Annual DEI Town Halls for All-Staff
Ferguson Library
Innovation Synopsis
DEI is a top two foundation principle here at the Ferguson Library and to effectively deliver on this commitment it's vital to assess our organizational culture. To create a continuous "measure, assess, adjust" loop, we hold annual Town Hall meetings where staff attend and discuss DEI items affecting work and community. We use an external facilitator, to eliminate power dynamics Leadership does not attend, and the DEI Council uses the data to create and measure annual projects.
Challenge/Opportunity
-Power dynamics between Leadership and All-Staff may inhibit All-Staff from voicing discomfort while Leadership is in the room.
-Communication may feel one-way and top-down rather than two-way and across.
-Opportunities for Staff advancement may appear unclear or limited to a select few.
-Staff sincerely enjoy their job and colleagues and they'd like more opportunities to collaborate on projects for great outcomes for patrons.
-At most organizations there's a hesitancy to embrace change, and our Town Hall process creates momentum and support.
-If Staff feel sensitivity training is needed, the Town Halls provide a neutral and positive environment to discuss the reasons why.
Key Elements of Innovation
The Town Halls follow this process:
1. Our external consultant moderates four Town Hall sessions held at two of our major branches. All staff members are invited to attend, excluding leadership. The moderator leads discussions.
2. After the final town hall session concludes the moderator creates a document summarizing and the feedback and sends it to Leadership and the DEI Council.
3. Leadership and the DEI Council meet with the moderator, who leads a discussion on the findings.
4. Then, a final meeting includes Leadership and All-Staff, and the moderator leads a brainstorm session to address the findings of the Town Hall meetings.
5. The DEI Council uses the findings and recommendations to plan their projects for the year.
Each year, challenges are checked-up on to ensure year-over-year progress is made, and at the report-out session Staff are given agency and trust to be a part of planning solutions.
We are proud of the transparency, trust, and momentum we have built.
Achieved Outcomes
Each year of our Town Hall meetings we revisit past feedback to assess organizational progress. The Town Halls resulted in the launch of a monthly DEI Newsletter that is staff created with a flexible template and topics. It also resulted in the inclusion of staff in decision making, the inclusion of DEI Council members on all committees, and more DEI presentations for staff during All-Staff meetings.
