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PBG Respects Initiative
For the last decade, all full and part-time employees and supervisors of the City of Palm Beach Gardens have participated in cultural competency training which includes implicit/ unconscious bias; anti-harassment/ discrimination; and respectful workplace communications. Each year since then, we have built upon our understanding, knowledge, and skills to provide department-specific training based on needs.
The City’s leadership team – City Manager Ron Ferris, department heads, and directors – have been fully committed to this process which involves having ongoing conversations with our employees, engaging in learning, understanding, and awareness regarding culture and diversity. To lead, develop and conduct our training since 2012, we partnered with Barbara Cheives, President, and CEO of Converge & Associates Consulting, who is recognized throughout the country for expertise in race relations, diversity, and cultural competency.
Barbara Cheives and Deborah Stewart of Converge & Associates Consulting lead a group training for employees.
New Decade, New Challenges, New Opportunities
Anticipating changes in the City’s workforce coupled with the social, racial, and cultural concerns of our community and country, we saw the need for a different approach for our organization. We were ready to take our learning to the next level. According to the 2020 Resident Satisfaction Survey, 68% of City residents believe the City is doing a good job addressing racial/social issues. Given this response, we have continued to work on becoming a more inclusive organization where employees of various backgrounds and cultures are recognized and contribute to our organization and the diverse communities we serve.
From October 2020 through February 2021, 640 full-time and year-round part-time employees across all departments successfully completed unconscious bias training. Each two-and-a-half-hour session included thought-provoking education, discussion, videos, and exercises. Employees shared diverse job experiences and gave valuable input. They also learned about microaggressions and how to respond to them. In sessions, they explored creative ways to further enhance the City as an antiracist and equitable employer. They spoke of the sense of family, collaboration, and teamwork within and between departments; caring for those we serve, always striving for ways to progress and improve. Finding value in the topic and content, they discovered how a diverse, engaged workplace culture and climate impacts innovation and productivity. They also found they had more in common than differences, and communications emerged as the key to future success and growth.
To be proactive, a second phase was created to provide all employees the opportunity to voluntarily participate in the first ever PBG Respects: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative. Named for its purpose, this program was developed to promote greater awareness and understanding through open dialogue and conversation. An invitation and new logo were designed as part of this initiative, to clearly identify and communicate the City’s continuous commitment to this work. Focused on the communications process at all levels within and across the organization, 121 employees from nearly every department participated in a series of three 90-minute sessions from April through September 2021.
City employees engage in discussion during unconscious bias training.
Through informal facilitated small group discussions, the City wanted to ensure employees felt included and safe bringing forward their thoughts or concerns related to race or other issues without potential fear or negative consequence. These small group sessions allowed for a deeper dive into topics.
PBG Respects sets the tone for expectations of employees and our community. It represents our vision of equity and fairness, so that with greater knowledge and awareness of others and our biases, we can better connect with one another. Better connections with those we serve internally and externally lead to the capacity to act on it and consider equity and inclusion in the work we do every day.
In the PBG Respects sessions, groups of 25-30 employees from various levels and departments shared their experiences and listened to one another about social, racial conditions within and outside the organization, and how respect is or should be shown. Department heads also participated as a leadership group. Diversity was discussed in many ways, such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, neuro/physical ability, education, size, language, years of service.
Everyone completed a personal cultural self-assessment and read articles that were discussed during the group sessions. These included a range of tips for personal and organizational mindsets on respect and trust, and how to set the example for treating everyone the same in the workplace regardless of title or background.
Brainstorming resulted in valuable feedback that was provided to the leadership team to consider for implementing into City processes for enhanced equity and inclusion, such as expanding the pool of diverse candidates, improving communications, and ongoing awareness. At the end of the series, each participant received a certificate of completion for their employee file, along with a letter from the City Manager commending them for voluntarily participating, being open to learning, listening, sharing insight, and helping to build an inclusive team culture.
The Way Forward
A survey was sent to employees in January 2022 seeking input on how they would like to continue the PBG Respects initiative. Based upon survey results, the City will be looking at the next steps to move forward, including more training either in webinar/ video format or in-person, voluntary participation opportunities, and ongoing communications. These early results indicate employees at all levels found value in the PBG Respects program and believe it’s important to keep the momentum going to continue open dialogue.
We are unique to have these open conversations. In a summary report about our program, Barbara Cheives of Converge & Associates stated, “PBG Respects sets the City of Palm Beach Gardens on a clear path to equity and inclusion and sets you apart from other neighboring municipalities”.
We are a diverse, multigenerational workforce, and there’s so much more we can and will do. By making changes to improve our corporate culture over time through the PBG Respects initiative, we will continue our work to better understand and reflect the communities we serve.
Having this program for our employees is a significant step toward achieving equity for our residents. Being more aware and recognizing our biases, we can embrace our diversity and act collaboratively with equity in mind. Through the PBG Respects initiative, we are building a corporate culture for equity and inclusion. Our openness to discussion will only continue to lead to better outcomes over time and improvement of the products and services we offer our community.
Sheryl Stewart, IPMA-SCP, CLRP
Human Resources Administrator City of Palm Beach Gardens Sheryl Stewart has worked in local government since 1990. She has worked for the City of Palm Beach Gardens since 2001, where she serves as the Human Resources Administrator. She has a Masters of Public Administration and is on the Board of Directors of the Florida Public Employer Labor Relations Association.
