EDI Session: Equitable Workplaces for All

Equitable Workplaces for All

February 23, 2023

Bob Cambric

Dan Kirby, FAICP, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C

Lori Cox, AICP

Amy Elmore, AICP

Nadine Smith

AGENDA

Welcome | AICP Code of Ethics

Best EDI Workplace

Equitable Brain Spaces for All

Benefits of EDI in the Workplace

EDI Legislation in the Workplace

Q&A

APA Florida Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Mission Statement

APA Florida celebrates equity, diversity, and inclusiveness and believe we can accomplish more through a genuine and authentic partnership with others and promote a commitment to excellence in service to Florida’s communities. We strive to make our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion integral to our organizational structure, policies, practice, committees, staff, sponsors, goals, and vision. We want to engage people of all backgrounds and experiences and seek to foster a culture of respect, openness, learning, integrity, honesty and a sense of fun.

Bob Cambric

Volunteering Consultant

Over 30 years of experience

Played the baritone sax and loves its permanence in R&B and Rock n’ Roll music

On the Board of Directors of SELF and 1,000 Friends of Florida

Best EDI Workplace

POLL:

What is the status of your organization when it comes to diversity and inclusion?

Dan Kirby, FAICP, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C

Equitable Workplaces for All

©Jacobs 2023

Dan Kirby, FAIA, FAICP, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, NOMA

Principal and Florida/Puerto Rico Market Leader – Cities & Places

Employee Networks

Values

Culture of Caring Moments

Culture of Caring Moment

Intersectionality

©Jacobs 2023

Intersectionality is…

Intersectionality is the idea that all oppression is linked

The Takeaway

• Intersectionality helps us understand another person’s complex ways of being and experiencing the world

• Intersectionality recognizes that privilege and oppression cannot be solved with generalist approaches

• Intersectionality challenges the assumption that everyone in a marginalized group faces the same problems

Image Source: Vermont Works for Women

In the Community…

Local Volunteer Efforts

• Consultant & Supplier Diversity

• STEM Programs

• Bikes-N-Bytes

• School Volunteers and Mentors

• Internships

Brain Spaces

Equitable Workplaces for All

Lori Cox, AICP

POLL:

Do you identify as neurotypical or neurodivergent?

The statements am making herein are strictly those of my own & are not those of my employer nor the clients whom serve.

Our Mental Landscape

90% of disabilities are invisible

>14% of the population have mental health needs

10% of the population are dyslexic

5% of the population have ADHD

2% of the population is Autistic

5% of the population are dyspraxic

-2% of the population have Tourette Syndrome

What is Neurodiversity?

➢ Coined by Judy Singer – 1998

➢ Australian sociologist, who is also on the autism spectrum.

➢ Singer saw neurodiversity as a social justice movement, to promote equality of what she termed “neurological minorities” – people whose brains work in atypical ways.

➢ Refers to a wide array of neurological experiences.

➢ The idea that neurological differences, such as those seen in autism or ADHD, reflect normal variations in brain development.

➢ Recognized cognitive characteristics/neurodiverse identities/neurological experiences

Autism, epilepsy, Tourette’s syndrome, bipolar, depression, dyslexia, prosopagnosia, synesthesia, and ADHD.

Neurodiversity, to me

Do all the things. Do none of the things.

The Neurodiversity Movement

➢ Grown through grassroot organization among people interested in social change.

➢ Is gradually making space for itself in government, research, & education.

➢ Is based on the philosophy of “cerebral pluralism” – every brain is different & has value to offer.

➢ Is changing the narrative caused by medical & social misunderstandings which views conditions like autism or ADHD as disorders to prevent, treat, or cure.

➢ Advocating for the right forms of support.

The Neurodiversity Paradigm

‘We are all Neurologically diverse species: the enormous innate variation among individual human bodies extends to our brain, which differs from one another like fingerprints’ ‘the idea that there is one “normal” or “healthy” brain is no more valid than the idea that there is one “normal” or “right” gender, race or culture.’

Dr. Nick Walker, Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities

Alignment

According to Harvard Business, many people who are neurodivergent have higher-than-average abilities. Research shows that some conditions, can bestow special skills in pattern recognition, memory or mathematics.

Neuroinclusiveness in the workplace

➢ Start by raising awareness of the benefits diversity can bring to our organizations.

➢ Encourage employees to speak openly about their diversity.

➢ Ask the employee what support they require.

➢ Examples –

➢ Allow for flexible interviews

➢ Create dedicated quiet spaces

➢ Invest in standing desks

➢ Adopt flexible work hours & work from home

➢ Adopt changes in lighting

➢ Creating shorter benchmarks for frequent check ins & positive feedback loops

Work to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing who they are. Seek help when needed.

Anything new was done by someone thought & acted about the task in a different way.

Benefits of EDI in the Workplace

Amy Elmore, AICP

POLL:

Do you feel comfortable or safe to speak about EDI in your workplace?

What is EDI?

“DE&I is any policy or practice designed to make people of various backgrounds feel welcome and ensure they have support to perform to the fullest of their abilities in the workplace.

— it’s about making sure that every individual knows and feels they are welcome at your organization.”

~Catalina Coleman Director of HR & Inclusion at Built In

➢ Equity is the act of ensuring that processes and programs are impartial, fair and provide equal possible outcomes for every individual

➢ Diversity refers to the presence of differences within a given setting; in the workplace, that may mean differences in race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age and socioeconomic background

➢ Inclusion is the practice of making people feel a sense of belonging at work

AICP CODE OF ETHICS

“Seek social justice by identifying and working to expand choice and opportunity for all persons, emphasizing our special responsibility to plan with those who have been marginalized or disadvantaged and to promote racial and economic equity.”

EDI Myths vs. Reality

Myth Diversity, equity, and inclusion only benefit minority groups

Fact

EDI benefits everyone, especially those working in a team of people

Myth DEI is about hiring less qualified candidates

Fact Diversity is about welcoming people in and removing unconscious (or conscious) bias

Myth Diversity is the goal

Fact

Long-term inclusivity is the goal – Diversity is the healthy result of effective inclusivity

https://www.dalecarnegie.com/blog/dei-misconceptions-in-workplace/

Benefits For Businesses

BETTER BOTTOM LINES

➢ Highly inclusive companies are more likely to hit their financial target goals by up to 120%

➢ Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians

➢ Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians

Benefits For Businesses

INCREASED EMPLOYEE MORALE AND PERFORMANCE

➢ Employees feel welcome and safe

➢ Provides an overall sense of belonging (Gen Z)

➢ Increased team-building and positive coworker relationships

➢ Combat work-from-home and hybrid burnout

➢ Improves overall performance by up to 30%

Benefits For Businesses

HIGHER EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND LESS TURNOVER

➢ 9.8 times more likely to look forward to work

➢ 6.3 times more likely to take pride in their job

➢ Better physical and mental health = less time off

➢ Higher employee retention due to increased morale

➢ When employees feel included and treated fairly, they are more likely to be loyal to their company – resulting in less turnover

Benefits For Businesses

INCREASED INNOVATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING

➢ When people come from different backgrounds, they naturally bring a wealth of diverse experiences, knowledge sets, and skills

➢ See problems from different angles

➢ Quickly adapt to changes

➢ Resolve problems quickly

➢ Diverse and inclusive teams made better decisions than individuals

87% of the time

➢ Innovation through EDI leads to 19% higher revenue

Benefits For Businesses

IMPROVED BUSINESS REPUTATION AND TALENT POOL

➢ Overall higher reputation and brand awareness

➢ Attracts new customers, partnerships and markets

➢ More diverse pool of top performers

➢ 55% of job seekers say it is very or extremely important to work at a company that prioritizes diversity and inclusion

Benefits For All

How To Create a Workplace For All

Create a Strategy

✓ Assess Current EDI

✓ Identify Improvements

✓ Set Goals

✓ Develop an Action Plan

✓ Measure Effectiveness

✓ Ensure Accountability

Conduct Regular Surveys

✓ Assess Company Culture

✓ Note Changes in Behavior

✓ Identify Representation

✓ Encourage Leadership

Keep EDI in Mind

✓ Whether you’re looking to make your next hire or level up your day-to-day leadership, keeping EDI in mind will have a positive impact on everyone

“I think the mindset has always been to avoid talking about these things. We typically put them in the handbook and address them in training maybe once a year. We didn’t want to make people uncomfortable. I think right now, the call to action is about understanding how to navigate that discomfort and how to use that to elevate your workforce. It’s about doing the important work that is long overdue and becoming inclusive and equitable.”

~Catalina Coleman

EDI Legislation in the Workplace

Nadine Smith

Discussion

TAKE THE SURVEY TODAY!

bit.ly/EDISurvey2023