2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations Senior Management


































- Slides: 34
2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Climate Survey Process • • Climate Survey taken by 70% of Lab Executive presentation identified areas of improvement opportunity Seven areas were chosen for focus Volunteers were called for across the lab Lab-wide action teams were trained by NBRI Recommendations were solicited from the entire lab Many of the teams found they needed to encourage additional recommendations • The teams have short listed recommendations • The actions are concurrent with D/S/P plans • Role of senior management is to choose, prioritize, and implement recommendations 2 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Fermilab Climate Survey: Communications Action Team Recommendations Kavin Ammigan, Yun He, Patrick Hurh, Amber Kenney, and Stephany Unruh Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Sr. Management ure ult ack Fee db gic ate Str ’s c lab ack 9/9/2019 db Employees Division / Section / Project 4 ey Fee Lab-wide annual retreat (Staff version of Annual Users’ Meeting) Sharing information Collaborate/mutual understanding Strategic plans flow down Execute / feedback urv pla s to ns ut to Ge Lab-level all-hands meeting Format / Topics / Priorities Impact on operations Regular monthly meetings Skip-level small-group meetings Supervisor-employee one-on-ones Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations Engagement
Recommendation #1 – Lab-wide All-hands Meeting Laboratory level all-hands meetings should have a changing theme or focus topic to allow for more in-depth discussions. Priorities should be addressed per realistic short-term goals and strategic plan changes for best outcomes Have a changing theme Select a few focused topics for in-depth discussions For example: • Budget / Procurement processes • Employee benefits /Infrastructure improvements • Risk-management / Contractor assurance • LDRD / Early career achievement awards / Innovation • International collaborations / US-Japan R&D, etc. For broader audience Include non-scientific employees Priority changes • • 5 How do they impact on operations or individual employee? How do they align with/roll-up into overall strategic plan? Directors’ communications channel Establish a website for all-hands information, direct feedback and climate survey results Outcome – takeaways Individual more likely adjusts their actions or makes wiser decisions to align with priorities 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation #2 – Management More frequent (monthly) meetings in D/S/P level to provide directions, effective communications on executing strategic plans, achievements recognition and addressing feedbacks. D/S/P all-hands meetings Similar style as lab-wide all-hands Skip-level meetings, with small groups (10 different people each time) • • 6 Management attend other D/S/P meetings within their own organization • Rotation of staff attending “high-level” meetings such as senior management and D/S/P meetings • Supervisor-employee one-on-ones • • 9/9/2019 Opportunity for employees to meet with chiefs and senior managers without middle management in attendance Provide an open forum to discuss difficult topics Ensure consistence in executing strategic plans Provide multi-directional leap-frog method for attendance by management and employees Effective two-way communications Directing >> Coaching >> Supporting >> Delegating >> Saved time Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation #3 – All-hands Annual Retreat Implementation of a Lab-wide All-hands Annual Retreat, with the style of Annual Users Meeting. This retreat would provide an opportunity for management and staff to collaborate and engage on various levels. All-hands day-long or two-days event Avoid time conflicts with other commitments Committee members from across the lab • • Status reports from divisions / projects In-depth understand lab’s mission / vision as a whole • Opportunity to learn • Grow in responsibilities • Contribute to others or team • Be recognized for achievements Tours to various facilities Seminars and workshops Promote mutual understanding and trust Workplace networking Forums for employees in same or similar job categories Communicate and share best practices Community showcase Resource groups / clubs / professional groups Foster an environment which allows everyone to thrive as individuals building a strong community and supporting lab’s mission 7 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Other Ideas: • Directorate: – Continued climate surveys on a regular schedule. – Ensure all lab level meetings don’t conflict with other all staff meetings. – Make better use of Fermilab Outlook internal activities calendar. • Management: – Invite all employees to scheduled all levels all-hands meetings. – Strongly encourage managers at all levels to improve their managerial skills by taking advantage of current training available, and lab to add more classes to availability. • All levels: – Implement an annual manager evaluation process by employees/direct reports. – Implement a “day-in-the-life-of” program to allow for Directorate / Managements / Employees to shadow and cross-train. 8 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Fermilab Climate Survey: Engagement Action Team Recommendations Dave Baird, Lauri Loebel Carpenter, Farah Fahim, Rhonda Merchut, Jamieson Olsen, Laurie Pederson, and Dave Pushka Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Recommendation Short Lists to address key themes 1. Lack of Communication up and down the managerial chain • • Improve Upper Management Accessibility (more face to face) Feedback – Announce suggestions under consideration in Fermi News – Create a lab policy on communication and feedback programs Note: Mechanisms should include well-publicized: • Email address ("suggestions@fnal. gov") • Web pages that allow the possibility of anonymous feedback • Mail station to which people can send written feedback § Create Suggestion Drop boxes • • • Organize periodic mid-level “neighborhood” meetings – – 10 Written Electronic; Example (WDRS) Smaller targeted meetings on topics outside All-hands meetings Send periodic D/S/P State-of-Nation emails; Example (FESS) Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations 9/9/2019
Recommendation Short Lists to address key themes 2. Respect/Recognition Awards are poorly communicated and underutilized • • 11 Create “Thank you” culture – Take time to say Thank you Publicize the awards programs that are in place more often so that people are aware of what we have in place. Publicize the "winners" of awards (perhaps as a regular feature of Fermilab Today, perhaps as part of the "state of the nation" email communications). The Spot award should either be transformed into some sort of "choose-your-own" gift card (from a selection that includes a variety of vendors such as Amazon, local restaurants, local stores, Fermi gear, Science Store etc. ), OR the monetary portion should be eliminated completely and the award should just be a "Thank you" (published) and the Spot pin. Not a forced Frontier Pub gift card. Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations 9/9/2019
Recommendation Short Lists to address key themes 3. Management skill sets are underdeveloped • • • Institute a 360 -degree review process as part of the annual performance reviews. Develop additional and refresher managerial training requirements that address the skills required to be an effective manager, not just the legal requirements to safeguard FRA. Create separate but equal technical and managerial career paths. – – – 12 not all employees want to be (or have the skills to be) an effective manager hire/promote managers with the desire and skills to be in line management should manage people, not projects; and when promoted from within a technical organization, their technical workload should be minimized when they move into management. Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations 9/9/2019
Fermilab Climate Survey: Trust Action Team Recommendations Bridget Iverson, Brendan Kiburg, Luke Martin, Ann Marie Matthei, and Valery Stanley Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Trust Action Team: “Trust begins with honesty and truth” • Charge: How can we increase trust between employees and management? • Solicited feedback through Fermi news, 24 written responses. Several recurring themes related to trust: – – Strong link identified between open communication and trust Some employees perceive “ongoing need to keep things secret” Employees identified isolation from management (inaccessible) Employees observe bad* behavior by some managers without actions being taken to address the issues (*unprofessional, inadequacy, verbally abusive, dishonest, sexual harassment) – A power dynamic exists between staff and supervisors, which can lead to a fear of reprisal – Take people's complaints about abusive managers seriously 14 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation 1: Employees Review Supervisors • All employees review their supervisors. These annual reviews should be analyzed by the supervisor’s manager (skip-a-level review). • Implementation: Fermi. Works (like Employee Performance Reviews and Goal Setting) • Goals – This develops a channel for employees to provide regular feedback on their supervisor – Increases accountability of managers – Highlights leaders that are well-respected and meeting lab goals – Identify managers that are violating lab goals and aggravating the trust issues • Quote from survey: “If a manager gets consistent negative feedback or complaints from employees - listen and fix, don't simply move them around to abuse another group. If "everyone" knows a manager is inadequate and abusive, people don't just mistrust that manager but the whole managerial structure. ” 15 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation 2: Publicize Existing Reporting Tools • Develop and publicize existing tools for submitting concerns or complaints. Managers’ skills can be reviewed annually, but significant conflicts may require immediate attention. • Implementation: Review in all-hands meeting or email memo • Goals – Continue development of Employee Concerns Program – Improve awareness of existing channels (HR Partner, Line Management, Employee Concerns Program) – Encourage employees to utilize these tools without fear of reprisal, require managers to respond to employee concerns – Build trust by ensuring employees that the lab will take people’s concerns about abusive managers seriously 16 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation 3: Review Managerial Training System • Evaluate the managerial training system and determine if the training is adequate and appropriate. • Many important topics are already addressed via training courses at the laboratory. Several employees recommended specific training for managers • Implementation: Lab management team determines whether the existing training program is successful • Goals Evaluate concerns of current managerial training procedure – – – 17 Are managers taking the training seriously? (on laptops instead) Are managers taking the training in a timely manner? (>1 year) Are classes available often enough? (many think not) Are managers held accountable for the training they receive? Do courses identify the traits the lab wants managers to exhibit? 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Interplay between Communication and Trust • This action team encourages the lab to implement recommendations of the Communication team • Improving top-down communication will lead to improved trust of management. – Goals and policy changes at the directorate level should be communicated in a consistent manner, with sensitivity to the impact on employees – Regular updates on the state of the divisions, departments, sections will help improve employee engagement and awareness of challenges Quote From Survey: “Be transparent! Send out regular updates on the state of the Lab/Dept/Group (not just through time consuming all hands), both successes and challenges. Explain reasoning behind decisions. ” 18 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Fermilab Climate Survey: Diversity Action Team Recommendations Lisa Vega, Bob Zwaska, Kathy Vuletich, and Tom Strauss Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Recommendations: 1. Create better career paths • Fill manager positions through an open job search • Develop career path options 2. Advertise our diversity, and our diverse leadership • • 20 Highlight and advertise our diverse leadership & employees Advertise how diversity issues are being addressed Encourage & support employee participation in URM focused conferences Keep the diversity training program going 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
3. Improve recruitment and outreach • Mandate for external contractor hires to provide diverse candidates • Have HR review job advertisements to improve language of announcement • Have HR recruiters provide diverse advertising channels to hiring managers • For every joint position with non-URM school, strive to establish another program with a historically URM school. • Increase summer intern possibilities for URMs, at no cost to interested parties at the lab to increase potential job pool in the upcoming years. 21 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
4. Improve the hiring process. • Increase transparency of job application process, what stage the job search at, and improve communication with candidates. • Shorten the time to hire from 6 -10 months in some positions to industry standard (tech, admin ~1 -2 weeks, engineer ~1 month) • Anonymize cover letters, CVs, & other material if possible. • Enforce hiring manager to stay in touch with candidates instead of black box 22 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Fermilab Climate Survey: Inclusion Action Team Recommendations Cindy Joe, Chris Kelly, Luciano Elementi, Mike Bonkalski, and Kerry Aschenbach Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Summary: The Inclusion Team feels that Diversity and Inclusion are closely related aspects and that and bettering one dimension improves both. We weighed all the feedback received for which we are compelled to provide the following answers: - We recommend the adoption of providing bathrooms with feminine hygiene products - “Pride month and pride parades and festivals are about providing acceptance and safety for LGBTQ+ people who need it. It is not about excluding straight people or saying that it is bad to be straight, it is about lifting others up to the level of pride that straight people are never stripped of in the first place. ” - Baylie Clevenger, Affinity Magazine - Subject to competing lab-mandated constraints, the suggestion is to extend all inclusion and treatments to all levels and contracts, and to include all users 24 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Summary: The Inclusion Team also considered the suggestions of: - Ease reporting and transparency for discrimination and harassment issues - Nominate coworkers for D&I and 360 review - The ‘ultimate goal’ of inclusion is to provide every employee equal opportunity and be appreciated for their own accomplishments. We incorporated these suggestions into our recommendations. We distilled a ‘Long List’ which includes suggestions such as: - “Share the air” meeting guidelines in more (all) meeting rooms - More “One-Minute-With…” - Avoid multi-hat managers which exposes conflict of interest and causes employees have same manager on multiple levels - Hire more contractor employees full time - Training to include contractors To the following Five (5) Recommendations: 25 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendations: 1. Managerial Core Competency should be rated / graded by subordinates. 2. D&I related awards, akin to Employee Reward & Recognition, for community D&I enhancement: this shows how much we value D&I. 3. Establish available funds for time to develop peers’ network, for mentoring, and for positive supervisor interaction: “safespaces. ” This is to confidentially and openly address any employee topic, including D&I issues, and to build trust. 4. Ease reporting steps, increase transparency and sanction perpetrators, provide support and protection. 5. Compulsory training for managers/supervisors on team building and inclusive communication. Establishment of workshop by nominated managers. 26 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Fermilab Climate Survey: Career Opportunities Action Team Recommendations Pete Cholewinski, Omar Al Atassi, Andrew Mc. Daniel, Jemila Adetunji, and Vitaly Pronskikh Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Recommendation 1 • Require all newly opened and newly created positions to be posted for internal applicants for a set period before opening them up to outside applicants. • These opportunities should be proactively communicated to the Lab community and efforts made to recruit qualified internal staff. 28 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation 2 • Define, document and clearly communicate/promote formal process(es) to facilitate horizontal movement (i. e. , between job families and/or between projects/divisions). Possible tactics include: – Define and communicate career paths beyond movement within a job family (e. g. , Engineer to Staff Engineer). – Increase the number of positions in job families, with matrix alignment between job families. – Implement two separate career paths, one for individual contributors and one for managers. – Job shadowing program. 29 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation 3 • Increase transparency of the promotion processes and requirements. • Visibly communicate new hires and promotions to Lab community. • Create promotion committees, such as those for Engineers and Scientists, for other job families as feasible. • Justify promotions based on achievement and ability, not on tenure or degrees only. 30 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Recommendation 4 • Train managers uniformly across the Lab to be more proactive in advocating for their employees’ career path. • Empower employees to manage their own career by requiring population and regular updating of the employee skills database in Workday, including their career path interests. • Require utilization of the database by managers and recruiters for filling open positions and exploring internal resources/candidates. 31 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
Fermilab Climate Survey: Individual Goals & Priorities Action Team Recommendations Chris Ader, Cara Brown, Eric Mc. Hugh, Dawn Mc. Wha and Steve Timm Senior Management Meeting 9 September 2019
Recommendation: Cascading Goals Utilize a cascading goal system that is dependent upon, and supports, the layer above to set goals. The goal system would start with lab priorities and overall lab goals (S. M. A. R. T. Goals) The directorate would then create goals to support the overarching goals. The chiefs would then create goals to support the lab and directorate’s goals. The Divisions would then create goals that support the Chief’s goals, so on and so forth down to the line supervisors. 33 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations
The panel feels that this cascading goal approach will give a continuity and sense of team to the overarching lab goals similar to the NASA janitor anecdote; paraphrased, the NASA janitor, when asked “what is your job here, ” the janitor replies with “I am putting someone on the moon. ” This cascading goal setting will have a direct connection to the overall lab goals, which will increase the significance and clarify roles and responsibilities for meeting those goals. Everyone will gain a keen sense of priorities and their role/practice in completing them. 34 9/9/2019 Climate Survey Action Teams Recommendations