Inclusive Employer Toolkit

All Minnesotans need opportunities for sustainable employment.

Context:

我们的国家和地区有着歧视和迫害的历史，导致了系统性和体制性的不公正. 在我们的社会中，有许多认同各种非主流的人忍受着这些不公正, under-resourced and underrepresented groups. These are neighbors with diverse abilities, races, sexual orientations, ages, genders, religions, first languages and more.  

Black, Indigenous, 许多世代以来，种族和民族多元化社区都面临着与白人邻居不成比例的逆境. Consequently, we see disparities in educational attainment, employment, income and wealth. Ramsey County has committed to an Economic Competitiveness and Inclusion Plan, prioritizing inclusion and equity in future investments and other actions related to housing, job creation, workforce development and place-based investments.

对于雇主和工作场所来说，认识到并解决组织内歧视和无意识偏见的影响是一项挑战.  需要可行的和独特的战略来满足不同社区和员工的需求. Yet, within these challenges lie tremendous opportunities and benefits for job seekers, employers and our community. 如果我们社区的所有成员都能在繁荣的工作场所获得高质量的工作，真正代表我们地区的多样性, our economy will be stronger. 研究证明，工作场所的多样性会让员工更有创新力，更容易解决问题.  

爱博体育手机版下载无与伦比的多样性是该地区增长和繁荣的资产和机会. Ramsey County is the most diverse county in the state with 35.5% of county residents identifying as Black, Indigenous, and racially and ethnically diverse, and an additional 7.5% identifying as Hispanic or Latinx. Additionally, 15.7% of residents are foreign-born and 10.6% speak a language other than English as their predominate language¹. 随着年轻人毕业并进入劳动力市场，当地的人才库将继续变得更加多样化.4% of students enrolled in K-12 education in Ramsey County are students of color (54.3% of all school enrollment across Pre-K through graduate school). As our community and workforce grows more diverse, 无论种族如何，工作场所都欢迎并响应这些变化，这对我们来说是必要的，也是有利的, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, economic status and other diverse backgrounds.

COVID-19 has dramatically shifted the way in which many employers operate, causing workplaces to reconsider and reassess how they work. Regardless of an employer’s sector, size, type, status or whether it’s union or non-union, we have an opportunity to create better systems to recruit, hire, welcome and retain employees more effectively. 该工具包提供了具体的最佳实践，各种规模和行业部门的雇主都可以实施，以创建多元化和包容性的工作场所. 

Advancing Equity

In an effort and commitment to address opportunity gaps affecting Ramsey County’s workforce, we recognize:  

• Equity is different from equality. 促进公平确保所有需要获得我们提供的机会和服务的人都能得到.
• 公平还承认，不同的社区成员得到了他们茁壮成长所需的独特支持.
• The pursuit of workforce equity acknowledges:
  • Ramsey County communities and surrounding area were established on Indigenous land. 
  • 阻碍基于种族的社区成员获得机会和成功的历史条件、结构和制度障碍, gender or perceived gender, ability, sexual orientation, age, incomes and other social conditions.
• 消除这些阻碍机会的结构性和制度性障碍，需要进行系统性变革，以便公平分配资源, access, information and other support to let people thrive. 

The following pages outline several equitable and inclusive best practices. 大多数适用于任何规模和类型的雇主，有些可能更适用于较大的雇主. 所有雇主都可以从这里列出的工具和资源中受益，并鼓励彼此之间以及与爱博体育手机版下载劳动力创新委员会分享额外的资源和最佳实践. 

[1] 2021 US Census Bureau 5-Year ACS Data accessed 2.23.2023 at: http://data.census.gov/table?t=School+Enrollment&g=0500000US27123

End Result:

撰写并传播一份招聘启事，让不同性别的人都能看到, abilities and non-dominant races and cultures. 

Suggested Metrics:

• Gather information about the demographics of those who apply. This information must be kept separate from the application and reviewed only after the hire is made.
• Track demographics of applicants such as gender, race, and geography, as well as source of job referral to monitor impact of recruiting efforts.

Best Practices:

Create Inclusive and Equitable Job Descriptions & Postings

Language and information

• Use language that appeals to everyone.
  • Use gender-neutral descriptions (i.e., firefighter vs. fireman).
  • Use plain language at a reading level accessible to all candidates.
  • 避免术语和习语，它们会给非英语母语者和其他群体造成本可避免的语言障碍. 
• Define the expectations of the job using ADA compliant vocabulary. Include an Equal Employment Opportunity statement.
• Include an Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement.

Wages

• Explicitly state wage rates in job postings. Withholding wage/salary ranges in job postings disadvantages women and people of color, who are less likely to succeed in negotiating salary than white male applicants. 

使用当前职位描述的基准工资率，以便根据每个职位的市场价值和申请人过去的工资来支付工资. This helps to alleviate the pay-gap inherent in many systems and promotes equal pay for equal work.

Employee Benefits Packages

It's time to think differently about what is offered to employees in the benefit arena. Classic benefits of health care, retirement, vacation, etc. are critical. However, 增加创新福利，帮助员工平衡和抵消工作和家庭生活中的成本，并为职业发展提供资源，这些都使雇主在吸引和留住员工方面脱颖而出. Consider these ideas, particularly for your entry level or lower wage employees:

• Transportation - provision of transit passes, paid parking, carpool coordination, payment for back-up/emergency rides with ride share companies or taxi.
• Offset household or life expense - this may include gift cards, direct payments and/or scholarships. Employers may use other means of helping with costs that are not included as wages. Consider gift cards for grocery stores or summer camps for employee children, payment to providers for employee’s cell phone or internet, be creative.
• 预付学费而不是报销——低收入家庭通常没有资源来支付教育费用, credentialing and further training even if they will get reimbursed following the training. Employers may pay the trainer directly to help these employees.
• 财务咨询和教育-主动和专门的资源，为员工学习如何管理他们的短期和长期的财务.   
• 儿童和老人护理——直接向提供者提供补贴或付款（也可能为雇主提供税收优惠），并为后备护理提供资源.

Job requirements

• 评估工作的真正必要性，然后在招聘启事和/或工作描述中清楚地说明这些要求.
  • Common job requirements that may not be necessary: Driver’s license, high school diploma/GED, specific degree or field of study, personal vehicle, physical requirements, etc. 
  • 考虑使用短语“获得可靠的交通工具”而不是“获得个人车辆”.” 
  • Carefully consider if a college degree is required for the job. Whenever possible, allow years of work/life or military experience in lieu of a college degree. 
  • State essential and specific physical demands and the frequency expected to fulfill them. 
  • State whether a drug test, criminal background check, and/or credit check will be conducted as part of the application process. 

Applications

• Accept paper applications.
• Provide ways to access applications through publicly accessible computers.
• Have staff available to support job seekers in completing their application.

Best Practices:

Expand Job Posting Locations and Strategy

Sourcing Talent

• Post to reach a maximum audience.
• Broaden your list of where you post jobs to reach a variety of audiences. Leverage local networks, such as:
  • Job Connect.
  • Eastside Employment xChange.
  • LOCUS.
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
  • Mossier – LGBTIQA+ hiring events.
  • College Central Minnesota State.
  • Post on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
  • Post on MinnesotaWorks.
  • Host a virtual or in-person hiring event at CareerForce.
  • Build relationships with community organizations to cast a wider net.
  • Build relationships with community training providers to access recently trained workers.
  • Connect with local school district career pathways programs.
  • Provide a youth work experience or internship through the Right Track program or one of our youth and young adult programs.

Interviews and other screening

• Set clear criteria to determine which criminal offenses would exclude someone from employment.
• Do not consider arrests - they are not proof of guilt.
• Do not ask about conviction records. If you must, commit to carefully evaluating the relevance of criminal convictions specific for each job.
• Follow recommendations from the Minnesota Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Guide.
• 创建一个豁免程序，允许有犯罪背景的申请人根据明确的因素要求特殊考虑，例如在社区合作组织的注册或完成认可的课程.

Physical Environment and Marketing

• Highlight your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies as an introduction to the organization.
• 在前门/窗户和组织的网站上贴一个彩虹旗贴纸，表示LGBTQ+个人有一个安全的空间.
• Make sure pictures on your website represent all types of employees to show diversity and inclusion.
• Choose art to hang in the office that represents diverse artists and themes.
• 仔细考虑公司网站和材料上的政治立场是否支持多样性和包容性.
• 在招聘启事或招聘网站上附上一封求职信或总结文件，突出职场文化, particularly as it relates to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Tools and resources

• How to attract diverse and qualified candidates - CareerForce.
• Writing accommodating job descriptions.
• Which Benefits Do Employees Really Want? (10+ Companies With the Best Benefits) - Bamboo HR
• 17 Innovative And Trendy Employee Benefits That Actually Work - Forbes
• 31 Unique Employee Benefits that Your Employees Will Love - IncentFit
• Creating an inclusive job posting - CareerForce.
• Federal plain language guide.
• A guide to indigenous land acknowledgement - Native Governance Center.
• Integrate pronouns into your recruiting process - Seen at Work. 

End Result:

To mitigate and prevent unconscious bias in screening, interviewing, and hiring candidates.

Suggested Metrics:

• Once the hiring process is over, 审查申请人的人口统计数据，以记录从确定的群体中申请和面试的候选人人数.
• 跟踪那些面试者和最终被录用者的人口统计数据，为下一个招聘期制定改进目标.

Best Practices:

Create multiple and accessible career entry points

• 创建或确定要求较低和/或消除进入障碍的入门级职位. 将这些职位作为公司的切入点，并为其提供清晰的晋升机会.
• Develop “grow your own” programs that integrate on-the-job training into all positions, especially those at the entry level.
• Create internship positions and ensure adequate training and supervision is provided to create a meaningful experience.
• Build an apprenticeship program to offer earn-while-you-learn job opportunities and ensure a continuous pipeline of skilled workers. 
• Consider hybrid employment for roles that do not require 100% in office time.
• 通过联系附近的高中，与职业和技术教育项目建立联系，尽早与未来的工人建立联系. These programs offer job site tours and connection to real-world experience for youth.

Best Practices:

Pay close attention to the candidate experience.

Interviews and other screening

• Assure the interview team includes diversity and utilizes at least one person from another team, department, or partnering organization.
• Ensure the hiring team has had training on awareness and prevention of implicit bias.

Interview process

• Audit the interview process for potential bias.
• Consider blind hiring techniques. Remove or code the applicant’s name, gender, and address prior to reviewing applications.
• Utilize uniform or standard interviewing methods, including asking the same questions of all candidates.
• Determine whether follow-up questions will be allowed.
• 使用一致的尺度或标准来评估所有候选人的面试表现.
• Develop a threshold for permitting grammar and spelling mistakes on resumes/applications, when applicable.
• 包括面试问题，关于申请人与不同背景的人一起工作的经历，以及展示他们对公平/包容的承诺的例子.
• 通过允许面试官就应聘者的得分写下评论来收集额外的定性信息. 
• 回顾面试小组的意见，以评估内隐偏见是否可能是候选人评估的一个因素，并跟踪培训，以避免在未来. 
• Adequately plan for time and ensure enough time is allowed for the candidate to ask questions. 
• Schedule 15 minutes between each candidate to allow the interview panel time to fully debrief.
• Allow 15-30 minutes before the interview begins for a candidate to review interview questions, the job description, or a summary of key duties.
• Be prepared to talk about your diversity and inclusion activities, initiatives, and/or goals in the interview.
• If appropriate, include a work or skills test/evaluation as part of the interview process. Inform the candidate that this will occur prior to the interview. Set clear criteria for how this will be scored and its weight in the hiring process. 

Interview technology

• Provide candidates with the organization’s remote interview protocol or best practices in advance, addressing camera, microphone, and operating system requirements, backgrounds, whether the chat box will be open, etc. 
• 如果技术故障或候选人没有电脑/互联网接入，提供其他方法进行虚拟面试.
• Whenever possible, include a default phone-in option for virtual interviews.
• Consider in-person alternatives to virtual interviews, such as drive-through application/interview events.

Best Practices:

Be transparent and objective.

Making a hiring decision

• Award points for additional factors such as relevant experience/background, addition of skills currently lacking on the work team, or bringing a unique perspective to the organization.
• Avoid evaluating subjective factors like “good fit” or “professionalism,” or giving a likeability score in the point system.
• Keep records detailing why candidates were or were not selected. 
• 允许候选人有机会要求了解他们没有被选中进入下一阶段的原因.
• Solicit candidate feedback on their experience with the interview process.

Best Practices:

Skills Based Hiring.

基于技能的招聘是一种基于技能评估候选人的招聘方法, rather than on their education or past work experience. Advantages of Skills Based Hiring include:

• Increased quality of hires by matching applicant skills and competencies to job duties.
• 通过挖掘因缺乏正规教育而经常被忽视的申请人，扩大人才库，增加人才管道的多样性.
• Reduction of bias when skills are objectively measured and matched to roles for each applicant. 
• Improved employee retention as skills align with assigned and changing roles.

Tools and resources

• Recognizing hidden bias in recruiting and hiring - CareerForce.
• A guide to inclusive hiring - city of Minneapolis (pg. 4 - “Evaluate Your Current Practice: The Recruiting Cycle”).
• Equitable hiring tool - City of Madison, WI.
• Minnesota employer’s fair chance hiring guide - Twin Cities R!se.
• Can blind hiring improve workplace diversity? – Society of Human Resources Management.
• 7 practical ways to reduce bias in your hiring process - Society of Human Resources Management.
• Free Harvard implicit bias test.
• Ready for success: Adopting a skills mindset in employment practices toolkit – Society of Human Resource Management.
• Skills-based practices – Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
• Importance of pronouns and inclusive language in hiring - Clovers.
   

End Result: 

Establish two-way communication with new hires and supervisors. Ensure new hires feel welcomed into an inclusive workplace.  

Suggested Metric: 

在试用期结束后，利用入职调查来评估有效性并确定改进的机会.

• Ask employee to evaluate and rate: 
  • Satisfaction with each orientation component/module/activity.  
  • Organizational culture.  
  • Their level of feeling welcomed. 
• Match survey questions to key components of the onboarding plan.  
• Consider ways to conduct the survey that will elicit honest feedback without fear of consequences. For example, 考虑让人力资源部或其他部门的中立第三方接收和审查反馈并提出建议.  

Best Practices

Onboarding is well-planned, thoroughly communicated and focused on relationship building. 

Clear and comprehensive onboarding process/orientation plan.

• Draft a written orientation plan that includes: 
  • Human resources paperwork. 
  • Overview of the organization, including review of the organizational chart. 
  • Building walk-through. 
  • Face-to-face introduction to key staff.
  • One-on-one conversations with peers/primary coworkers integrating training content. 
  • Connection to other recent hires. 
• Eat lunch together at a specific time and location on first day.
• 在新员工入职培训期间进行公开对话，分享领导和新员工之间的沟通和学习方式. 
• 通过让团队或部门的每个人完成相同的自我评估，让每个人都用相同的语言来理解优势和差异，并使这种自我评估成为培训的一部分. Consider:
  • Strengths Finder. 
  • Myers Briggs.
  • Learning Styles Inventory. 
• Draft a work plan that includes a specific schedule of meetings, tasks and deadlines for the first two to three weeks of work.    

For hiring manager/team

• Set clear performance expectations. 
• Provide details of the role within the organization and job responsibilities. 
• 确保新员工的工作空间在第一天之前已经完全设置好，并且所有与工作相关的需求都已经评估和满足.

For organization/Human Resources

• Provide a Request for Accommodations Form or a similar protocol prior to the first day and ensure accommodations are in place.  
• Prioritize an inclusion program as part of orientation. 
• Share an Inclusion Statement before or during the first week of employment.  
• Communicate established workplace norms, including ‘unspoken rules.’ Norms often include lunch hour expectations, dress code, tardiness, cell phone usage, perfume use, etc.  
• Send new hires individual welcome communications from leadership.  
• Encourage personal outreach from colleagues during first week of work.  
• Clearly define and share the organization’s approach to conflict management.  
• Provide and review information on how to report discrimination or harassment. 

Professional growth planning

• Establish a culture of continued learning and professional development from day one. 
• Have supervisors and new employees work together to create professional growth plans. Review plans at least once a year to revise and note progress. 
• 为专业发展预留预算，并对员工如何要求培训支持提供具体指导. 

Tools and resources 

• Virtual Onboarding and Cultivation Guide – The New Teacher Project.
• New Employee Onboarding Guide - Society of Human Resource Management.
• Onboarding Tools - Human Resources Today.
• Onboarding Remote Workers - Workable. 

End Result: 

To retain high-quality and diverse staff and to promote diversity into positions of leadership.  

Suggested Metrics: 

• Conduct an employee satisfaction survey or stay interview to measure qualitative work values like trust, comfort and feeling valued. Have a protocol in place for following up on responses.  
• Keep data on retention and set a goal for retention rate.  
• 对所有离开公司的员工进行离职面谈，评估需要改进的地方.  
• Keep data on diversity in leadership roles. Ensure that any data revealing racial disparities is addressed concretely, sufficiently and in a timely manner.   

Best Practices:

Strong relationships through mentoring and inclusion.

For hiring manager/team

Relationships and welcoming environment 

• Check in and tend to the emotional, personal, and professional needs of coworkers/employees (especially during/after major events). 
• Understand and respect that different people will need different kinds of support. 
• Humanize the workplace with more meaningful one-on-one and team interactions. 
• 在日常工作之外，为建立关系和团队创造机会. 
• Reward and recognize employees who have made positive contributions to the team and organization. 
  • Recognition doesn’t have to be formal or public. Show appreciation when someone goes above and beyond and acknowledge extra effort. 
  • Recognize small successes and accomplishments. 

Mentorship and promotion

• Create opportunities for employees to practice leadership by leading team or department meetings, chairing committees, or serving on boards and commissions. 
• 有意识和主动地指导有领导潜力的员工，使他们为在组织中担任领导角色做好准备. 
• Be clear and consistent on promotion processes and timelines. 

Inclusivity

• Use inclusive language. 
• Try to ensure voices, especially those of underrepresented demographics, are included and empowered at all levels of decision making.  . 
• Create intentional spaces to uncover the experiences, sentiments and needs of employees of color.  
• Create an expectation that all employees challenge biased, racist and xenophobic behaviors in the moment, especially in team settings.  
• Be strategic in planning for internal gatherings. 
  • Ensure location, time of day, and food and beverage choices are accessible for all staff. 
  • 请记住，有些员工可能有家庭责任，这使得他们很难在工作时间之外参加活动. 
  • Make events that include consumption of alcohol optional, and always provide non-alcoholic options. 
  • 如果会议/活动在不同地点举行，确保所有员工都有交通计划. 
• 明确邀请非主导文化的员工创造和贡献组织文化和规范, such as holiday parties, recognized holidays, and social events. 
• Have an open door policy.
• Include frontline staff in decision making when appropriate. 

For organization and Human Resources

Relationships and welcoming environment 

• Facilitate formation of employee affinity groups (new parents’ groups, culture or ethnic specific groups, LGBTIQA+ employee groups). 
• Encourage self-care and work-life balance. 
• Have systems in place to allow employees to submit feedback and report problems in the workplace. 跟进投诉或问题，并沟通解决问题所采取的措施.  

Mentorship and promotion

• Create and encourage opportunities for employees to receive relevant mentorship. 
• Mentorship does not always have to be internal. Help match employees with mentors either within or outside the organization. 
• 有意识和主动地指导有领导潜力的员工，使他们为在组织中担任领导角色做好准备. 
• Be clear and consistent on promotion processes and timelines. 
• 通过提升和雇用不同的员工担任高级职位，建立一个多元化的领导团队. 
• Conduct stay interviews to understand what is important to employees (must establish trusted two-way communication). 

Inclusivity and diversity

• Create a Reasonable Accommodation Policy. 
• Have a process for employees to request accommodations. 
• Budget for providing workplace accommodations. 
• Implement a 360 Review for leadership staff. 
• Work with diversity and inclusion experts in your area to provide consultations and/or trainings. 
• 为主管提供多元化管理培训，使他们对自己管理与自己不同的人的能力充满信心. 
• Have all staff and managers participate in an Intercultural Development Inventory. 

Equity

• Compare pay of black, 土著和种族多元化的员工与白人员工的薪酬平等. 
• Audit the diversity and equity implications of all talent decisions (i.e., promotions, layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts). 
• 创建灵活的工作时间表和/或远程工作策略，并允许异步工作时间表，如果适用的话. 

Tools and resources 

• Fostering an Inclusive Workplace Equity Toolkit for Restaurant Employers - race forward.
• Hidden Bias: Retention Strategies - CareerForce. 
• Sustaining an Inclusive Workplace -– CareerForce. 
• Biases, Microaggressions and Code Switching Recording- CareerForce. 
• Words Matter: Guidelines on using inclusive language in the workplace - British Columbia Public Service. 
• How Orgs Can Respond to Racism - Team Dynamics. 
• Age-Friendly Employer Guide- The Encore Network.
• A-Z of Disabilities and Accommodations - Job Accommodation Network. 
• Beyond Diversity: A Roadmap to Building an Inclusive Organization - Green 2.0. 
• Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund (ERAF) - DEED.
• 211 Resource Directory.
• Guide to Employee Financial Wellness.

Ramsey County Inclusive Workplaces Cohort 

The Inclusive Workplaces Cohort 帮助雇主成为更具包容性的工作场所，同时扩大我们社区的多样性，作为经济增长的工具. 爱博体育手机版下载的企业参加了为期一年的同伴学习社区，目标是促进公平, diversity and inclusion in their organizations.  Facilitated by ADR Consulting, 该团队旨在帮助企业利用和维持一支包容性的员工队伍，从而推动更好的底线结果. There is no cost to participating businesses.

Background and contextual information 

• Racial Equity Index - Center for Economic Inclusion.
• Employer Resources to Build an Inclusive Workplace - CareerForce. 
• Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgement – U.S. Department of Arts & Culture. 
• How to get Serious About Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace - Janet Stovall TED Talk. 
• Economic Disparities Information and Data - CareerForce. 
• Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace: A Recruiter’s Guide - Built In. 
• Equity Definitions and Glossary of Terms - Racial Equity Tools.
• Where Did BIPOC Come From? - The New York Times. 
• Hidden Bias in the Workplace - Career Force. 
• What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws - U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• What are structural, institutional and systemic racism? - KGO-TV San Francisco. 
  • Article and video clip (3:51). 
  • W. Kamau Bell discussion about racism and demonstrations (29:54). 
  • Round-table discussion about race, equity, and justice (59:14).