PSY-FPX6710_Wood-LeclercEmily_Assessment4-1

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INTERVENTION PROPOSAL Diversity Intervention Proposal to Address Job Performance and Satisfaction Emily J. Wood-Leclerc Capella University PSY-FPX6710 November 29, 2023 1

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL Abstract Having a systematic framework to guide diagnosis processes of an organizations culture and climate is highly beneficial for organizational leaders. It enables them to document and analyze the various dimensions within the roles, responsibilities, and relationships among their employees. An effective and inclusive diversity intervention plan considers the needs of the organization and its stakeholders, existing and future employees, environmental context and individual attributes of the workplace, and clear measurable expectations of the intervention. I/O psychology is able to provide a framework to successfully implement training, ERGs, policy changes, and how to measure the effectiveness of the intervention. 2

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL Introduction The following document is a diversity intervention proposal to identify and form an actionable plan to address job performance and satisfaction within Company G. The 100-year- old company is a global company with roughly 5,000 employees and an additional 800 new hires that are new immigrants from Serbia, most of who are working in the same department of the organization. The large manufacturing company has a demographic that includes males (60%) and females (40%), with female representation growing. Ethnically, the company is comprised of U.S.-born Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics. Geographically, most office locations are in the U.S., with a handful spread from India to Asia, all with minimum education requirements and English-speaking ability. Generationally, employee ages span from traditionals to millennials. The company's goal is to increase overall performance and effectiveness by evaluating the health of the organization’s diversity. The proposal below will include recommended interview discovery and clarification questions, type of intervention, recommended methodology for data collection and analysis, professional standards, anticipated results, and a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Interview To formulate a proposal that will be effective and beneficial for the organization, key information will be needed from leadership to adequately analyze the health of organizational culture and climate. Conte and Landy (2018) reference research that shows the concepts of organizational culture and organizational climate, while individual concepts, overlap significantly. The term “climate” in relation to the workforce was coined by Lewin, Lippitt, and White in 1939 and is “a shared perception among employees regarding their work entity: a 3

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INTERVENTION PROPOSAL particular organization, division, department, or workgroup” (Conte & Landy, 2018, p. 550). Organizational “culture” gained more awareness by the 1970’s as it was generally accepted the term “climate” wasn’t sufficient to capture values and meaning beyond actions. Culture is defined as “a system in which individuals share meanings and common ways of viewing events and objects” (Conte & Landy, 2018, p. 551). To understand both accurately, it is important to ask the right questions through an informal interview or leadership focus group. The questions below are intended to help identify the current state of the organizational culture and climate, as well as the potential goals of the organization. When conducting the interviews, either individually or through a focus group, strive for equal representation between gender, ethnicity, location, and department. Having the diverse perspectives of each will help identify true gaps. Questions 1. What diversity and inclusion initiatives are currently in place within the organization? 2. Can you provide details about the diversity programs, training, or policies currently implemented? 3. What diversity metrics are being tracked and how often are these updated? 4. Can you provide data on representation at different organizational levels? 5. Have employees been surveyed or provided feedback regarding the inclusivity of the workplace? 6. What are the key concerns or suggestions raised by employees regarding diversity and inclusion? 7. How committed is the leadership team to promoting DEIB? 8. Are there specific goals or expectations related to diversity set by leadership? 4

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL 9. What diversity training programs are currently in place for employees and leaders? 10. Are there opportunities for ongoing education on DEIB topics? 11. How do leaders currently demonstrate inclusive leadership practices? 12. Are there specific leadership behaviors that contribute to or hinder diversity and inclusion? 13. Are there existing Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)? If so, what is their role in fostering diversity and inclusion and how are they supported by the organization? 14. What policies and procedures are in place to ensure inclusivity and mitigate bias? 15. How are these policies communicated to employees? 16. How is information about DEIB communicated throughout the organization? 17. Are there ongoing communication strategies to raise awareness about DEIB related issues? 18. How does the organization consider intersectionality in its diversity initiatives? 19. Are there specific challenges related to overlapping dimensions of diversity? 20. What budgetary considerations should be considered for proposed diversity interventions? 21. What is the desired timeline for implementing diversity interventions? 22. Are there urgent DEIB issues that need immediate attention? Intervention When integrating new teams, or going through an organizational change, leaders will want to pre-emptively address potential challenges and provide training to their leaders and teams to mitigate multicultural differences. The news is full of examples that show the danger of what can happen when the differences between people are not accepted (Bezrukova et al., 2016). 5

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL This proposal will recommend three methods of intervention to be used as stepping stones to a greater diversity and inclusion initiative within Company G. The reason for this is because of the extensive research that shows training alone is not enough to make a difference in an organization's culture and climate (Chang et al., 2019). The first step will be to provide diversity training to all in the company, and additional inclusive leadership training for people managers. Training intervention should be multidimensional, encompassing the fundamentals of interpersonal diversity and effective training practices. When addressing diversity in the workplace, the training should include (but is not limited to) cultural competence, handling difficult and uncomfortable situations, creating awareness of and reducing bias, discrimination, and prejudice, and enhancing overall skills and motivation to interact with other social groups (Bezrukova et al., 2016). When creating training, the Kirkpatrick model recommends starting with the desired result first and then working back from there. In this example, one desired outcome of diversity training would be to foster inclusion within multicultural teams to ensure cohesion for maximum productivity. The learning objective could be as follows: after this training, managerial learners will be able to resolve conflict effectively and efficiently with team members of varying cultural backgrounds (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2013). Examples of trainings rolled out by other Fortune 500 companies include allyship skills workshops, decoding bias and microaggressions, and mental illness and neurodiversity in the workplace (Biro, 2022). The second step is to create safe spaces for your employees. Creating Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) is a largely accepted method to create a space for people to feel they can bring their whole selves to work. If they already exist within the company, review the underrepresented identities (URIs) represented. Ensure that the right resource groups are 6

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INTERVENTION PROPOSAL available and supported with the influx of new hires into the company. Currently, there isn’t a significant amount of research available on the impact of ERGs on performance; however, the success of ERGs has been tied directly to social impact theory (SIT). This theory, developed by Bibb Latane in the late 1970’s, is a theoretical framework that explores how individuals influence and are influenced by the actions and presence of others in a social context (Welbourne et al., 2017). In a study done by Welbourne et al. (2017), they discovered that the success of ERGs is currently tied directly to the D&I goals of companies and can also positively impact job satisfaction and performance. This is largely attributed to a person's psychological safety and ability to validate their identity by being provided the space to be themselves in the workplace. Added layers of psychological safety create an opportunity for individuals to take more risks they might not have otherwise. For example, in a meeting of six white men and one black female, the female is less likely to speak up and voice their opinion. However, one black female is more likely to speak up in a group composed of six white women because of the like- themselves phenomenon. In this case, the intersectionality for the group would be the female gender. ERGs have the capability to shift the power dynamic to URIs and provide space for individuals in these communities to gain confidence. Additionally, ERGs take it a step beyond affinity groups as they are more likely to receive company support through budget, executive sponsorships, and greater involvement in policy influence (Welbourne et al., 2017). Lastly, leaders should conduct a policy audit to review and revise policies to ensure they promote diversity. Such policies include recruitment, promotion, anti-discrimination policies, and accommodations for people with disabilities. There are various methods for reviewing existing policies. Mcdonald et. al. (2008) recommend forming an ethics committee to review policy components such as language, legal compliance, and that the policies meet the needs of 7

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL the organizational workforce. The committee may identify potential gaps, in which the committee and the company will form an action plan and implementation process, including necessary training for relevant policies. It is important to continuously monitor and adjust based upon employee needs and feedback (Mcdonald et. al., 2008). Methodology Collecting data to measure the impact and effectiveness of the intervention is critical to identifying success and opportunity. For this proposal, it is recommended that data be gathered through a level-3 Kirkpatrick survey, focusing on behavioral impact. This self-administered survey would be comprised of 20 to 25 questions, focusing on workplace diversity and inclusion. Survey questions will prompt employees to assess their sense of belonging and inclusion within the office, relative to their cultural background. This approach is dual in nature, serving as both a quantitative and qualitative method. The quantitative aspect involves using a rating scale to quantify behaviors and inclusion, yielding numerical results. Simultaneously, the qualitative dimension aims to comprehend workplace reasoning and motivations (Conte & Landy, 2018). This survey is recommended to be done multiple times throughout the change process to establish a baseline and measure progress using the same assessment questions (Biro, 2022). Following the Kirkpatrick method, it is recommended to also have learners complete surveys following each training, focusing on level-2 of the model: gauging understanding of the information learned during the training (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2013). This data will also be helpful in adjusting the session to the needs of the organization and learner. Professional Standards Diversity training aims to foster a positive workplace environment for every employee, irrespective of their background. Standardized training procedures are essential to prevent 8

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL unethical behaviors throughout the process. Establishing ethical guidelines and nondiscriminatory practices for training and other practices is crucial for sustaining a diverse and healthy team (Lowman & Cooper, 2018). Clear expectations should be set for the learner during every learning session, and it is the benefit of the company to also provide additional resources in diversity and inclusion following the session to encourage the individual to continue their own learning and development. If changes are made to policies during the review process, the organization should have clear guidelines on how to communicate these changes and subsequent trainings that may need to be provided. Additionally, survey information should always receive informed consent, informing the individual of the purpose and intent of use for the information collected and confidentiality (APA, 2017). At its core, professional standards for executing change or intervention of any kind, transparency in the form of clear expectations and guidance will protect the organization, leaders, and employees. Evaluation and Anticipate Results Evaluating the data provided and overall feedback on the intervention methods will provide guidance on next steps for leadership and the organization. Diversity intervention is a mix of episodic change, in the form of beginning new programs and policy changes, and continuous change, applying their learnings from the trainings and engaging in ERGs (Conte & Landy, 2018). Because of this, evaluation is a multi-step process which will involve tracking numerous surveys over the span of six or more months. Before the programs roll out, all employees should receive the survey to create a baseline. Following each training, learners should complete a post-session survey to track immediate impact. Six months after the launch of the intervention, the same assessment used for the baseline should be sent again to the 9

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INTERVENTION PROPOSAL workforce. Evaluating the differences between the results will immediately show successful methods and unsuccessful methods. Given the company's history, the anticipated change with the influx of new hires with multicultural backgrounds, and general workforce knowledge, it is expected that this proposal will positively impact the company's culture and climate. Results may vary by region based on cultural differences. However, these differences should be considered when creating the learning curriculum, creating policies, and forming ERGs. Ultimately, it is anticipated that the new hires from Serbia will integrate into the workforce with minimal challenge and impact to company production. Lastly, it would be beneficial to compare findings with available internal data and external data when applicable. External data can be found in research journals and annual diversity and inclusion reports released by companies (Biro, 2022). Conclusion Leaders are responsible for the success of their company, which subsequentially is directly related to the health of the employee and their job satisfaction. They should be motivated to get an accurate view of the organizational culture and climate to address gaps and prevent potential issues. A sense of belonging plays a major part in both culture and climate, which is the heart of diversity and inclusion. By taking the steps detailed in this proposal, Company G will effectively integrate the new hires from Serbia, while also addressing existing gaps and create a culturally competent workforce. 10

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL References American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/ Bezrukova, K., Spell, C. S., Perry, J. L., & Jehn, K. A. (2016). A meta-analytical integration of over 40 years of research on diversity training evaluation. Psychological Bulletin , 142(11), 1227–1274. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/bul0000067 Biro, M. (2022, July 20). Onboarding Empathy: 12 Best Practices For DEI Training . Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2022/07/20/onboarding-empathy-12-best- practices-for-dei-training/?sh=144989cd3f30 Chang, E., Milkman, K. L., Zarrow, L. J., Brabow, K., Gromet, D. M., Rebele, R., Massey, C., Duckworth, A. L., & Grand, A. (2019, July 9). Does Diversity Training Work the Way It's Supposed To? Harvard Business Review. http://hbr.org/2019/07/does-diversity- training-work-the-way-its-supposed-to#:~:text=how%20an...-,Virtually%20all %20Fortune%20500%20companies%20offer%20diversity%20training%20to %20their,people%20who%20might%20benefit%20most . Conte, J. M., & Landy, F. J. (2018). Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology (6th ed.). Wiley Global Education US. https://capella.vitalsource.com/books/9781119493440 Kirkpatrick, J. D., & Kirkpatrick, W. K. (2013). Creating a Post-Training Evaluation Plan. T + D , 67(6), 26-28. http://library.capella.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F %2Fwww.proquest.com%2Ftrade-journals%2Fcreating-post-training-evaluation-plan %2Fdocview%2F1401388385%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D27965 11

INTERVENTION PROPOSAL Lowman, R. L., & Cooper, S. E. (2018). Ethical issues at the individual level. In The ethical practice of consulting psychology . (pp. 17–35). American Psychological Association. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/0000058-002 Mcdonald, F., Simpson, C., & O'brien, F. (2008). Including Organizational Ethics in Policy Review Processes in Healthcare Institutions: A View from Canada. HEC Forum, 20(2), 137-53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10730-008-9067-4 Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Karen, H. E., & Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model for future research. Journal of Management , 37(4), 1262-1289. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1177/0149206310385943 Welbourne, T. M., Rolf, S., & Schlachter, S. (2017). The case for employee resource groups: A review and social identity theory-based research agenda. Personnel Review, 46(8), 1816- 1834. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-01-2016-0004 12

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