This module is the third of six in an ongoing Best Practices in DEI Series.  Each are intended to be stand-alone, or you can participate in the full series.  Dates and topics of other modules listed below.

Series Description

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 third module is Wednesday, May 8: “Creating a More Inclusive, Equitable Work Environment.” (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.  The series will be facilitated by five experts in DEI.

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 3 is May 8 from 9:00-1:00 CT and will focus on hardwiring the concepts of DEI into the work environment.

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 a work environment that supports high performance and that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion requires deliberate design in processes such as recruiting, onboarding, change management, and workplace climate.

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:

• • Assessing workforce capability and capacity (staffing levels), with the goal of creating a workforce that represents the market and communities you serve.
  • Creating more inclusive recruiting, hiring, and onboarding processes.
  • Creating more inclusive change management processes, that include consideration for diverse workforce with shifting work environments, new technology or redesigned work systems, new work structures.
  • Organizing and managing the workforce to capitalize on the organization’s core competencies and the diversity of ideas, cultures and thinking of its workforce, including DEI considerations in organizational design/structure, position descriptions, communication processes, and so forth.
  • Ensuring more inclusive benefits, services, policies, health, security, and accessibility for the workforce, including maximizing productivity by eliminating barriers that prevent people with disabilities (or ESL or other unique characteristics) from working to their potential.

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 $650 for this and the other three 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 (and if you missed any, email us for the videos on demand!):

• 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.

Biography

Trina has led Team Dynamics’ curriculum development; concretizing the tools and resources our clients need to thrive.  Trina Olson is a seasoned executive coach, equity expert, author, facilitator and trainer who has been leading teams and building content for more than 20 years. Learn more about her current coaching practice at www.TrinaOlson.com.

Trina’s professional history includes two-time executive director. Trina has built an impressive portfolio of national and regional policy and advocacy experience, centering a multitude of progressive issues, including: healthcare, hunger, living wage, immigration reform, transgender inclusive non-discrimination, and more. Trina is an expert adult-educator who has supported teams around the country to both improve their workplace culture and performance.

Trina is a Minnesotan who has also made her home in eighteen U.S. cities, including: Seattle, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. A queer, white, cis-gender woman, Trina is motivated by the ways job creators could be addressing the intersection of identity and workplace more creatively and consistently to address the pervasive inequities still at play across race and gender, in particular.

Trina is a frequently called upon thought leader and presenter. Trina has used her degree in communications to design winning fundraising, communications, and issue campaigns.

Trina is the author of Fairness in Philanthropy, Leveling the Playing Field for Our LGBTQ Neighbors, as well as, Seeking Safe Haven: LGBTQ People and the American Immigration Experience. Together, Trina and Alfonso have co-written a book entitled: A Guide to Disrupt Racism + Sexism in Hiring.  For more information on Team Dynamics, click here.