AGENDA #5b
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Follow-up to McKoy Study on Equal Opportunity and Work Environment
DATE: June 10, 2002
The purpose of this report is to report to the Council on planned follow-up to the McKoy study on equal opportunity and the work environment for Town employees.
BACKGROUND
During the planning session of January 19, 2001, a Council member requested that a process be developed by which we would obtain feedback from employees on work climate.
This goal was addressed by staff and resulted in the study and training which was conducted by Henry McKoy later that year. During planning sessions on January 18 and January 28, 2002, the Council discussed potential goals for 2002-2003. Some previous goals were selected for continuance. Among these are: Goal 9: Take follow-up actions recommended in the report by consultant Henry McKoy on Town work environment.”
The Town Council and 96% of the Town’s employees participated in diversity training provided by consultant Henry McKoy. This project also included conducting a confidential survey of employees regarding Town work environment. On February 25, the Council received a report from Mr. McKoy, an Assessment of Employee Input for Improving Equal Opportunity.
The report reviewed the comprehensive assessment of employee perceptions regarding fairness and equal opportunity which Mr. McKoy conducted at the Council’s request during the summer and fall of 2001.
The objectives of the Work Environment study were:
1. To acquire information regarding perceptions of equal opportunity within the Town’s workforce.
2. To strengthen the Town’s efforts to promote an environment of fairness.
3. To gain insights and ideas on ways the Town can ensure equality of opportunity.
A copy of the summary results of this study is attached. The entire report is available on the Town website at. www.townofchapelhill.org, in the Chapel Hill Public Library, in the Town Clerk’s Office and in the Town Human Resources Department.
FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
The McKoy study questionnaire was completed by 368 respondents, of which 281 were usable for analysis. This represents approximately 40% of the permanent employees of the Town. Responses from smaller departments were combined for purposes of preserving anonymity.
Major findings indicated that:
1. “Overall, Town employees surveyed perceive every citizen regardless of race or ethnicity has an equal opportunity to be employed.”
2. “The overall group of respondents perceive that males and females have the same opportunity.”
3. “Regarding employee perceptions that employees regardless of age have the same opportunity, the overall perception indicates agreement with 78% males and 84% females marking agree or strongly agree as their response.”
4. “Overall, most respondents indicate agreement that reasonable accommodations are made for the disabled.”
5. “The overall results for statement number five (5) showed agreement by a majority of respondents that Women of Color have the same opportunity as Caucasian Women if they meet the qualifications.” (Statement 5 asked employees to assess the statement: Women of Color and Caucasian women have the same opportunity if they meet the qualifications for the job.)
6. “Overall, the majority of respondents agree with statement number 6 regarding Men of Color having the same opportunity as Caucasian men.” (Statement 6 asked employees to assess the statement: Men of Color and Caucasian men have the same opportunity if they meet the qualifications for the job.)
7. “Regarding sexual orientation not affecting employment opportunities with Town, a majority of the overall group of respondents agreed with the statement.”
8. “Regarding the statement that all employees are treated fairly in promotional opportunities…There was general agreement that employees are treated fairly in promotional decisions among the majority of respondents in the overall survey.”
9. “The majority of respondents in the overall group agreed that religious affiliation is not likely to be an issue regarding employment opportunities…Generally departmental responses were similar with most departments indicating agreement with the statement.”
10. “The overall group in the survey perceive that they can openly discuss issues of unfairness with management.”
11. “Derogatory actions because of sexual orientation in our workplace: in the overall group surveyed, a large majority indicated they have not seen it occur in the workplace.”
12. “Derogatory treatment based on race in our workplace: A majority of the overall group sample indicated they have not seen it occur.”
13. “Sexual harassment in the workplace: A majority of the overall group chose “ I have not seen it occur” as their choice.”
14. In responding to the survey question ‘ How optimistic are you about progress being made in providing equal promotional opportunity on a scale of 1 to 10’, blacks as well as whites chose every level of the continuum from 1 to 10.”
Please see the text of the complete report for detail on variations in response among subgroups of employees.
CONCLUSIONS OF REPORT
The McKoy report concluded that “for the overall study, respondents rated Chapel Hill as a fine place to work and they perceive the Town as a fair place to work. It also states that “this study offers the Town an opportunity to identify positive areas as well as potential improvements that will lead to ensuring an environment of fairness throughout the workplace.”
IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ASSESSMENT
In the text of the final report, Mr. McKoy provided the following specific recommendations for further actions intended to improve the work environment for Town employees and enhance equal opportunity for all Town employees.
These included:
1.“Form an advisory committee comprised of employees and supervisors to review those cross cutting issues which affect each department and make recommendations to management for needed improvements, enhancements and strategies.”
· Action plan: An advisory committee consisting of Town employees from a variety of departments and representing a variety of work levels will be formed. The committee will be staffed by the Human Resources Department, and the Town Manager will meet with the committee regularly and will receive and consider recommendations concerning the work environment for Town employees and the enhancement of equal opportunity for all employees.
2. “Each department should stress policies affecting equality of opportunity at least once or twice a year.”
· Action Plan: Each department head will schedule and lead one or more meetings as necessary to involve all employees to discuss the survey results, affirm the Town’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for all and ensuring that all employees are treated equally without regard to age, sex, national origin, religion, race, color, marital status, affectional preference and non job-related disability.
3. “Survey results should be shared with all Town employees.”
Action: Survey results have been shared with all Town employees. Efforts to accomplish this included:
· a notice announcing the results in the employee newsletter “The Communicator”, published monthly.
· a written copy of the survey results was placed in a public area in each department.
· a copy of the survey results was placed in a public area in the Human Resources Department in Town Hall.
· survey results were made available on the Town’s website.
4. “Top management team should review survey results, suggestions and ideas and develop a plan for making any improvements identified or needed. The plan should include employee input in making improvements.”
Action: Management team has reviewed and discussed survey results and agreed to take further actions to make improvements, with employee input. Some specific actions are:
· Meetings will be held annually in each department to affirm the Town’s commitment to providing equal opportunity and ensuring that all employees are treated equally.
· Written communication of this message of commitment to equal opportunity will be made to all employees annually by the Town Manager. The message will request employees who feel they are not being treated fairly to use one of several avenues of reporting and addressing their issue. These include: a direct approach to the Town Manager, the Human Resources Director or the appropriate department head.
· Two new segments will be incorporated in the current supervisory training series the Town offers annually to supervisors and managers; these segments will address understanding cultural differences and communication across culture, the importance of treating all persons with dignity and respect and of striving for equal opportunities for all.
· In the 2003-2004 Town Budget, funds will be requested for a follow-up survey to assess the impact of these actions.
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CONCLUSION
We believe these initiatives will be effective in continuing the Town’s focus on these important issues, and will report to the Council quarterly on progress.
Note: Staff and management efforts will also continue to focus on a related Council goal, #33, which was to “increase the number of minorities in supervisory positions.” The staff will prepare a report for the Council about the make-up of the Town’s workforce over the past several years, including information about the number of minority employees occupying supervisory positions, as the beginning point for addressing this goal. We will provide this report in the second quarter of fiscal 2002-2003.
ATTACHMENT