Diversity Management: Important Actions Taken and Planned to	 
Further Enhance Diversity (16-SEP-08, GAO-08-1160T).		 
                                                                 
For GAO, having a diverse workforce at all levels is an 	 
organizational strength that contributes to the achievement of	 
results by bringing a wider variety of perspectives and 	 
approaches to policy development and implementation, strategic	 
planning, problem solving and decision making. GAO's Office of	 
Opportunity and Inclusiveness (O&I) is responsible for all	 
functions and activities designed to promote diversity and	 
maintain a work environment that is fair, unbiased, and 	 
inclusive. O&I's analysis of performance appraisal data indicated
that there were significant differences in appraisal averages for
African American and Caucasian analysts. GAO contracted with the 
Ivy Planning Group to assess the factors that influenced the	 
differences. Ivy issued its African American Performance	 
Assessment Study report on April 25, 2008 and the Acting	 
Comptroller General issued a memorandum on April 30, 2008	 
expressing his commitment to addressing all of the report's	 
recommendations. The subcommittee asked GAO's Inspector General  
(IG) to examine the effectiveness of O&I and analyze the	 
representation of women and minorities in the agency's Senior	 
Executive Service (SES) and managerial ranks (GS-15 and 	 
equivalent level). This testimony focuses on the results of the  
IG's review and provides information on actions taken and planned
to further enhance diversity at GAO.				 
-------------------------Indexing Terms------------------------- 
REPORTNUM:   GAO-08-1160T					        
    ACCNO:   A84201						        
  TITLE:     Diversity Management: Important Actions Taken and Planned
to Further Enhance Diversity					 
     DATE:   09/16/2008 
  SUBJECT:   Employees						 
	     Appraisals 					 
	     Executive agencies 				 
	     Accountability					 
	     Blacks						 
	     Performance appraisal				 
	     Minorities 					 
	     Women						 
	     Strategic planning 				 
	     Diversity management				 
	     Comparative analysis				 
	     Data integrity					 
	     Data collection					 
	     Internal controls					 
	     Discrimination					 
	     Employment discrimination				 
	     Employment of minorities				 
	     Fair employment programs				 
	     Federal agencies					 
	     Reporting requirements				 
	     Senior Executive Service				 

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GAO-08-1160T

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Testimony: 

Before the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the 
District of Columbia, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
House of Representatives: 

United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO: 

For Release on Delivery: 
Expected at 2:00 p.m. EDT:
Tuesday, September 16, 2008: 

Diversity Management: 

Important Actions Taken and Planned to Further Enhance Diversity: 

Statement of Ronald A. Stroman: 
Managing Director Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness: 

GAO-08-1160T: 

GAO Highlights: 

Highlights of GAO-08-1160T, a testimony before the Subcommittee on 
Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia, 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives. 

Why GAO Did This Study: 

For GAO, having a diverse workforce at all levels is an organizational 
strength that contributes to the achievement of results by bringing a 
wider variety of perspectives and approaches to policy development and 
implementation, strategic planning, problem solving and decision 
making. GAOï¿½s Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness (O&I) is 
responsible for all functions and activities designed to promote 
diversity and maintain a work environment that is fair, unbiased, and 
inclusive. O&Iï¿½s analysis of performance appraisal data indicated that 
there were significant differences in appraisal averages for African 
American and Caucasian analysts. GAO contracted with the Ivy Planning 
Group to assess the factors that influenced the differences. Ivy issued 
its African American Performance Assessment Study report on April 25, 
2008 and the Acting Comptroller General issued a memorandum on April 
30, 2008 expressing his commitment to addressing all of the reportï¿½s 
recommendations. 

The subcommittee asked GAOï¿½s Inspector General (IG) to examine the 
effectiveness of O&I and analyze the representation of women and 
minorities in the agencyï¿½s Senior Executive Service (SES) and 
managerial ranks (GS-15 and equivalent level). This testimony focuses 
on the results of the IGï¿½s review and provides information on actions 
taken and planned to further enhance diversity at GAO. 

What GAO Found: 

The Inspector Generalï¿½s (IG) report recognizes the gains GAO has made 
to enhance the profile of its SES and managerial ranks. The report 
notes that the representation of most groups in GAOï¿½s SES and 
managerial ranks exceeded or equaled the representation in either the 
civilian labor force or the executive branch agencies. For example, the 
percentages of African Americans at the SES level and at the GS-15 and 
equivalent level exceeded the percentages in both the civilian labor 
force as well as in the executive branch agencies. The report also 
acknowledges that GAO has implemented many of the leading diversity 
management practices. Additionally, the report includes four 
recommendations that GAO has already taken steps to implement. For 
example, GAO is revising the discrimination complaint process order to 
clarify responsibilities and procedures when a complaint concerns O&I 
staff, and strengthening its internal controls for tracking, reviewing, 
and reporting on complaint data. 

In addition to implementing the recommendations in the IGï¿½s report, GAO 
has taken steps to address many of the recommendations in the African 
American Performance Assessment Study report prepared by the Ivy 
Planning Group. The report included more than 25 recommendations. The 
Acting Comptroller General has committed to addressing all of them and 
issued a memorandum on September 10, 2008 that highlighted the progress 
made. For example, GAO has developed an approach for convening a series 
of facilitated conversations on race, begun to reassess the appraisal 
system, created standards for appraisal reviews, and taken steps to 
strengthen its recruitment and retention initiatives. 

Furthermore, GAO plans to take additional steps to enhance its 
diversity by completing actions in its Workforce Diversity Plan. In 
June 2008, GAO issued a detailed Workforce Diversity Plan designed to 
build on the gains made in the diversity of its management and overall 
workforce. The plan lists about 20 actions that the agency will take. 
For example, the plan requires that GAO develop a diversity recruitment 
plan and calls for GAO to develop stronger relationships with Hispanic 
Serving Institutions and organizations that work with disabled 
students. 

GAO is committed to working closely with all employees to ensure its 
diversity efforts and work environment are fully inclusive. GAO has 
established a comprehensive accountability framework to ensure the 
effective and efficient implementation of the Ivy report 
recommendations and the workforce diversity plan action steps. GAO has 
taken many steps and plans to take others to help enhance its 
diversity, recognizing that diversity is a journey that will require 
constant and sustained commitment. 

To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on 
GAO-08-1160T. For more information, contact Ronald A. Stroman at 202-
512-8401 or [email protected]. 

[End of section] 

Chairman Davis and Members of the Subcommittee: 

I am Ron Stroman, Managing Director of the Office of Opportunity and 
Inclusiveness at the United States Government Accountability Office 
(GAO). Thank you for the opportunity to testify about the Inspector 
General's (IG) report on GAO's diversity efforts. GAO has a diverse 
workforce. Specifically, as of April 2008, minorities represented about 
30 percent of our total workforce, and women comprised more than one- 
half. Nonetheless, we have gaps in certain categories. We are committed 
to making improvements. To this end, as figure 1 shows, we have 
completed several tasks in support of our diversity management efforts. 
Also, we have undertaken a number of important initiatives and have 
plans to implement others to improve the diversity of our leadership as 
well as our overall workforce, which I will discuss later in my 
testimony. 

Figure 1: Timeline of Key Diversity Management Related Tasks Completed 
From February to September 10, 2008: 

[See PDF for image] 

The illustrated timeline includes the following information: 

February, 2008: 
* Implemented uniform interview questions; 

March, 2008: 
* Posted demographic analysis of promotion data to intranet; 
* Posted results of Congressionally requested survey of GAO employees 
to EAC website. 

April 2008: 
* Sent reminder notices about mid-point feedback; 
* Began agency-wide performance appraisal system review; 
* Expanded mentoring program and held information sessions; 
* Implemented uniform criteria for screening applicants; 
* Issued African American Performance Appraisal Study Report; 
* Briefed staff on African American Performance Appraisal Study Report. 

May 2008: 
* Held meetings with representatives from our employee groups; 
* Opened performance appraisal system review mailbox for staff input; 
* Drafted PDP survey. 

June 2008: 
* Issued Equal Opportunity Policy Statement; 
* Formed campus recruitment task team; 
* Issued Workforce Diversity Plan; 
* Established Agency-Wide Diversity Committee; 
* Instituted process for monitoring ratings of PDP staff; 
* Sponsored Diversity Month celebration. 

July 2008: 
* Added questions about inclusiveness to the employee survey; 
* Attended meeting on Asian Americans in the federal workforce. 

August 2008: 
* Contracted with Ivy to design facilitated conversations about race; 
* Met with BIG representatives to discuss Ivy Report concerns; 
* Introduced uniform approach for appraisal review meetings; 
* Participated in Hispanic Career Fair; 
* Developed a plan to identify diversity recruitment best practices. 

September 2008: 
* Convened hiring and recruiting sounding board; 
* Posted ï¿½fillableï¿½ self identification of disability form; 
* Issued memo on progress in addressing the Ivy recommendations. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of figure] 

IG Cites Diversity Improvements and Makes Recommendations That We Are 
Implementing: 

We appreciate the IG's recognition of the gains GAO has made to the 
diversity profile of our Senior Executive Service (SES) and managerial 
(GS-15 and equivalent) ranks. The IG's report indicates that from 2002 
to 2007, the number of women in the SES increased and the number of 
African American, Asian American, and Hispanic managers also increased. 
For example, the data in the report show that the number of Hispanic 
managers increased from 17 in 2002 to 26 in 2007--an increase of 53 
percent. Additionally, the report notes that the representation of most 
groups in GAO's SES and managerial ranks exceeded or equaled the 
representation in either the civilian labor force (CLF) or the 
executive branch agencies. Specifically, the percentages of: 

* African Americans at the SES level and at the GS-15 and equivalent 
level exceeded the percentages in both the CLF as well as in the 
executive branch agencies. 

* Asian Americans at the SES level exceeded the percentages in the CLF 
as well as in the executive branch agencies. 

* Hispanics at the GS-15 and equivalent level slightly exceeded the 
percentage in the executive branch agencies; and: 

* women at the SES and GS-15 and equivalent level exceeded the 
percentages in the executive branch agencies and at the GS-15 and 
equivalent level the percentage of women nearly equaled the percentage 
in the CLF. 

The IG's report also acknowledges that we have implemented many of the 
leading diversity management practices. For example, we have: 

* recruited at historically black colleges and universities as well as 
Hispanic serving institutions, 

* implemented an agency-wide mentoring program, 

* supported employee involvement in diversity management through our 
newly established Diversity Committee, 

* included diversity in our strategic plan, and: 

* incorporated diversity principles into our performance appraisal 
systems. 

Additionally, the IG's report identifies areas for improvement and 
includes four recommendations that we have already taken steps to 
implement. We are revising the Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness 
(O&I) order to require an annual Workforce Diversity Plan and revising 
the discrimination complaint process order to clarify responsibilities 
and procedures when a complaint concerns staff within O&I. We are also 
strengthening our internal controls for tracking, reviewing, and 
reporting on complaint data. In addition, we are planning to 
incorporate the diversity plan goals into the SES performance appraisal 
system when it is revised. We are also looking into ways to remove O&I 
staff from the pre-complaint processing stage without reducing our 
ability to successfully resolve employee concerns informally. 

Steps Taken to Address the Ivy Planning Group Recommendations: 

In April 2008, the Ivy Planning Group (Ivy) issued its African American 
Performance Assessment Study report. This study was undertaken in 
response to significant differences in performance appraisal averages 
between African American and Caucasian analysts. The fundamental issue 
identified by the Ivy report is that the GAO culture, which values a 
singular and uniform approach to producing its work for the Congress 
must continue to change. Ivy recommended that GAO improve its ability 
to adapt to the diverse backgrounds and working styles of its changing 
workforce and make its human capital process fairer, more consistent, 
and more transparent. Moreover, the Ivy Report recommended that GAO 
raise staff awareness of the role that race can and does play in 
affecting performance related communication. The report included more 
than 25 recommendations. 

The Acting Comptroller General wrote to all GAO staff on April 30, 
2008, to express his commitment to address all of the Ivy report's 
recommendations. He issued another memo on September 10, 2008 updating 
the progress in addressing these recommendations, including the 
following. 

Convening a Series of Facilitated Conversations on Race: 

The Ivy report suggested that we begin our efforts to create a more 
inclusive environment by convening a series of facilitated 
conversations across the agency about perceptions and assumptions 
regarding race. These conversations are intended to eliminate barriers 
to effective performance-related communication and bridge different 
perceptions on the likely causes for ratings disparities. After 
thoroughly researching qualified firms and gaining an in-depth 
understanding of the complexities associated with this effort, we 
signed a contract with Ivy in August 2008 to help us design and 
facilitate these discussions. We decided to use Ivy because of its 
extensive experience in convening these sensitive discussions, and 
because of its knowledge of GAO's culture and understanding of 
diversity issues confronting GAO's workforce. Ivy has begun to plan for 
these sessions and we expect that they will begin this fall and last 
through the spring. Importantly everyone at GAO will participate in 
these conversations. Lessons learned from these conversations will 
inform agencywide diversity training--another of Ivy's recommendations--
which we will develop as part of GAO's ongoing mandatory training 
curriculum for all employees. 

Proactively Assessing the Needs of a Diverse Workforce: 

The Ivy report also stressed the importance of implementing our 
diversity initiatives in a broad and inclusive manner, and Ivy 
recommended that we proactively assess the needs of the broad ranges of 
groups within GAO as early steps in becoming more inclusive. O&I staff 
held meetings with representatives from Blacks in Government (BIG), the 
Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD), the Asian 
American Liaison Group (AALG), the Gay and Lesbian Employee 
Association, and the Hispanic Liaison Group (HLG) in conjunction with 
developing our June 2008 Workforce Diversity Plan. During these 
meetings the representatives shared their concerns about the work 
environment and suggested steps that we can take to make the 
environment more inclusive. We have already taken some steps to address 
several of these concerns. For example, to help address the concern 
about underrepresentation of Hispanics at GAO, we joined with HLG in 
setting up a booth at a Hispanic Career Fair. To help address a concern 
about retention of Asian Americans, we worked in partnership with AALG 
to attend an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) meeting on 
Asian-Americans in the federal workforce. Additionally, to help address 
the concern about limited information on staff with disabilities, we 
created a version of the self-identification of disability form that 
can be completed electronically. 

Creating a More Inclusive Work Environment: 

In addition to the steps outlined above, this June we established and 
convened an agency-wide Diversity Committee, which aims to foster 
opportunities for dialogue and serve as an advisory body to the 
Executive Committee and other senior executives. Representation on the 
Committee is comprised of employees elected to the designated diversity 
seats on the interim council of GAO's Employee Organization, 
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers 
(IFPTE); employees designated by GAO employee organizations; and GAO 
management representatives. The committee has met twice to date, and a 
Website is in development so employees can learn more about its 
efforts. 

In addition, in June the Acting Comptroller General issued an equal 
employment opportunity statement in which he articulated his view of 
and commitment to the principles of fairness and equal opportunity. 
Further, we added questions to the employee feedback survey to measure 
staff views about the inclusiveness of our work environment. We also 
instituted a process for monitoring the ratings of those in the 
Professional Development Program (PDP) to identify and assess any 
disparities by race or other factors, and opened up our existing 
mentoring program to PDP and other developmental staff. 

Finally, but equally importantly, the Acting Comptroller General and 
members of the Executive Committee met with BIG representatives to 
discuss their views of the Ivy report and to learn more about their 
suggestions for our approach going forward. The Executive Committee 
committed to an ongoing dialogue with BIG and made the same pledge to 
other employee groups throughout the agency, including the new 
Diversity Committee. 

Reassessing the Appraisal System - the PAS Study: 

Ivy recommended that GAO conduct an agency-wide review of our 
performance appraisal system. We had anticipated the need for such a 
study before Ivy's report was completed. Throughout the spring and 
summer, our Performance Appraisal System (PAS) study team has been 
working to re-examine what works, what does not, and what could be done 
better with our current system. The team is guided both by a Steering 
Committee of senior executives and a stakeholder group comprised of 
representatives from the Employee Advisory Council (EAC); IFPTE; and 
the Diversity Committee, as well as O&I and GAO's Applied Research and 
Methods (ARM) team, among others. The PAS study team has completed its 
interviews with more than 50 GAO executives and managers and conducted 
nearly 30 focus groups with staff from all pay plans and bands. Seven 
of the focus groups were convened to gather views from specific 
populations, including African Americans, Hispanics, and employees with 
disabilities, in order to determine whether there were issues of 
concern that were unique to these groups. In sum, more than 200 
individuals participated in all of the team's interviews and focus 
groups. Additionally, the PAS team has drafted a survey that will be 
sent to all employees this fall. The objective of the survey is to 
systematically collect employee opinions on what aspects of the 
performance appraisal system are working well and what merits 
attention. The team's final report is expected in early 2009. 

Training for Designated Performance Managers and All Staff on the 
Appraisal Process: 

Ivy also recommended that we retrain all Designated Performance 
Managers (DPMs) and reviewers and provide more specific examples of the 
performance that supports the work activities and standards for each 
rating. This month we issued a notice informing all DPMs that they will 
be required to take appraisal training by October 7. We also issued a 
notice advertising the briefings we have scheduled through September 
for employees on the appraisal process, as well as the one-on-one help 
sessions we will provide to (1) offer employees individual assistance 
with preparing self assessments and (2) provide an opportunity for DPMs 
to ask questions about or request guidance on assigning checkmarks or 
preparing narratives. 

Creating Standards for Appraisal Reviews: 

Ivy also recommended that GAO create standards for team performance 
appraisal review meetings. In response, we studied existing practices 
across GAO as well as prevalent practices in the literature, and just 
recently issued interim guidelines for teams, staff offices, Chief 
Administrative Office (CAO) units and the field. These interim 
guidelines for review of performance ratings are to be used for the 
2008 performance appraisal cycle. 

Instituting and Deploying Upward Feedback Tools: 

Ivy also recommended that we design and implement a measure for upward 
feedback. Steps are underway to institute and systematically deploy an 
agency wide upward feedback tool to provide feedback on management's 
effectiveness in supervising and developing staff. The plan is to 
implement this tool in March 2009. 

Monitoring Mid-Point Feedback: 

Ivy also honed in on the importance of ongoing feedback. In addition 
our staff, managers, and senior executives have indicated that mid- 
point feedback was either not occurring or not being documented. In 
response, we sent reminder notices earlier this spring about the 
importance of delivering mid-point feedback. 

Addressing Concerns with the Professional Development Program (PDP): 

We have established a working group of executives and managers to 
address the issues related to the PDP. Also, a survey instrument has 
been designed and pre-tested to assess the views of PDP staff as they 
complete the program. The survey includes questions about the role of 
the advisors. 

Strengthening Recruitment and Retention Initiatives: 

We also have taken steps in response to three of Ivy's recommendations 
by (1) forming a task team to analyze the schools we visit; identify 
different types of on-campus activities we support; determine the 
numbers and types of staff that participate in our on-campus recruiting 
efforts; and measure the costs, outcomes, and yields from these 
efforts; (2) developing a plan to research and identify best practices 
in diversity recruitment; and (3) establishing consistent criteria for 
our screeners to use when evaluating applications and a consistent set 
of questions for our managers to use when interviewing candidates. We 
also plan to map the recruitment and hiring process to identify pain 
points and areas for improvement, and calculate the cost of turnover. 

Workforce Diversity Plan Identifies Additional Steps We Will Take to 
Enhance Diversity: 

This spring we conducted a workforce diversity review. The review 
included a careful analysis of our workforce data in comparison to 
benchmarks recommended by the EEOC. In conducting this review, we 
consulted a wide range of sources to identify areas where barriers may 
exclude certain groups. Specifically, we shared data with and obtained 
views from representatives from our employee groups and the GAO unit of 
IFPTE, analyzed employee feedback survey responses for 2006 and 2007, 
reviewed relevant policies, procedures and practices; analyzed findings 
from prior O&I efforts; and interviewed responsible officials. 

The review found that our overall workforce was diverse and included a 
significant percentage of minorities and women. Specifically, as of 
April 2008, our workforce was more diverse than the civilian labor 
force (CLF).[Footnote 1] Minorities represented about 30 percent of 
GAO's total workforce, and women comprised more than one-half of the 
workforce. In comparison, minorities comprised about 28 percent of the 
CLF and women represented about 47 percent. Furthermore, the diversity 
in the predominant employee group--analyst and analyst-related staff-- 
exceeded the diversity in the relevant civilian labor force (RCLF). 
[Footnote 2] In addition, for three of the larger job series that 
included about two-thirds of the workforce--the analyst, auditor, and 
attorney job series--the representation of each minority group was 
about the same or exceeded such representation in the RCLF. 
Furthermore, we hired a diverse group of employees. From March 2007 to 
April 2008, we hired 238 new staff. The percentages of African American 
women hired equaled the CLF percentages and the percentages of Asian 
American men and women hired exceed the percentages in the CLF. 

However, our review found that Hispanic staff were underrepresented in 
our total workforce when compared to the CLF. Although the total 
percentages of Hispanic staff in analyst and analyst-related positions 
as well as in attorney positions equaled the representation in such 
positions compared to the RCLF, the percentages of Hispanic staff in 
other positions were low. Our analysis revealed that additional steps 
are needed to recruit Hispanic staff. For the most part, our efforts 
have focused on recruiting Hispanic staff for analyst and analyst- 
related positions. While we will continue to enhance these efforts, we 
also need to improve our approach to recruiting attorneys and 
recruiting for mission-support positions, recognizing that the number 
of opportunities to recruit for these positions may be limited. 

Additionally, we determined that the percentage of staff with targeted 
disabilities in our workforce was lower than the EEOC-recommended 
benchmark.[Footnote 3] The EEOC has raised concerns that data on 
employees with disabilities in the federal government may not be 
accurate. GAO shares this concern and will be following up to enhance 
the accuracy of self-reported information. 

The review also indicated that there were few minorities at certain 
levels in several job categories. Furthermore, we obtained information 
about agency practices that need to be addressed to improve our efforts 
to develop and maintain an inclusive environment. 

Based on the review we issued a detailed Workforce Diversity Plan in 
June 2008. The action steps in the plan are designed to build on the 
gains we have made in the diversity of our management and overall 
workforce. The Workforce Diversity Plan requires that we develop a 
specific diversity recruitment plan (also a recommendation in the Ivy 
report) that includes efforts to recruit for analyst, attorney, and 
administrative positions. We will expand our relationships with 
Hispanic-serving institutions as well as expand the range of sources 
from which candidates are found. Specifically, we plan to contact 
campus organizations, national sororities, and fraternities when 
visiting campuses; reach out to professional organizations that we have 
not previously established relationships with; and attend job fairs 
targeted to Hispanic and other minority candidates. We also are 
gathering information from our current Hispanic employees, as well as 
reviewing data from the national data base on college graduates. 

The plan also commits GAO to take additional steps to recruit staff 
with targeted disabilities. In order to address this concern, we 
recently formed a working group on disability issues that included 
staff from the ACPD--our employee group that focuses on disability 
issues. Our diversity recruitment plan will include efforts to recruit 
persons with disabilities for analyst, attorney, and administrative 
positions. We plan to expand and enhance our relationships with 
institutions and organizations that work with students with 
disabilities such as the Career Opportunities for Students with 
Disabilities--a nationwide consortium of higher education institutions 
and employers that facilitates the career employment of college 
graduates with disabilities. Also, we plan to gather information to 
help inform our recruitment efforts by surveying staff to update their 
disability status, interviewing our staff with disabilities, and 
analyzing national data on graduates. Further, we plan to use our non- 
competitive appointment authority to hire staff with disabilities. 

As shown in Table 1, the plan recommends changes that can be 
accomplished by April 2009--12 months from the start of our review--in 
order to hold ourselves accountable for achieving the plan's goals. The 
plan will be updated annually and will lead to significant long term 
improvements to our human capital processes that are at the heart of 
diversity issues confronting GAO. 

Table 1: GAO's 2008--2009 Workforce Diversity Action Plan: 

Goal: Recruit More Hispanics, African Americans and Staff with 
Disabilities: 

Action item: 1. Develop a diversity recruitment and hiring plan to 
enhance participation from all groups; 
Completion date: April 2009; 
Responsible units: O&I, HCO. 

Action item: 1. Develop a diversity recruitment and hiring plan to 
enhance participation from all groups; In support of this plan: 
a. Interview current minority and disabled staff to determine what led 
them to join GAO; 
Completion date: September 2008; 
Responsible units: O&I, HCO. 

Action item: 1. Develop a diversity recruitment and hiring plan to 
enhance participation from all groups; In support of this plan: 
b. Analyze data from Department of Education on minority graduates with 
selected majors; 
Completion date: December 2008; 
Responsible units: O&I, ARM, HCO. 

Action item: 1. Develop a diversity recruitment and hiring plan to 
enhance participation from all groups; In support of this plan: 
c. Develop stronger relationships with Hispanic-serving Institutions, 
historically-black colleges and universities and institutions and 
organizations that work with disabled students; 
Completion date: January 2009; 
Responsible units: HCO, Campus Executives. 

Action item: 1. Develop a diversity recruitment and hiring plan to 
enhance participation from all groups; In support of this plan: 
d. Expand the range of sources from which candidates are recruited 
(including campus organizations, national sororities and fraternities 
and professional organizations as well as using electronic recruiting 
efforts); 
Completion date: March 2009; 
Responsible units: HCO. 

Action item: 1. Develop a diversity recruitment and hiring plan to 
enhance participation from all groups; In support of this plan: 
e. Issue guidance to recruiters emphasizing diversity as a recruitment 
factor and ensure that recruitment efforts include law schools and job 
fairs targeted to higher concentrations of minority students; 
Completion date: March 2009; 
Responsible units: GC. 

Action item: 2. Use noncompetitive appointment authority to hire 
qualified staff with disabilities; 
Completion date: March 2009; 
Responsible units: O&I, HCO. 

Goal: Enhance Staff-Development Opportunities That Prepare Staff for 
Upper-Level Positions. 

Action item: 1. Expand one-to-one mentoring program; 
Completion date: August 2008; 
Responsible units: HCO/LC. 

Action item: 2. Hold managers accountable for providing performance 
feedback by analyzing data in our competency based performance system; 
Completion date: December 2008; 
Responsible units: O&I. 

Action item: 3. Identify steps for success and discuss the unwritten 
rules during workshops to share this information; 
Completion date: January 2009; 
Responsible units: O&I, HCO/LC. 

Action item: 4. Complete data analysis for performance appraisal system 
review; 
Completion date: 
Responsible units: HCO. 

Action item: 5. Announce opportunities for staff to participate in 
agency-wide projects; 
Completion date: 
Responsible units: CG. 

Goal: Create a More Inclusive Environment: 

Action item: 1. Revise employee survey to include questions to measure 
the extent to which staff view our work environment as inclusive; 
Completion date: June 2008; GOAL: 
Responsible units: ARM, HCO. 

Action item: 2. Issue EEO statement; 
Completion date: June 2008; 
Responsible units: O&I, CG. 

Action items: 3. Provide training sessions on EEO Policy/Harassment 
Issues; 
Completion date: October 2008; 
Responsible units: O&I, GC. 

Action items: 4. Provide employee groups with information that would 
allow them to reach out to new GAO staff and help improve retention of 
minorities; 
Completion date: October 2008; 
Responsible units: HCO, GC. 

Action items: 5. Hold facilitated discussions on race; 
Completion date: December 2008; 
Responsible units: HCO/LC; O&I. 

Action items: 6. Modify/revise Self-Identification of Handicap Form (SF 
256); 
Completion date: December 2008; 
Responsible units: O&I, KS. 

Action items: 7. Survey staff to update disability status; 
Completion date: January 2009; 
Responsible units: HCO, O&I, ARM. 

Action items: 8. Revise the reasonable accommodation process; 
Completion date: March 2009; 
Responsible units: O&I, HCO. 

Action items: 9. Interview minorities and staff with disabilities to 
obtain information on reasons for staying and reasons for leaving and 
analyze staff retention data; 
Completion date: March 2009; 
Responsible units: O&I. 

Action items: 10. Conduct diversity training to help staff understand 
barriers that may limit effective communication, coaching, and career 
development; 
Completion date: April 2009; 
Responsible units: O&I, HCO/LC. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of table] 

Conclusion: 

With the support of our top leadership, we have made diversity a part 
of our strategic plan, implemented leading diversity practices 
throughout the organization and developed annual plans that will help 
us enhance our diversity, particularly within our managerial ranks. 
Moreover, we have established a comprehensive accountability framework 
to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the 
recommendations in the Ivy Report as well as the action steps in our 
Workforce Diversity Plan. 

Finally, we are committed to working closely with the entire GAO 
community to ensure that our diversity efforts and our work environment 
are fully inclusive. We intend to take many steps to help enhance 
diversity at GAO, recognizing that diversity is a journey that will 
require constant and sustained commitment. 

This concludes my prepared statement. At this time I would be pleased 
to answer any questions that you or other members of the subcommittee 
may have. 

[End of testimony] 

Footnotes: 

[1] The CLF is composed of those 16 and older (including federal 
workers) who are employed or looking for work and not in the military 
or institutionalized. We used 2000 CLF data because it is the most 
current and reliable at this time. 

[2] RCLF data are the CLF data directly comparable (or relevant) to the 
occupational population being considered. We use the RCLF when 
analyzing occupational series. We use the 2000 RCLF because it is the 
most current and reliable data available at this time. 

[3] The targeted disabilities are deafness, blindness, missing 
extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, convulsive 
disorders, mental retardation, mental illness, and distortion of limb 
and/or spine. 

[End of section] 

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