The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2023

32 JULY-AUGUST 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL because they either do not think the department would take the necessary corrective action or they fear retaliation. These are two key areas where a lot more work needs to be done. Solidifying the Foundation In year one, ODI focused on establishing a solid founda- tion that would support the DEIA mission for years to come. We made advancing DEIA an agency priority goal in the joint State-USAID overall strategic plan. We negotiated with AFSA to establish advancing DEIA as a precept for Foreign Service officers. Many questioned the need for a stand-alone precept, rather than weaving it in among other “nice-to-haves.” How- ever, advancing DEIA had been part of the precepts for years without resulting in needed change because Foreign Service officers could demonstrate competency in the precept without addressing DEIA. Once we flagged this, we gained the needed support. DEIA is now a core part of all Civil Service and Foreign Service officers’ work requirements, and for Foreign Service officers it is something that increases their chances for promo- tion. Every employee benefits from increased inclusion and accessibility, and now every employee gets to do the work. And be rewarded for it. We established a DEIA Data Working Group, which was charged with the establishment of both a quantitative and qualitative baseline for the department so that future progress could be tracked. I wanted the data disaggregated so that we could really see what was going on and where things might need to be changed to ensure equal opportunity for all. The “Demographic Baseline Report,” designed to be updated annually, provides every bureau and major office in the State Department a breakdown of its workforce by race, ethnicity, sex, status of disability, grade/rank, and for Civil Ser- vice and Foreign Service specialists by job series skill code. The first-year report was posted to our workforce, and in summer 2023, the first two years’ worth of data will be posted not only to our workforce but also to the American people. On the qualitative side, our team conducted the first-ever DEIA Climate Survey of all U.S. direct-hire employees. That survey, which is only available internally, was vital to identify areas in which there are opportunities for growth, change, and impact. The results were not pretty, particularly, as noted, when it came to reported experiences of bullying or harass- ment, perceptions of lack of transparency and fairness in the promotion and assignment processes, and perceptions of the department’s interest in holding people accountable. In March 2022, in response to Executive Order 14035 on advancing DEIA in the federal workforce, we submitted our five-year “DEIA Strategic Plan, 2022-2026” to the Office for Personnel Management (OPM). In September 2022, after OPM had reviewed all agencies’ plans, we rolled out the plan, which outlined and provided a timeline for delivery of more than 200 milestones. We developed an interactive Implementation Dashboard so that employees can track progress toward the goals and objectives envisioned for any given quarter. We also posted the strategic plan on the State Department’s public website—one of only a few government agencies to do so. With this strong foundation in place, the workforce now expects to see evidence of fewer words and more actions, fewer promises and more impact. And, indeed, we have begun to deliver on impactful change. Fewer Words, More Actions Because diversity diminishes in our more senior positions, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion began examining the policies, practices, and procedures used to select officers for senior positions in the State Department. We found that the deputy assistant secretary positions (slated for Foreign Service officers)—top bureau jobs, and frequently launching pads for chiefs of mission—were not openly advertised and competed. Candidates heard about them with a tap on the shoulder. These jobs are now advertised and competed, a much-needed step toward transparency and fairness. More than 20 bureaus have established a position for a DEIA senior adviser to advance DEIA across their respective organizations. The DEIA Data Working Group has briefed more than two-thirds of the bureaus on their data, which led many to adjust policies as a result, particularly when it comes to recruit- ment strategies and how to screen, interview, and select or hire new talent. The ODI team increased transparency on equal employ- ment opportunity settlement agreements by alerting employ- ees they can speak about aspects of their cases. We support DEIA is now a core part of all Civil Service and Foreign Service officers’ work requirements.