Los Angeles County Municipal Code Ch. 5.10 Policy on Diversity

To create a high performing, productive organization and an inclusive workplace environment in which each person is valued for his/her unique gifts and talents; to capitalize on the innovation inherent in diverse work groups; and to assure that each person is valued based on individual characteristics rather than on stereotypes or assumptions.

(Ord. 95-0062 § 1 (part), 1995.)

A.

To foster an environment in every county department in which:

Groups, as well as individuals, are appreciated for their differences and treat each other with respect;

Employees understand and appreciate the heritage and culture of many different groups and are responsive to the uniqueness of each individual;

Individuals reach beyond their own experience to appreciate and work effectively with people different from themselves;

All employees reach their full potential in pursuit of organization objectives.

B.

Los Angeles County's work force has, for some time, reflected the multicultural community that we serve. We recognize that diversity includes more than race, gender, age and nationality and that valuing diversity requires both a change in the way we do business and how we interact with each other. Valuing diversity requires changes in policies and practices to the point of changing the culture of our county organizations.

C.

We believe that a diverse work force provides advantages both internally, in terms of the human resources potential offered by a variety of diverse perspectives, and externally, in increasing the county's ability to serve an equally diverse community. In order to treat people fairly and provide equal opportunity, county departments must seek to accommodate and learn from the different perspectives and values that characterize diverse employees and clients.

(Ord. 95-0062 § 1 (part), 1995.)

A.

Build on the foundation of equality of opportunity and diversity, and embrace these concepts as necessary to ensure fair representation and treatment of diverse employees and the multicultural community we serve.

B.

Establish a strategic plan for managing diversity in every county department.

C.

Ensure equal employment opportunity and upward mobility for all elements of our diverse work force.

D.

Create an organization culture that fosters individual understanding and accountability for learning about and appreciating employee differences.

E.

Make valuing diversity a core organization value, one which is practiced and communicated at all levels of county organizations.

F.

Conduct employee training to instruct participants to respect the individuality of others by creating an openness to the experience of others, by generating awareness of personal perceptions, by imparting knowledge of cultural characteristics, and by teaching skills to apply cultural concepts in everyday working behaviors.

G.

Hold all managers accountable for demonstrating leadership in valuing diversity.

(Ord. 95-0062 § 1 (part), 1995.)

A.

Workplace cultures usually require people to conform to the style historically dominant in the organization. In contrast, with an increasingly diverse work force and community, the county must assess its culture and identify policies and practices that both help and hinder the inclusion of a wide range of employees and the culturally sensitive provision of services to the community. The county must move further toward a culture of inclusion, thereby increasing the consciousness and appreciation of differences associated with the heritage, characteristics and values of many different groups, as well as increasing the respect for the uniqueness of each individual.

We must strive for a pluralistic work force in an effort to be more responsive to the service needs of the community.

For the county to continue to provide competent and quality services, we cannot ignore the changing demographics or assume they will have no impact on the way we do business; in order to be effective, we need to identify the needs of the public and how they view the services we provide.

It is imperative that we recruit, hire and retain highly capable and productive employees into the county. To do this, we need to attract all qualified individuals, ensure that employees are acknowledged for their contributions, and encourage employees to achieve their full potential.

We must create programs that address diversity issues and include the full participation and involvement of managers, supervisors and employees representative of the many different groups that make up the county work force.

B.

Valuing diversity can have a synergistic affect as the total work force of Los Angeles County becomes greater than the sum of its parts. With this policy guiding our actions, we will be ready to face the challenges of the 21st Century.

(Ord. 95-0062 § 1 (part), 1995.)

A.

The board of supervisors expects that departments will develop opportunities to draw on the diverse skills, energies, abilities, knowledge and perspectives of all employees in order to create a climate of a more open, flexible, responsive and responsible work environment—where people can achieve their full potential, thus becoming more efficient and productive.

B.

For these expectations to occur, the following issues must be addressed:

Assessing organization culture with respect to valuing diversity;

Gaining participation of managers, supervisors and employees in the development and implementation of the diversity program;

Implementing new practices and policies for the workplace;

Developing new skills for managers, supervisors and employees;

Appreciating and encouraging nontraditional approaches to performance;

Achieving inclusion for all employees;

Minimizing tensions and problems or culture clashes;

Mentoring and formal development programs for all employees.

(Ord. 95-0062 § 1 (part), 1995.)