1) 2016
DIVERSITY and INCLUSION
S T R AT E G I C P L A N
2) MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Washington, DC 20429
Office of the Chairman
January 4, 2016
FDIC 2016 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan
To All FDIC Employees,
I am pleased to share with you the FDIC’s 2016 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.
In 2012, I established performance goals to update the FDIC’s Diversity Strategic Plan
and asked each division and office to develop strategic plans that identify steps to
promote increased diversity through the FDIC’s recruiting and hiring processes. The
following year, we committed to regularly reviewing and updating the plan to ensure that
it remains current and relevant.
The updated Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan continues our efforts in this important
area. It reflects the input of the FDIC Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory
Council (EAC) and incorporates many new initiatives being pursued as part of the
Workforce Development Initiative. It also reflects relevant FDIC Performance Goals
and commitments made by the FDIC in response to recommendations from the FDIC
Office of Inspector General’s November 2014 report, The FDIC’s Efforts to Provide Equal
Opportunity and Achieve Senior Management Diversity. The plan details specific steps
to enhance diversity and inclusion at the FDIC in the areas of leadership engagement,
analytics and reporting, training, communications, strategic planning and program
enhancement.
The FDIC’s EAC will continue to oversee the implementation of the plan and ensure our
commitment to diversity and inclusion remains an important priority. I encourage all FDIC
employees to take an active role in implementing the plan.
By valuing the knowledge, ideas and experiences of all employees, we will serve the
public at the highest level.
Sincerely,
Martin J. Gruenberg
Chairman
3) 2016
DIVERSITY and INCLUSION
S T R AT E G I C P L A N
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Vision and Definitions
2
Workforce Diversity
3
Workplace Inclusion
5
Sustainability 10
4) VISION AND DEFINITIONS
Vision
Diversity
Diversity is defined by who we are as individuals. The FDIC recognizes that
its strength comes from the dedication, experience, talents, and perspectives
of every employee. Diversity encompasses the range of similarities and
differences each individual brings to the workplace, including but not limited
to national origin, language, race, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, age,
religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, veteran
status, and family structures.
Inclusion
Inclusion is the process of creating a working culture and environment
that recognizes, appreciates, and effectively utilizes the talents, skills, and
perspectives of every employee; uses employee skills to achieve the agency’s
objectives and mission; connects each employee to the organization; and
encourages collaboration, flexibility, and fairness.
Implementation
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Dedication to diversity and inclusion is embedded in the FDIC’s core values,
which are integrated throughout its organizational structure and work
environment to help the FDIC continue to effectively achieve its mission of
preserving and promoting public confidence in the U.S. financial system.
The strategies contained in this plan will be implemented in 2016. The
FDIC’s Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council will oversee the
implementation of the plan to promote leadership engagement on diversity
and inclusion issues. OMWI, as advisor to FDIC leadership on issues related
to diversity and inclusion, will provide actionable analytics and reporting on
diversity and inclusion topics, and increase organizational awareness and
engagement about diversity and inclusion throughout the agency on
an ongoing basis.
2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN
5) WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
GOAL 1
The FDIC will recruit from a diverse, qualified group
of potential applicants to secure a high-performing
workforce drawn from all segments of U.S. society.
Objective 1
Recruit highly qualified, diverse talent to sustain the FDIC’s mission.
Strategy 1
Ensure the FDIC’s recruitment process reaches and appeals to a diverse and
highly qualified pool of candidates.
Action Items
•  Use workforce analytics to advise managers and recruiters on individual,
group and organizational patterns and trends of recruitment and hiring of
a diverse group of employees and to assess progress on implementing
division and office diversity strategies.
•  Enhance controls to ensure the reliability of data on workforce analytics for
internal and external reports.
•  Formalize recruiting procedures to ensure consistency and comprehensive
outreach to diverse populations.
•  Enlist recruitment teams for career fairs and outreach events that represent
the mission occupations and the diversity of talent that the FDIC seeks to
attract; that are skilled at interviewing candidates across all dimensions of
diversity; and that are trained to recognize and disregard cultural bias.
•  Use a variety of tools – such as print, social media, job boards and other
vehicles – that target demographically diverse audiences.
•  Enhance activities to support workforce needs across the FDIC by
increasing the pool of diverse candidates interested in the Pathways
Programs, with a focus on high school seniors, college students and recent
graduates, and students in advanced degree and continuing education
programs.
•  Strengthen and broaden relationships with Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities,
veterans’ organizations, organizations for disabled persons and other
institutions that serve diverse populations.
2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN
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6) •  Increase the FDIC’s presence on college campuses by participating in career
fairs, employer panels, classroom presentations and on-campus interviews
pursuant to FDIC’s recruitment activities.
•  Broaden associations with diverse local, national and professional
organizations that provide opportunities to source potential applicants for FDIC
mission occupations and management and executive-level positions.
•  Establish a policy to ensure, to the extent possible, interview panels are
appropriately diverse.
Strategy 2
Ensure that qualified internal FDIC candidates have an opportunity to
compete for posted positions.
Action Items
•  Employ interviewing techniques and flexibilities (e.g., the use of
structured interview questions and, when practicable, diverse interview
panel members) that promote fair and consistent treatment of all FDIC
candidates and that foster the selection of the best qualified candidate.
•  Educate selecting officials on effective position management techniques,
consideration of internal candidates and the selection of diverse candidates
at all levels of the organization, including CM and EM positions.
•  Offer training to selecting officials on recognizing and avoiding
unconscious bias in the hiring, interviewing, and selection of diverse
candidates at all levels of the organization.
•  Ensure that vacancies available to internal candidates are advertised to
the widest possible audience within the FDIC to promote and encourage
open competition.
•  Use workforce analytics to advise managers on individual, group and
organizational patterns and trends of hiring, retention and promotion of
employees.
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2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN :: WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
7) WORKFORCE INCLUSION
GOAL 2
The FDIC will cultivate a culture that encourages
collaboration, flexibility, and fairness to enable
individuals to contribute to their full potential and to
improve retention.
Objective 1
Retain the FDIC’s valued and diverse workforce.
Strategy 1
Identify and implement strategies to retain valued employees.
Action Items
•  Maintain an open dialogue with managers, supervisors and employees
through surveys, focus groups, Workplace Excellence Steering Committee
and Councils, Chairman’s Diversity Advisory Councils, Employee Resource
Groups and OMWI, as appropriate, to identify workplace issues and/or
enhancements to support retention of diverse employees.
•  Assess the results of exit surveys to identify reasons employees choose to
leave the FDIC, and utilize data to enhance working conditions to promote
retention and an inclusive environment.
•  Leverage the Workplace Excellence Program as a resource for maintaining
and institutionalizing positive workplace programs and policies to enhance
retention.
•  Use the Workforce Analytics Dashboard and other employment data to
analyze attrition data to determine if disparities exist and address identified
retention issues.
•  Where appropriate, encourage the use of flexible workplace policies that
support employee engagement and empowerment, including telework,
wellness programs and other work-life flexibilities and benefits.
Strategy 2
Integrate coaching into the FDIC’s leadership competencies.
Action Items
•  Continue to integrate coaching in Corporate University’s leadership
curriculum for managers, supervisors and employees specifically related to
promoting diversity and inclusion.
•  Continue to encourage coaching among all employees and between
supervisors and employees.
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8) Objective 2
Ensure every employee has an equal opportunity for career advancement.
Strategy 1
Apply developmental policies and practices consistently to all eligible
employees.
Action Items
•  Improve transparency of developmental opportunities and support
employees seeking developmental opportunities by ensuring that
Expression of Interest announcements are widely posted and made
accessible to all eligible employees. Ensure all applications and selections
are systematically tracked.
•  Develop a process for OMWI to work closely with division and office
directors, Corporate University and the Division of Administration to identify
and address barriers affecting the inclusion of diverse employees in career
development programs and opportunities.
•  Support employee participation in Employee Resource Groups and provide
such groups with access to present ideas and issues to OMWI, the
Workplace Excellence Steering Committee and Councils, the Chairman’s
Diversity Advisory Councils and the Diversity and Inclusion Executive
Advisory Council.
•  Expand awareness of Corporate University’s Executive Coaching Program
for Corporate and Executive Managers.
•  Add the results of inclusion-specific questions from the annual Federal
Employee Viewpoint Survey and the FDIC exit surveys to the Workforce
Analytics Dashboard to assess the climate and overall sense of employee
engagement.
•  Address any issues as they are identified by the Chairman’s Diversity
Advisory Councils, Workplace Excellence Steering Committee and Councils
and Employee Resource Groups that inhibit employees’ inclusion in
developmental opportunities and career enhancement and promotion
opportunities.
•  Develop and implement a method to track Leadership Development
Program and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Program
applications and selections to ensure diverse participation.
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2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN :: WORKFORCE INCLUSION
9) Strategy 2
Expand career development paths to meet FDIC long-term mission needs
through the Workforce Development Initiative and other existing FDIC
programs.
Action Items
•  Through collaboration across the FDIC, continue to explore the feasibility of
establishing additional career paths, (e.g., bridge positions, upward mobility,
cross-training opportunities, and supervisory and managerial development.)
•  Continue to use succession planning to identify and broaden career path
opportunities that meet current and future organizational needs.
•  Continue to ensure FDIC’s career development and succession planning
efforts include a diverse candidate feeder group, especially for executive
management levels.
•  Continue to develop and implement a succession management strategy for
specialty examination skills (RMS).
•  Continue to develop competency models and on-the-job post-commission
certification programs for selected specialty areas (RMS).
•  Continue to integrate specialty competencies and certifications into career
paths and position descriptions (RMS).
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10) Objective 3
Develop, implement and institutionalize diversity and inclusion initiatives to
ensure they are a consistent part of the FDIC’s work environment.
Strategy 1
Create additional methods for communicating the FDIC’s commitment to, and
value of, diversity and inclusion to its workforce and to the public.
Action Items
•  Implement an ongoing communication strategy to reinforce the commitment
of all employees to diversity and inclusion with an emphasis on its importance
and what it means to the FDIC’s mission.
•  Develop informal channels of communication for employees to learn about
diversity and inclusion and engage in open dialogue (e.g., with OMWI,
Chairman’s Diversity Advisory Councils, Employee Resource Groups and
Diversity Dialogue Groups.)
•  Identify potential topics and ensure that internal publications, such as the
FDIC News, include articles on diversity and inclusion to further promote the
importance and success of diversity and inclusion to the FDIC.
•  Promote and share activities, events, awards and other diversity and inclusion
interests with the FDIC workforce via the diversity and inclusion web site.
•  Raise public awareness by including information about diversity and inclusion
efforts on the FDIC’s external web site and at FDIC outreach events.
Strategy 2
Nurture the acceptance of diversity and inclusion through continuous
learning efforts.
Action Items
•  Promote awareness and discussion of diversity and inclusion by focusing
on issues that impact today’s workplace, such as generational issues,
unconscious bias and potential misconceptions about working with individuals
with disabilities.
•  Review current learning and development programs to ensure equal
employment opportunity and diversity and inclusion are included in
developmental competencies that enhance organizational units, workgroups
and high-performing teams, and that they meet the needs of the FDIC and
its workforce.
•  Continue to explore opportunities to provide diversity and inclusion training for
employees in an online environment.
•  Enhance the Diversity and Inclusion Education Series by ensuring programs
and activities support the learning experiences for all employees, while
continuing to recognize federal observances.
•  Incorporate diversity and inclusion messaging in classes for new employees
such as One FDIC and Leadership 101: Introduction to FDIC Leadership.
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2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN :: WORKFORCE INCLUSION
11) Objective 4
Strengthen programs to increase employee engagement to support and
promote agency-wide diversity and inclusion efforts.
Strategy 1
Leverage the Chairman’s Diversity Advisory Councils’ activities to expand
awareness of diversity and inclusion at headquarters, regional and field
locations.
Action Items
•  Engage CDACs in the implementation of diversity and inclusion goals,
objectives and initiatives.
•  Encourage managers, supervisors and employees to participate and support
CDAC activities.
Strategy 2
Consider enhancements to existing diversity and inclusion programs by
revitalizing and encouraging appropriate participation in FDIC Employee
Resource Groups.
Action Items
•  Implement the Employee Resource Group directive to help provide employees
with a supportive work environment that encourages networking and
collaborating on career management and personal development issues.
•  Develop and implement a strategy to encourage employee interest and
participation in Employee Resource Groups.
•  Encourage the development of Employee Resource Groups at headquarters,
regional and field locations.
•  Encourage managerial support and sponsorship of the activities of Employee
Resource Groups to the extent that the support provided will benefit the
FDIC’s workforce.
Strategy 3
Recognize the differing priorities and needs of employees in maintaining healthy
career/work-life integration.
Action Items
•  Seek out and adopt policies, programs and benefits that support and enhance
the career and work-life integration of employees.
•  Continue to encourage supervisors and employees to support and use career
and work-life integration programs. Communicate and educate employees on
the programs’ benefits to employee retention and increased productivity.
WORKFORCE INCLUSION :: 2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN
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12) SUSTAINABILITY
GOAL 3
The FDIC will develop structures and strategies to
equip leaders with the ability to manage diversity,
measure results, refine approaches on the basis of
such data, and institutionalize a culture of inclusion.
Objective 1
Enhance diversity and inclusion analytics and reporting.
Strategy 1
Make diversity and inclusion reporting more actionable through
improvements in data collection, presentation and reporting frequency.
Action Items
•  Continue the interdivisional diversity and inclusion analytics working group
to review the ongoing production of actionable management reports on
diversity and inclusion, and to make recommendations for updates and
improvements.
•  Address data gaps related to recruitment, advancement and retention
analysis.
•  Enhance data analytics through enhanced reporting techniques and use of
external data sources.
•  Enhance OMWI’s advisory role to the leadership of FDIC divisions and
offices.
•  Ensure that OMWI reports progress on the effectiveness of diversity and
inclusion policies and programs at least quarterly to FDIC leadership
through the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council.
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2016 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN
13) Objective 2
Demonstrate continuous leadership commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Strategy 1
Tie diversity and inclusion to FDIC business success.
Action Items
•  Establish FDIC annual performance goals that further promote diversity and
inclusion throughout the FDIC.
•  Develop and implement strategies to promote accountability at all levels for
cultivating a culture that encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness to
enable individuals to contribute to their full potential.
•  OMWI will continue to coordinate the development of diversity plans by
Divisions and Offices tailored to their respective needs and challenges, and
will facilitate progress reporting to the Executive Advisory Council.
•  Engage senior leadership through collaboration, consultation and
communication on diversity and inclusion issues impacting the FDIC
through the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Advisory Council.
•  Review the FDIC Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan annually and
update as necessary to align with division and office level diversity plans,
performance goals and other related human resource strategies to support
diversity and inclusion.
Strategy 2
Action Items
Create opportunities for executives to demonstrate commitment to and
support of diversity and inclusion in the FDIC.
•  Encourage executives and managers to speak at both internal and external
events that demonstrate their commitment and support of diversity and
inclusion.
•  Collaborate with executives and managers on the Diversity and Inclusion
Education Series to broaden program perspectives to meet the needs of
their divisions and offices.
•  Engage employees in discussions about diversity and inclusion to allow
management to gain insights and possible action items to pursue at the
division and office levels.
•  Identify and share diversity and inclusion best practices at the division and
office levels.
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14) FDIC-006-2016