“Best Practices in DEI” Series — Module 4: “Creating More Inclusive, Equitable Workforce Processes” -- July 10 Online PEN Workshop

Over the last couple of years, we’ve all be made aware (or powerfully reminded) of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our organizations and our communities.  The imperative is clear: inclusion and racial equity optimizes organizational performance and societal outcomes — not only for people of color, but for everyone.  But wanting to be more inclusive and actually being more inclusive are usually two very distinct conditions.  The latter takes work: policy and system changes, education and discernment, intentionality and constant effort.

The Performance Excellence Network — in partnership with the Wisconsin Center for Performance Excellence and the Iowa Quality Center — is pleased to host a special online workshop series: “Best Practices in DEI.”  The series will feature six stand-alone half-day modules and can either be attended “ala carte” or as a complete series.  The content is uniquely aligned with the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework, exploring many facets of diversity, equity, and inclusion through the lens of this evidence-based, proven Framework (however, your organization does not have to be officially using Baldrige to benefit from the value of this series!). The fourth module is Wednesday, July 10 : "Creating More Inclusive, Equitable Workforce Processes." (Other module dates and topics listed below.)

The series will feature six half-day online workshops — all highly interactive discussions that will explore results-based methods and proven effective practices that will help organizations better appreciate diversity; improve inclusion within its workforce, supplier network, and marketplace; and promote greater equity within their organizational systems.  Participants will walk away from each session with a tool(s), a template(s), and/or a process(es) – all carefully designed or curated by experienced DEI experts. 

New this year: each session will be followed by a "30-Day Challenge," in which participants pick 1-2 insights they commit to implement in the next 30 days, applying the learning to create a tangible impact!

Also new this year: for those who can't attend in real time, we're offering an on-demand (post-session) viewing option.  Obviously, you miss the benefit of the live, interactive discussion.  But we know how busy everyone is, so are excited to offering this opportunity!

Session 4 is July 10 from 9:00-1:00 CT and will focus on hardwiring the concepts of DEI into into the workforce processes.

Session Description

An organization's success depends on having an engaged workforce that benefits from meaningful work, clear direction, and the opportunity to learn.  That workforce must also have a safe, trusting, and cooperative environment. Successful organizations have cultures of equity and inclusion that capitalize on the diverse backgrounds and characteristics, knowledge, sills, creativity, and motivation of its workforce, partners, and collaborators.  They empower participation and promote a sense of belonging.  But creating  workforce processes that support high performance and that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion requires deliberate design in processes such as performance management, fostering organizational culture, performance development (training), career development and succession planning, and workforce engagement.

This highly interactive workshop will explore how to build the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the work environment.  It will be facilitated by Trina Olson of Team Dynamics.

Specific areas of focus in this workshop include:

• • Determining the drivers of workforce engagement as well as workforce engagement itself, considering the differences in characteristics, preferences, expectations, and lived experiences of your workforce.
  • Fostering a culture that is characterized by open communication, high performance, and an engaged workforce that supports mission, vision, and values, promotes empowerment, equity and inclusion, and that benefits from the diversity of ideas, cultures, and thinking of your workforce.
  • Creating a performance management system that supports high performance, balances the needs of all workers, and considers the diversity in your workforce.
  • Designing a learning and development system that supports the personal development of workforce members as well as the organization's needs, considering the diverse needs of your workforce.
  • Managing career development and succession planning, considering the diverse needs of your workforce and promoting equity.

If attending “ala carte,” this workshop is $200 for PEN/WCPE members ($400 for non-members).  Teams of 3-4 members $175/each; teams of 5+ are $150/each. Investment for the full series is $1000 (for members only), prorated to $500 for this and the other two modules in the series.  If you are not yet a member, contact PEN to explore the value of membership, including "bundling" membership into the investment in this series!

The on-demand option is $100 per session (recording included for those attending live).

Series Schedule

For those interested in participating in the remaining modules in the full series (and benefiting from a series discount) – the rest of the series topics are here:

• Session 1 (Jan 10): Intro to DEI: Identifying & Mitigating Unconscious Bias
• Session 2 (Mar 13): Inclusive Leadership Systems
• Session 3 (May 8): Creating a More Inclusive, Equitable Work Environment (focused on areas such as recruiting/hiring, managing change, work accomplishment including job structure/design, more inclusive benefits & policies)
• Session 4 (July 10): Creating More Inclusive, Equitable Workforce processes (focused on areas such as embedding DEI into processes that drive workforce engagement, creating a more inclusive organizational culture, integrating DEI into performance management/accountability processes, integrating DEI into training & career development)
• Session 5 (Sept 18): Building DEI Into Customer-Facing Systems & Operations (focused on areas such as customer listening methods, segmentation, relationship management and fair treatment, access/support, satisfaction determination, design/management of key products and work processes, selecting/managing supply network)
• Session 6 (Nov 13): Integrating DEI Into Strategic Plans & Measuring DEI Efforts (focused on areas such as assessing intercultural competence, creating an inclusive planning process, balancing the needs of all stakeholders in strategic plans, creating action plans and allocating resources equitably, selecting metrics to evaluate/improve DEI efforts, integrating DEI into organizational scorecards and measurement systems)

All sessions will be 9AM-1PM CT and online.

Most of us — as leaders, professionals, and just people — understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion and realize that we need to make changes to improve our organizations and communities.  But change happens at an individual level, so come prepared to understand, identify, and address the unconscious biases we all have.