •To give “minorities and different genders” a better platform to compete. A more effective, innovative, and fair organization •To create a strong and functional team with the same goals •To promote diverse viewpoints and ideas •To address issues and concerns before they become bigger •To ensure that advancement opportunities are based on merit and not other reasons •To improve overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization •To ensure that there is no favoritism or bias in the workplace It’s required and expected, needed to serve the community, and one of our core values •To meet regulatory requirements •To maintain high levels of customer service •To encourage inclusivity and equity as part of the organization's values, not just a buzzword March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 200 of 306 Page 138 of 167 DEI Assessment Overview Workplace Inclusion Inventory™(survey) –customized version Measured experience of inclusion (6 indices); teamwork/collaboration across departments; perceived priority of DEI at Central San; inclusive supervision; preparation for inclusion (self) 215 responses (76.5% of all permanent staff; March 9-April 3, 2023) Group Interviews:9 groups, 62 participants (May 9-18, 2023) Line staff (2 groups), Managers & Supervisors (2 groups), People of Color, Women, Staff with dependents at home, Employees with disabilities, LGBTQ+ staff Feedback & Visioning Sessions Task Force Management Team All staff: YOUR TURN! Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks (in process) Strengths, Opportunities, Suggestions; From/To Statements March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 201 of 306 Page 139 of 167 DEI Assessment Findings •Diversity: Workforce composition (race/ethnicity, gender) •Survey highlights •Key themes (strengths & opportunities, based on survey & interviews) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 202 of 306 Page 140 of 167 Central San’s Diversity Workforce Composition (based on HR data, May 2023) March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 203 of 306 Page 141 of 167 Race/Ethnicity (overall, by level, & by gender)White, 161, 58% Two or more races, 29, 10% N/A, 13, 5% Hispanic or Latino, 32, 12% Black or African American, 15, 5% Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, 24, 9% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4, 1% Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity by Level Local 1 MSCG Mgmt Total American Indian or Alaska Native 1.9% (3)1.0% (1)0.0%1.4% (4) Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander 6.8% (11)9.9% (10)18.8% (3)8.6% (24) Black or African American 6.2% (10)3.0% (3)12.5% (2)5.4% (15) Hispanic or Latino 11.2% (18)12.9% (13)6.3% (1)11.5% (32) Not available 5.0% (8)4.0% (4)6.3% (1)4.7% (13) Two or more races 13.0% (21)7.9% (8)0.0% (0)10.4% (29) White 55.9% (90)61.4% (62)56.3% (9) 57.9% (161) Overall N 161 101 16 278 and by Gender Women Men 2.8% (2)1.0% (2) 11.3% (8)7.8% (16) 7.0% (5)4.9% (10) 7.0% (5)12.6% (26) 5.6% (4) 4.4% (9) 7.0% (5)11.7% (24) 59.2% (42)57.8% (119) 71 206March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 204 of 306 Page 142 of 167 Gender Local 1 Management MSCG Female 20.5%37.5%31.7% Male 79.5%62.5%67.3% (blank)0.0%0.0%1.0% 20.5% 37.5%31.7% 79.5% 62.5%67.3% Gender by Level Female Male (blank) Overall: •71 Women (25.5%) •206 Men (74.1%) Average Tenure (years) Local 1 MSCG MGMT Overall Women 7.7 9.7 10.8 8.9 Men 9.9 13.2 10.3 11.0 All 9.4 12.1 10.5 10.5 Local 1 MSCG Combined Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander 9.17 10.74 9.92 Black or African American 11.93 16.85 13.06 Hispanic or Latino 9.18 14.91 11.47 Two or more races 9.80 9.75 9.79 White 9.84 11.91 10.68 Combined 9.84 12.14 10.73 Tenure March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 205 of 306 Page 143 of 167 Workplace Inclusion Inventory Content 67 rating items, grouped into 10 inclusion scales; 6 open-ended questions; 19 demographic & background items Experience of Inclusion (6 scales) Authenticity & Psychological Safety (7 items) ◆At Central San, it’s safe for me to express divergent ideas and opinions. ◆At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them. Belonging & Respect (8 items) ◆At Central San, I am treated the way I would like to be treated. ◆People at Central San treat me with dignity and respect. Trust & Collaboration with Co-workers (5 items) ◆My co-workers value my ideas and opinions. ◆I trust my co-workers. Trust in Higher Leadership (6 items) ◆I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San’s Executive team. ◆I trust Central San’s management. Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency (7 items) ◆I am trusted to get my job done. ◆I am given the information I need to get my job done efficiently and effectively. Fairness & Equity (7 items) ◆People like me have ample opportunities to contribute and advance at Central San. ◆At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments (3 items) ◆At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. ◆At Central San, there is teamwork and collaboration between departments. Priority of DEI-Organizational Level (7 items) ◆At Central San, we truly value people of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, and we are committed to equity and inclusion. ◆Central San’s leadership team is committed to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Inclusive Supervision (10 items) ◆I feel heard by my immediate manager or supervisor. ◆My supervisor values my contributions, my ideas, and my opinions. Preparation for Inclusion (Self) (7 items) ◆I regularly take intentional steps to make Central San a more inclusive place to work. ◆I am highly committed to doing my part to foster an equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture at Central San. Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 206 of 306 Page 144 of 167 Summary of Key Results: Workplace Inclusion Inventory™(Survey Ratings) ◆215 (76.5%) staff members responded to the survey, from 3/9 to 4/3/23. ◆The survey included 67 ratings items grouped into 10 inclusion scales (as well as 6 open-ended questions and 19 demographic/background items). Scores could range from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). MOST FAVORABLE SCALES: •Trust & Collaboration with Co-Workers (4.0) •Inclusive Supervision (3.8) •Autonomy, Empowerment, & Transparency (3.7) •Preparation for Inclusion (Self) (3.6) LEAST FAVORABLE SCALES: •Trust in Higher Leadership (2.9) •Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments (2.9) •Priority of DEI (Org. Level) (3.1) •Authenticity & Psychological Safety (3.1) STRONGEST ITEMS (% agree/strongly agree; % disagree/strongly disagree; mean) •In my work unit or team, we cooperate to get our work done. (89%; 4%; 4.2) •My co-workers trust me.(90%; 1%; 4.1) •I am trusted to get my job done. (84%; 6%; 4.1) •I am well equipped to work with people who are very different from me –in culture, ethnicity, age, gender, background, and other dimensions of diversity. (81%; 3%; 4.1) •I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my co-workers. (79%, 8%, 4.0) •My supervisor treats me fairly.(79%, 11%, 4.0) •My supervisor makes efforts to accommodate my needs. (77%, 7%, 4.0) WEAKEST ITEMS (% agree/strongly agree; % disagree/strongly disagree; mean) •I trust Central San’s Board. (16%, 43%, 2.5) •At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them (28%, 50%, 2.6) •At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. (31%, 44%, 2.8) •At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. (31%, 37%, 2.8) •I trust Central San’s Executive Team (28%, 34%, 2.8) •At Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together (25%, 28%, 2.9) •At Central San, staff communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. (31%, 33%, 2.9) •When important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them. (27%, 35%, 2.9) •I trust Central San’s management. (33%, 32%, 2.9) •I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San's Executive Team. (36%, 36%, 2.9) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 207 of 306 Page 145 of 167 Scale Means (1=Strongly Disagree, 5=Strongly Agree) 2.9 2.9 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 4 1 2 3 4 5 Teamwork and Collaboration Across Departments Trust in Higher Leadership Priority of DEI (Organizational Level) Authenticity and Psychological Safety Fairness and Equity Belonging and Respect Preparation for Inclusion (Self) Autonomy, Empowerment, and Transparency Inclusive Supervision Trust and Collaboration with Co-workers Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 208 of 306 Page 146 of 167 Highest-Rated Items (top 7) 33. In my work unit or team, we cooperate to get our work done.(Mean: 4.2)N=214 27.My co-workers trust me.(Mean: 4.1) N=214 N=214 22. I am trusted to get my job done.(Mean: 4.1) 61. I am well equipped to work with people who are very different from me –in culture, ethnicity, age, gender, background, and other dimensions of diversity.(Mean: 4.1) N=207 5. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with my co-workers.(Mean: 4.0)N=215 55. My supervisor treats me fairly.(Mean: 4.0) N=207 N=207 59. My supervisor makes efforts to accommodate my needs.(Mean: 4.0) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 209 of 306 Page 147 of 167 Lowest-Rated Items (bottom 5) N=214 N=214 32. I trust Central San’s Board.(Mean: 2.5) 12. At Central San, we address disagreements rather than avoid them. (Mean: 2.6) N=214 N=214 N=214 34. At Central San, it feels like we are all on the same team. (Mean: 2.8) 40. At Central San, employees get the opportunities they deserve based on their merits and contributions. (Mean: 2.8) 31. I trust Central San's Executive Team. (Mean: 2.8) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 210 of 306 Page 148 of 167 Lowest-Rated Items (cont’d) N=207 N=207 N=214 46. At Central San, we use our diversity to help us be more successful in our work together. (Mean: 2.9) 45. At Central San, staff communicate, trust, and support each other across different departments and divisions. (Mean: 2.9) 35. When important decisions are made at Central San, I understand the reasons behind them. (Mean: 2.9) N=215 N=214 30. I trust Central San’s management. (Mean: 2.9) 6. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas and opinions with members of Central San's Executive Team. (Mean: 2.9) Workplace Inclusion Inventory™and its items: Copyright © 2023 by Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D. dba Ferdman Consulting. All Rights Reserved. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 211 of 306 Page 149 of 167 Survey Results (cont’d) ◆Many participants did not respond to all or some of the background/demographic items. Those who selected “prefer not to say” on 9 items or more gave significantly lower scores on 9 of the 10 scales. And the 22 participants who left the demographic section completely blank had significantly lower scores on Authenticity & Psychological Safety, Belonging & Respect, Trust in Higher Leadership, and Teamwork/Collaboration Across Departments than staff who partially or fully completed that section. ◆No statistical differences between supervisors and non-supervisors across the 10 scales. ◆Divisions & job functions ◆Planning & Dev’t Services<CSO & Plant Maintenance on Authenticity & Psychological Safety ◆Planning & Dev’t Services< Plant Maintenance on Trust in Higher Leadership ◆Operations work<those in admin/mgmt. & other on Trust in Higher Leadership. ◆Overall, those at Central San for more than 12 years gave lower scores than those at Central San between 1 and 3 years (on 6 scales). ◆Staff who are 26-35 years old had lower scores on Trust in Higher Leadership than those 46 to 55 years old (2.63 vs. 3.36) ◆Men>Women on Trust and Collaboration with Co-Workers (4.20 vs. 3.92) ◆Staff who reported that they applied for promotion but were not promoted (N=18) rated Fairness & Equity (2.9 vs. 3.5) and Trust in Higher Leadership (2.6 vs. 3.2) lower than those who had not applied for promotion (n=98). ◆Although not statistically significant due to a low N (8), Black/African American respondents gave lower scores, on average, on 8 of the scales, compared to staff of other ethnicities. ◆Trust in Higher Leadership was most strongly predicted by scores on the Fairness & Equity scale (r=.77). The next contributor was Teamwork & Collaboration Across Departments. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 212 of 306 Page 150 of 167 Assessment Results: Qualitative Summary(based on ratings, open-ended survey responses, & group interviews) Strengths ◆Workforce: Staff care about the mission of Central San and take great pride in their work; many staff (although not all) like the job security, benefits, and work-life balance at Central San. ◆DEI: positive views about direction; staff are committed to DEI; want to learn ◆Work Teams: trust in and by supervisor and co-workers; valued by co-workers; cooperation within teams Opportunities ◆Org. culture & work environment: low communication, trust, & support across depts./divisions; alignment with values; negativity & gossip ◆Fairness & equity: opportunity allocation not always seen as fair; concern about COL & benefits; differences in benefiting from certain policies; limited advancement options ◆Leadership culture/communication: management viewed as unable to share fully/transparently and afraid to make decisions; fear of conflict & lack of psychological safety; fear of retribution; Board seen as “out of touch” ◆Lack of trust: staff don’t feel respected by leadership & Board; want voices to matter, even when dissenting ◆DEI: not sufficiently leveraging diversity; commitment to DEI not yet aligned with actions; jokes, mistreatment of certain groups ◆Lack of resources: low staffing relative to workload; needed investments & facilities improvements; desire for more cross-training, development ◆Staff with disabilities:need/desire for more complete inclusion ◆Staff of color: feel boxed in and stereotyped, see double standard in certain treatment ◆Women: There is a lack of women in leadership; women engineers feel less valued; stereotypes regarding roles/positions women should have are alive and well, so women believe they must work harder to be seen as capable; taking time off for dependent care can adversely affect career March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 213 of 306 Page 151 of 167 Break-Out Groups Say hello and briefly introduce yourselves Go around and share (making room for all) & then discuss: §What resonates most with you? §What is surprising or new? §Is your experience represented? (If not, what’s missing?) What questions do you have? One volunteer in the group uses Slido to capture all the points made by the group members March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 214 of 306 Page 152 of 167 Visioning the Road Ahead March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 215 of 306 Page 153 of 167 What would a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace look like at Central San? •Everyone is treated fairly and with respect, regardless of (and with appreciation for) their race, gender, ethnicity, background, and other identities. Assumptions and biases are addressed and eliminated. •A fair playing field: employees are hired, promoted, and given opportunities based on their merits and qualifications, rather than on any biases or favoritism. Fair treatment •Employees feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves and their opinions and are provided with the necessary tools and resources to grow and succeed in their roles. •There are accommodations and flexibility to help foster equity and to empower staff to do their best. •The culture encourages collaboration, open communication, and the ability to disagree maturely, without being condescending or dismissive. Inclusive and supportive culture Inclusive and transparent decision-making •Leadership is diverse and promotes diversity in the workforce; •Leaders serve as role models, ensuring accountability, and they support and empower staff. Diversity at all levels Some areas for improvement at Central San: •addressing male bias •increasing transparency •ensuring more equitable distribution of work and opportunities •building trust & collaboration across “silos” March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 216 of 306 Page 154 of 167 A Vision for Our Future KEEP We care about the mission of Central San and take pride in our work Staff co-operate with their work teams and share ideas and opinions with one another We value the diversity of our workforce and are curious to learn more about one another We are committed to doing our part to foster an equitable, inclusive, and diverse culture at Central San March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 217 of 306 Page 155 of 167 From To TRUST We don’t trust leadership and fear that if we disagree or share our perspective, we may face repercussions Staff from all levels trust leadership and know that our perspectives and ideas are valued and seen as essential to Central San’s success COMMUNICATION We work in silos, and when we lack information, we fill in the gaps with gossip We work as one organization, where we learn and collaborate across workgroups and share constructive ideas with healthy forms of communication Staff don’t understand why decisions are being made by management and communication seems to be only one direction: top-down We have regular and effective two-way communication from staff up through management/leadership/Board and back. Staff are aware of key issues and challenges before final decisions are made and can provide bottom-up input to solutions, resulting in strong alignment throughout the organization on priorities and key decisions. We are uncomfortable with conflict, which suppresses diversity of ideas We handle Issues in a healthy, productive and authentic way. We recognize that disagreement and conflict often leads to creativity and growth, as part of our organizational culture. VALUING DIVERSITY Employees who have been historically excluded experience microaggressions and stereotyping Employees from all backgrounds and diversity dimensions are respected and valued for their ideas, styles, and contributions to the organization TALENT DEVELOPMENT Staff perceive that opportunities for career development and mobility are inequitable or limited Work and opportunities are fairly distributed and available to all high-performing employees There is a perception that excellence is not expected of everyone at Central San All employees are provided constructive feedback and held accountable for contributing to a high-performing, inclusive organizationMarch 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 218 of 306 Page 156 of 167 Questions ◆Which of these statements particularly resonates for you or speaks to you (e.g., is motivating, challenging, inspiring)? (Two questions –one for “keep”, one for “From/To”) ◆Which do you have questions about? (What are your questions or comments?) ◆What would you add to the vision? What else would you like to see here? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 219 of 306 Page 157 of 167 Next Steps Timeframe Action July/Aug Complete, review, and finalize assessment report (including feedback/visioning session outcomes) July/Aug/Sept Task Force finalizes and rolls out DEI mission/vision/principles Aug/Sept/Oct Initiate DEI learning sessions for staff? Aug to Dec Task Force develops Strategic DEI Goals and Action Plan for Central San, incorporating assessment results and staff suggestions in alignment and in support of Central San’s Values and Strategic Plan Early 2024 Roll-out of DEI Plan March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 220 of 306 Page 158 of 167 Call to Action: Your Role 1.What can I do to create a more inclusive Central San? 2.Would you like to be more involved in some way? (e.g., Task Force volunteers? DEI Champions? Input on the process &/or draft mission/vision/principles? Other?) 3.Other comments/questions? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 221 of 306 Page 159 of 167 Closing March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 222 of 306 Page 160 of 167 Closing One word to describe how you feel now March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 223 of 306 Page 161 of 167 Central San DEI Staff Forums (July18 & 19, 2023) Combined Data from SLIDO What Resonates (in the assessment results/themes)? • The board is out of sync • Rampant favoritism • Unable to speak up w/o facing repercussion • Lack of respect • Those that were/are afraid of answering questions, even today. • Distrust among managers affects the staff below them. What surprises you? • Thought there was more diversity • Many people said “no surprises” • HR Data doesn’t seem to match Contra Costa demographics • Wow-the disparity between men and women • Lack of trust • How manager relationships impact staff below • Shocked by the low support for management • Surprised that HR wasn’t mentioned much, but that is a good thing • That small number of African-American employees at Central San • Surprised to hear about minority experiences If your experience is not represented, what is missing? • Folks have lots of uninformed opinions about what my accommodations should be without understanding my medical condition, and privacy is tossed to the wind. • Some people have a better chance of being heard than others. • Individuals who do not have kids also get discriminated against • Some people have had horrible experiences at the district and are expected to have thick skin • Engineers and non-engineers may not understand each other’s perspective • Lack of equity between engineers and non-engineers was kind of glossed over • I feel more put into a box with all these graphs, demographics etc. • Equality for all employees to have flex schedules or being compensated when they can’t March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 224 of 306 Page 162 of 167 2 Other Observations/Participant Comments • At live session, participants said “managers leaving mid -presentation is a bad look” • Still feels like not enough time to share. There is more to say • There is a shift in language needed from less DEI talk to more normal understandable language • Would like to have the Task Force doing more of the presenting rather than outside experts. • Hope DEI doesn't divide our CSO family • I am confused by the woke comment since I don’t personally understand it nor do I use the term • I was taught that personal and professional were two different worlds • In future presentations, spend less time in the lead up and get to the meat and allow more time for discussion/break out groups • This feels negative, I get the impression that people have become jaded and disconnected by past events • Just a comment about the breakout sessions. It was awkward and too intimate to share ideas with a small breakout group, almost forced to make a comment with such an intimate small group. Maybe a group of 5 -7 is better. Thx. • At what point do personal issues start to impact work? Questions Staff Have Demographics 1. Would like to know composition of the community (3) 2. How does our diversity data compare to our sister organizations? (3) 3. What do the demographics look like when it comes to race and other diversity factors? 4. How does age play into diversity? 5. How can we include individuals based on sex, religion, age, race, sexual orientation, etc., when you legally can’t ask about these topics during interviews? 6. How do we compare to other agencies or businesses in these categories? Possibility of Change 1. With threats of taking away our benefits every Contract negotiation. How can we trust upper management. That doesn't show appreciation to our employees. (6) 2. How can we eliminate the problem of favoritism ? 3. How can the change be “enforced.” What metrics will be used and who will enforce it ? 4. Will managers honestly be able to change their behavior patterns? 5. How would a person who feels afraid to speak up find a safe place/person to talk to? March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 225 of 306 Page 163 of 167 3 General DEI Questions 1. Juneteenth became federal law on June 17, 2021. What is the DEI Task Forces opinion on how the Board dragged their feet and finally voted on Juneteenth 2023 to give Juneteenth as a holiday but only effective the next/following year (2024)? (3) 2. How would DEI intersect with procedures/decisions based on seniority ? i.e., a job classification where two people are in the same position, one has 15 yrs . at the district and has "seniority" over someone with 13 yrs. at the district. 3. Is there any data to suggest that an equal distribution of diversity is beneficial to an organization? 4. Does it take certain groups longer to get promoted? 5. Do we have diversity goals? 6. At what point do you keep personal issues personal? Other Questions 1. How did the Board members react to this? Thoughts, questions, ideas to make Central San more inclusive Career Development 1. Start making hires promotions based on merit and skills - not based on who has connections or favors. New positions should be created based on actual need and benefit to the district, not to reward or keep a preferred employee. (8) 2. Establish/foster emerging leaders of the District (4) 3. Go to career fairs at high schools to start showing the job opportunities for all people. (1) 4. Merit based promotion- even when the potential has been a whistle blower. Leadership & Communication 1. create a way to express concerns to the higher levels of management without fear - there are so many things that aren't brought up because we can't trust things to be truly confidential and experience blowback or retaliation. (6) 2. Hold leadership - ex HR - to the same rules as everyone else. They make the rules and don't have to follow them? (6) 3. Start at the top. By showing respect to all work groups. And not talk negatively about others. Because it does get back to everyone eventually. (5) 4. Start treating management and staff as equals when promoting or approving salary adjustments. Be consistent. There is no consistency. Some divisions get what they want, some don't. There is clear data on this. Stop grooming those that you want to get promoted/give all candidates the same grooming. (4) 5. More Slido discussions within departments so a feedback loop is available March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 226 of 306 Page 164 of 167 4 Education 1. People shouldn't be thought of as less than. In any workgroup. We all have something about ourselves that is an asset to the district. No matter our job title, education, race or gender. (3) 2. Education and listening. (1) 3. I would like to hear more stories and perspectives from people at Central San (i.e., minorities) 4. Communicate more with my colleagues to have an understanding of their culture and background. Understanding our differences and strengths. Miscellaneous 1. Stop the favoritism and turning a blind eye (1) 2. This is an Engineering Government agency educating staff to understand that everyone is part of the support to keep Engineering going (1) 3. I think staff need to understand that this is an engineering agency and all purpose is to bring a product to customers 4. Start realizing engineers are not the only ones capable of leadership. In fact, they often struggle with communication skills, and there is a deficit in that skill set here. 5. Delegate more funds to healthcare, so that we can deal with our personal mental health issues 6. We need better mental health not DEI Concerns/Resistance to DEI 1. Instead of paying outside consultants to come in we should spend the money on teambuilding exercises and barbecues 2. A separation of personal issues and professional issues. 3. Not creating a protected class that can do no wrong 4. I feel like DEI is creating problems. 5. Don’t spend 300k+ on DEI. Use it for more personal time off and better health care. 6. After this meeting I feel like a problem is now created which never existed. March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 227 of 306 Page 165 of 167 5 FEEDBACK ON “KEEP” STATEMENTS Which of these statements particularly resonates for you or speaks to you (e.g., is motivating, challenging, inspiring)? Statement Count % We care about the mission of Central San and take pride in our work. 28 36.36% Staff co-operate with their work teams and share ideas and opinions with one another. 21 27.27% We are committed to doing our part to foster an equitable, inclusive, and diverse culture at Central San. 21 27.27% We value the diversity of our workforce and are curious to learn more about one another. 7 9.09% (Note: respondents could pick from 1 to 4 statements.) FEEDBACK ON “FROM→TO” STATEMENTS Which of these statements particularly resonates for you or speaks to you (e.g., is motivating, challenging, inspiring)? (Select up to 3) FROM We work in silos, and when we lack information, we fill in the gaps with gossip --> TO We work as one organization, where we learn and collaborate across workgroups and share constructive ideas with healthy forms of communication 25 22.32% FROM We don’t trust leadership and fear that if we disagree or share our perspective, we may face repercussions TO Staff from all levels trust leadership and know that our perspectives and ideas are valued and seen as essential to Central San’s success 23 20.54% FROM Staff don’t understand why decisions are made; communication seems only ... top - down TO We have regular effective 2-way communication... Staff understand issues, challenges before decisions are made; can give input, leading to alignment on priorities 18 16.07% FROM There is a perception that excellence is not expected of everyone at Central San --> TO All employees are provided constructive feedback and held accountable for contributing to a high-performing, inclusive organization 17 15.18% FROM Staff perceive that opportunities for career development and mobility are inequitable or limited --> TO Work and opportunities are fairly distributed and available to all high-performing employees 13 11.61% FROM We are uncomfortable with conflict, which suppresses diversity of ideas TO We handle Issues in a healthy, productive & authentic way. We recognize that disagreement & conflict often lead to creativity and growth, as part of our organizational culture 11 9.82% FROM Employees who have been historically excluded experience micro -aggressions and stereotyping -->TO Employees from all backgrounds and diversity dimensions are respected and valued for their ideas, styles, and contributions to the organization 5 4.46% March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 228 of 306 Page 166 of 167 6 CALL TO ACTION Which of the following types of involvement most appeals to you at the moment? Providing feedback or input on the work of the Task Force (e.g., DEI mission/vision/principles) 10 37.04% Participating in DEI learning sessions 7 25.93% Serving as a DEI champion 4 14.81% Helping to organize special events related to DEI 3 11.11% Serving on the DEI Task Force 2 7.41% Other 1 3.70% March 7, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 229 of 306 Page 167 of 167