The Office of Human Resources has developed and embraced a plan which covers three key areas:
1) Work Environment Within the HR Team
2) Client Support for the College
3) Supplier Diversity
As a department of the Finance & Administration Division, this plan is not meant to override any divisional expectations or objectives. It should complement and make clear and specific, the intentions and results of the human resources staff.
Diversity at Dartmouth is meant to promote access, respect, inclusiveness, and community in all of Dartmouth's working and learning environments. Backgrounds, perspectives, socio-economic circumstances, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, military or veteran status are all examples of diversity that are considered within our plan.
The Office of Human Resources maintains policies of inclusion and non-discrimination. Our hiring practices reflect an active effort to attract, interview and hire individuals from broad backgrounds. We embrace different views and contributions to our collective work.
Our standard operating procedures within our team and as a service provider and leader in workplace standards include a commitment to diversity in the following areas:
Recruiting
Human Resources uses networking and a diverse range of advertising to inform qualified individuals of positions available in our department. Final slates should have a range of diversity including race/ethnicity, gender, industry and experience.
Interpersonal Relations
Opportunities to learn about differences are regularly incorporated into team meetings and retreats. HR staff participate in small team meetings on a regular basis, two full staff meetings a month (one internally focused and one externally focused) to allow for learning and sharing of information. Individuals whose expertise is critical, whose work is affected by the effort, or where professional growth is probable, may be invited to participate on project work across the department.
Internal Communications
Information sharing is encouraged among staff members through in-person, small and large group communication as well as written and email material. Professional language and tone should be used.
Accommodations
Reasonable effort will be made to accommodate the physical, mental or other needs of our staff. Specific equipment and supply needs may be requested through a supervisor. Flexible scheduling, where it is not a detriment to work assignments and department operations, may be arranged. Time and space for lactating mothers is offered.
Planning and Decision Making
Diversity, specifically programs and approaches supporting diversity, is one of HR's strategic goals. It follows with expectations outlined in individual staff workplans. Dissenting or alternative views will be explored, welcomed and noted in documentation of projects and efforts. Decisions about space for routine work, visitors, meetings, and events (including emergency plans) consider the implications and options for individuals with disabilities.
Enhancing Our Skills and Knowledge
HR is a subscriber to Diverse Issues in Higher Ed and Diversity, Inc., and our office regularly hosts webinars on diversity topics. Articles and resources are circulated regularly to staff on diversity ideas and programs in the human resources field. A wide range of publications which complement our work are available in a public area of the office. Team members are expected to read, learn and participate in on and off campus programs that support the advancement of diversity.
Performance Evaluations
A commitment to and tangible support of diversity is a competency in our departmental performance evaluations. Our role is to coach managers and employees on appropriate use of language, communication styles, medical issues and expectation for remaining up to date on diversity.
Campus Involvement
Our team is expected to act as role models by participating in and contributing to campus, community and professional diversity activities. HR staff participate in the Dartmouth Diversity Council, the MLK Planning Committee, the Tuck Diversity Conference, Housing Committee, Childcare initiatives, the Economic Equity Initiative, Black Caucus, BADA, GLBT, and other affinity groups. Staff regularly attend monthly Diversity forums held by OIDE. HR sponsors and annual employee event in celebration of MLK Day. HR staff are expected to participate in some way in a campus activity, whether observing an event, volunteering or interacting with a student group.
Office Décor, Events and Dress
Individual office space may incorporate the individual style of employees, including cultural or personal interests. Items should be in good professional taste where the number or intensity of items is not distracting to anyone's work or visits to our office. Special attention should be paid to the comfort and perceptions of our diverse range of customers. Where they may feel their views will not be welcomed or appreciated, staff may be asked to remove or deemphasize their décor. Public areas of the department should be warm and welcoming and may include a variety of pictures and objects representing the backgrounds and interests of employees. During the holidays, we have opted to use "winter" decorations rather than a particular religious holiday. These might include green wreaths or poinsettia plants.
Event planning includes attention to date and time conflicts with religious observances and parenting as well as themes being appropriate and inclusive. Food offerings at sponsored and internal include vegetarian options and requests are made for other dietary restrictions. Alcohol is generally not served at HR events. We reference the calendar of holidays and religious observations posted on the IDE website.
Dress should be professional and convey the credibility and expertise of the staff. Revealing, tight or casual clothing should not be worn at work or when representing HR or the College at events. Jeans are not typically considered professional office attire. We do encourage individual expression that does not distract us form our work and do not prohibit jewelry or attire that has religious significance.
As we provide expertise, services and have the position to influence the overall college work environment, we have a heightened duty around pay, benefits, employee relations, worklife and professional development.
Welcome efforts sponsored by Human Resources focus on the on-boarding and retention of staff, especially women and minorities. These efforts influence campus practices to alleviate unnecessary disparities. Materials have information that meets the needs of a broad audience.
Dartmouth maintains focused on being an "employer of choice" through the services, benefits, and public communications:
Recruiting
Employer image and job specific advertising is placed in publications and websites focused on women and minorities.
Formal relationships have been created with the National Black MBA Association, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, AARP, regional organizations, National Asian Professionals, Reaching Out (LGBT) to increase the diversity of our candidate pools. Our staff, along with others at the College, attend a wide range of career events with these associations.
The DC Career website http://jobs.dartmouth.edu, sponsored by HR, includes a page on diversity resources as well as information that would appeal to people with a variety of interests and concerns.
Our team assists departments seeking executive search support. We facilitate meetings with minority niche firms. A Senior Recruiter with a diversity focus has is employed to provide networking, sourcing and recruiting support.
HR provides interview questions to determine a candidate's commitment to diversity.
Work/Life Benefits
The HR Office sponsors events to enhance the employment experience and worklife balance such as the ArtWorks festival to feature diverse artistic works of staff across the College and the Wellness fair. Programs are offered about disabilities, eldercare, and family.
An annual report is published of utilization by our workforce of housing, childcare and other benefits for employees to have a transparent view of access.
HR administers and identifies health benefits which meet the diverse range of needs including hearing aids, breast pumps, artificial limbs and vision care.
Professional development offerings are available to employees of all levels, age and experience groups and backgrounds.
The HR staff participates in regional diversity meetings and events on behalf of Dartmouth.
The HR Office is designated as a pick-up site for OneDartmouth posters. Display them in our offices.
Care is given to language, particularly where "family" has many definitions. When discussing issues with employees, staff will be thoughtful of partners or other family members even if policies may preclude eligibility.
We value vendor and business relationships with women and minority owned enterprises. Specifically, in any bidding process, we partner with Procurement and actively seek MBE/WBE vendors.
We contract with a wide range of advertising, marketing, mediation and consulting services, including: Buyer Advertising, Clearwater Productivity, Strategis Marketing and Communications, Newman Tucker Group, DisputEd, Marjorie O'Reilly, EmployMoms, Aliquant, Symmatry Coaching, LayRoy Group, and Performance Change Initiatives.
Each new HR employee will receive the diversity plan as part of the on-boarding process. An annual discussion will occur at the senior team level and in an all staff meeting. Review of our successes and challenges will occur annually.
• Decrease disparities in time off benefits among employees
• Significantly reduce the use of exempt/non exempt label if it is not being used for actual FLSA requirements.
• Increase or establish support for employee networking and social groups
• Pursue the critical factors to be recognized for employer of choice awards
• Establish diversity competency as part of standard interviewing and performance evaluation criteria
• Understand and address, where possible, socio-economic issues facing our employees.
• Collaborate to offer diversity and compliance training across campus.
Our human resources dashboard will track the demographics of our hiring practices, both the candidate pools and the hiring decisions. If our efforts are successful, the depth of the pools will increase and we will see an increase in the number of minority hires. Over three year period, with the intended resources in place, we expect to see a 15% increase in the number of minorities in the pools and a 10% increase in hiring.
Documentation will be made of demonstrated diversity competency for all leadership hires.
Retention of minorities will improve by 20% based on welcome efforts, affinity groups, and After Hours programs.
Staff survey results will reflect a score of 3.5 or greater in the areas of acceptance by others of those with diverse backgrounds, unity among employees, and effective management of differences of opinion in workgroups.
At least 20% of our vendor contracts associated spending will go to minority-owned businesses.
