What is diversity?
Diversity typically refers to differences. At the City of San Diego, those differences include visible characteristics such as age, race, gender, and some physical disabilities. In addition, diversity includes differences which are often not always visible such as sexual orientation, religion, language, some physical and mental abilities, socio-economic class, and education. Diversity includes differences we are born into, such as national origin or geographic region of the United States, and differences we develop over our lives, such as attitudes, job skills, expertise, and talents. Diversity in the workplace acknowledges that employees have many characteristics that make each person different from some people, and similar to other people. Appreciation of diversity is about learning to value the ways we are different from each other, in addition to valuing the ways we are similar. Appreciation of diversity means an organization is taking proactive steps to create and support an organizational culture where all employees are welcomed, included, and encouraged to bring the best of what they have to offer.
What is the Diversity Commitment?
The Diversity Commitment is a citywide effort to create and support a workplace environment that values differences and similarities. The Diversity Commitment is the sponsor of citywide programming, policies, training, special events, and resource sharing, to address the many ways our organization is affected by a diverse workforce. Because of societal pressures such as prejudice and discrimination, making diversity work takes effort and ongoing commitment. All aspects of our job duties are affected by the diversity of the people doing them, whether it is interviewing and hiring, working with others on teams, solving problems, working with community members, or fixing mistakes. Careful planning and implementation is required to provide programming and policies that address the needs of a diverse workforce. Proper training and education is necessary to help employees at all levels gain the skills to work effectively with others in a diverse environment. It takes practice to value differences, and the results mean better team work, more effective information sharing, more effective problem solving, all leading to greater productivity. In addition, when we learn about differences we are more able provide respectful, culturally appropriate services to internal (City employees) and external (City residents and visitors) customers.
Why does the City have a special program devoted to diversity issues?
People in any organization are a product of the society they live in. Our society, like most societies, has a history of problems related to diversity. As a result, prejudice and discrimination continue to haunt most organizations and the individuals working in them. Proactive effort is necessary to address prejudice and discrimination, and create structures and provide strategies for valuing differences. Education and training is only part of the solution. Organizations must adjust processes and systems in order to demonstrate a value for the diversity that continues to grow in the workplace. Through deliberate actions, an organization can maximize on the diversity that is present, instead of just tolerating it. Additionally, organizations known for valuing diversity and inclusive leadership are more able to attract and retain the best and brightest talent from all communities. The City of San Diego needs an ongoing supply of creative, hard working, talented new employees in order to ensure its ongoing success.
What are the cost benefits of the Diversity Commitment program?
The Diversity Commitment reduces costs to the organization in many ways. On an individual level, when people have problems working together in teams or problems communicating effectively with each other, morale declines and productivity suffers. An organization which values diversity is marked by lower turnover rates, fewer hiring costs, and a decrease in absenteeism. On a systemic level, when an organization's culture defines success according to one group's approach to work and communication style, everyone who is "different" is placed at a significant disadvantage, affecting the entire organization's effectiveness. An organization which values diversity has systems in place which ensure that all employees have an opportunity to be successful. This is marked by less conflict and more effective communication, resulting in cost savings due to higher productivity. An organization which values diversity has policies and processes which ensure that all employees are welcomed to bring the best of what they offer. This leads to better problem solving, more effective teamwork, and more creativity, resulting in cost savings due to higher productivity and higher efficiency.
How many staff does the Diversity Commitment have?
One City staff person is dedicated to The Diversity Commitment. The program also utilizes graduate student interns from local universities to accomplish specific projects.
What is the difference between the Diversity Commitment and the Equal Employment Investigations Office?
The Diversity Commitment is a proactive program that seeks to provide education and resources for employees on diversity-related issues. The Equal Employment Investigations Office (EEIO), on the other hand, is responsible for the administration of the City's internal program for the investigation and resolution of complaints or charges of unlawful discrimination based upon Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
What about the Equal Employment Opportunity Contracting program? Is that the same as the Diversity Commitment?
The Diversity Commitment is different than the Equal Opportunity Contracting Program, which originally sought to increase the participation of minority and women-owned business enterprises in the City's contracting process. Since its establishment in the mid-1980s, the City's Equal Employment Opportunity Contracting program has evolved in response to court rulings and developments in the law, most notably the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996. However, the City's commitment to ensuring fair and equal access to City of San Diego contracting opportunities has not changed.
