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Workforce Equity Plan Update City of Golden Valley Equity Plan In late 2016 the City joined the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) program, sponsored by the Center for Social Inclusion. GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. We joined the GARE program as a 2017 Introductory Cohort along with approximately 22 other government organizations in the Minnesota Twin Cities area. We have spent the past year developing a strategic vision and actionable goals to advance equity and inclusion, both internally and externally within our city. Our journey has taken us down a path to acknowledge our history, recognize where we are now, and make changes to enhance our future. Our first step was to create a Workforce Equity team. This team would engage with other GARE participants each month, receive significant education on racial inequity, and lead our City initiatives. The Workforce Equity Team is made up of the City’s senior management group, which includes: City Manager, Human Resources Director, Communications Manager, Finance Director, Physical Development Director, Parks and Recreation Director, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and one Police Sergeant. We felt it would serve our City best to have our leadership and decision-makers engrained in the program. Our next step was to come up with a team name. We were thoughtful and deliberate about the name we chose for our team, and decided upon “The Valley Values.” The City of Golden Valley’s “Valley Values,” are six core values that encompass who we are as a City, including who we hire, how we work every day, how we interact with each other and our community, and how we measure success. Each of our values is a key pillar of this work to establish an equitable and inclusive City. Our values: • Open Communication – We listen, share ideas, welcome input, and encourage transparency across the City and in the community. • Teamwork – We trust each other and work as a cohesive unit to resolve issues, build solutions, and achieve our shared goals. • Work/Life Balance - We dedicate ourselves to our work with the City, but are committed to a culture that embraces life outside of work. • Customer Focus – We strive to provide the highest level of service and treat everyone in our community with honesty and respect. • Know How – We have confidence in our abilities, promote life-long learning, and use the tools, resources, education, and training we need to be successful. • Positive Attitude – We approach every day with optimism and enthusiasm, celebrate our successes, and take pride in what we do. City of Golden Valley Equity Plan Our third step was to create a Race Equity Action Plan. At this point our team took a long look at our City demographics, and what equity means for us. We realized that we have an opportunity to make an impact on both our internal and external community by developing strategies directed toward inclusivity and equity for all. With that in mind, we crafted an Equity Plan to focus on our infrastructure, internal and external practices, community engagement, and public services. We recognize the need to openly examine and willingly engage together in advancing equality by committing to: 1. an infrastructure that supports and advances equity 2. fair and equitable hiring practices 3. providing impartial public service 4. a framework for inclusive community engagement The plan laid out below has projected goals, action items, leadership/accountability, performance measures, as well as a projected timeline. With the continued support of the Council, we, as the Valley Values Workforce Equity team, will lead the implementation of our Equity plan. Our implementation will at times be internally focused, and at other times will benefit from the input of our community members and stakeholders. Together we strive to establish a narrative of a truly inclusive, welcoming, and equitable City. City of Golden Valley Equity Plan Objective 1. Commit to an infrastructure that supports and advances equity. Action Items Notes Lead Performance Measure Progress Develop workforce equity team dedicated to workforce equity, with authority and ability to influence change and direction of the City Tim Completed Jan 2017 Design workforce equity plan Kirsten/ Vally Values Team Completed by end 2017 Review GV policies and procedures Conducting handbook review- do our policies reflect an open, diverse, equitable workplace? Kirsten Review of entire handbook – use racial equity tool when needed Review Valley Values Do our values reflect an inclusive,diverse, and equitable workforce? Kirsten/Cheryl Survey all staff Completed Summer 2017 Communication plan development How will we communicate our goals and action items to employees? Kirsten/Cheryl Deploy communication plan Provide ongoing employee training Train current staff on workforce equity – to understand the importance, and how each staff member plays a role. Kirsten/ Vally Values Team Staff attendance – all staff trained by end of 2018 Currently attending other trainings to determine path forward to training GV employees City of Golden Valley Equity Plan Objective 2. Commit to fair and equitable hiring practices. Action Items Notes Lead Performance Measure Progress Identify representation of diverse candidates in recruitment pools. Collect demographic data of applicants over past two years. Where do applicants find us? Basic demographics: race/ethnicity, gender, and age group. Kirsten Number staff information collected List recruitment sites Establish framework for inclusive and effective recruitment measures Using demographic information, identify areas for improvement in job posting locations. Review policies and practices for potential equity barriers (in hiring, retention, and upward mobility). Review recruitment practices and identify ways to enhance recruitment opportunities within diverse communities (eg, online postings, job fairs, and college and high school relations). Kirsten/ Vally Values Team Collected demographicinformation Number of policies reviewed Number of diverse posting locations identified Conduct initial and ongoing implicit bias training Reduce implicit bias in hiring by providing all supervisors/hiring managers with training. Vally Values Team Number of staff completed training Conduct benefit review Do our current benefits allow us to attract diverse candidates? Kirsten/ Vally Values Team City of Golden Valley Equity Plan Objective 3. Commit to providing impartial public service. Action Items Notes Lead Performance Measure Progress Review City contracts and RFP process to ensure elimination of racial biases and encourage minority involvement. Union labor/Davis Bacon/livable wages Tim/Marc/Sue / Rick/City Attorney Number of contracts/ agreements reviewed Ensure equity in our programming, services and facilities. Looking at both current inventory, and future projects for potential equity barriers. Rick/Vally Values Team Inventory of programs, services, and facilities and reviewed for potential barriers. Number of projects run through review for barriers prior to project completion Research and propose affordable housing standards. Tim/Marc City Council adopted Inclusionary Zoning resolution in October 2017 City of Golden Valley Equity Plan Objective 4. Commit to a framework of inclusive community engagement. Action Items Notes Lead Performance Measure Progress Develop communication plan for stakeholders and leverage relationships with community members who have existing ties with diverse organizations and can communicate equity goals. Including Council, commissions, boards, advisory groups. Communication plan should include other community members and groups. Vally Values Team Increase diversity in the commissions and advisory groups How can we increase diversity in these groups? Vally Values Team Demographics of board/commission members Continue community education and outreach Continue reviewing intitiaives that allow GV to connect with community. Valley Values Team Number of activities planned each year Number of touchpoints Attendance at events, open houses, public meetings, etc.