Diversity Plan

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Diversity Plan

Action Plans | Contacts | Introduction

Action Plans for Strategic Diversity Goals

Increase Employee Engagement and Participation in Development and Diversity Efforts.

• Identifying ways to increase the participation and engagement of employees who have previously experienced barriers accessing and benefiting from the Port’s employee development and diversity efforts.
• Continuing to leverage the work of those employees with greater involvement in employee development and diversity initiatives and activities.
• Finding alternate ways to make development and diversity issues more relevant and appealing to a broader range of employees.

Strengthen the Relationship Between Labor and Management and Foster Mutual Understanding and a Shared Excitement about the Port’s Purpose Among Both Represented and Salaried Employees.

• Engage external labor as a partner in jointly creating (and implementing) a shared vision of the Port’s relationships with the broader labor community.
• Reinvigorate the Total Workforce (One Port) Philosophy within the organization by redefining this philosophy and articulating what this philosophy means for day-to-day practice.

Improve the Ability of All Leaders and Especially Those at Mid to Senior Levels to Lead and Manage by Example – to Genuinely “Walk the Talk” of our Port Leader Competencies and Core Values.

Help all Leaders become better Developers of Employees, Increase Employee Ownership for Self-Development, and Align Employee Development with Strategic Staffing Needs and Business Goals.

Contacts

Human Resources and Development

Rosalee Walz, Director, Human Resources and Development
206-728-3293

Marjorie Hillson, Manager, Consulting Services
206-728-3306

Cynthia Alvarez, Diversity Specialist
206-728-4508

Annalee Luhman, Learning and Leadership Manager
206-728-3204

Contract Compliance:
Rene Finnie, Contract Compliance,
206-728-3863

Introduction

A team of Port staff members, diverse in roles and background, wrote the Strategic Diversity Plan. They came together to frame a response to a variety of data gathered from employee surveys, forums and interest groups. Although this data had been gathered over several years, common issues arose each time. For instance, employees perceived a need for changes in hiring and promotional practices, so that the results would reflect the Port's commitment to diversity. Similarly, employees saw a need for more systematic approaches to training and development programs. In general, the data showed that Port employees wanted to work in an organization that clearly valued diversity at every level. Moreover, they wanted to see values translated into actions that could be monitored and measured over time.

The team also understood that the Port's approach to diversity should encompass customer service and community issues, along with those related to the work force.

Over a period of months, the diversity team -- with a mandate from, and the active participation of senior leaders -- worked through a process that produced the Strategic Diversity Plan. Steps included defining the term "diversity," analyzing available data, articulating goals, researching best diversity practices and formulating action items to reach the goals.

Affirmative action, diversity and employee and customer satisfaction -- as well as community outreach -- are related and complex issues. All played a part in the thinking, debate and decision-making of the diversity team. No single person, department or team can implement the Strategic Diversity Plan. However, when all of us at the Port work together, we can make the action items a reality.