Beyond the Framework
Below are important accomplishments CalPERS achieved during the reporting period that, while not directly tied to the framework, represent significant milestones in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at CalPERS.
Enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion was a strategic priority in the 2021-22 ITSB Strategic Plan. Below are the deliverables from the four DEI Strategic Initiatives.
Assess the current state of ITSB
- Each manager held team meetings to gather team member feedback about what diversity, equity, and inclusion meant to them, what we did well, and what could be improved upon.
- Each team provided a representative to participate in focus groups. The chief information officer and three IT division chiefs facilitated the focus groups. The focus group participants reviewed the team member feedback and brainstormed initiatives for the next fiscal year. That’s how the following three DEI initiatives came about: increasing diversity education and celebration through communication channels, implementing leaders’ learning groups, and updating our recruitment practices.
Increase diversity education and celebration through communication channels
- Distributed four articles and hosted one podcast for approximately 440 IT team members about various DEI topics including gender equity, gender identity, and more in the workplace.
Implement leader learning groups
- Discussed diversity and how to cultivate a more inclusive workplace with IT leaders twice a quarter. The sessions were led by our IT division chiefs and managers. Each session included a presentation that introduced concepts, data, and other pertinent information; followed by questions or activities for group discussion; closed with suggested actions that could be implemented and resources for further learning.
Updated statement of qualifications and interview questions to assess candidates’ ability to support a diverse and inclusive work culture based on the individuals’ understanding of why DEI is important and their educational and professional experiences.
CalPERS Career Services and Outreach Program, which provides career development support to existing team members while also increasing the visibility of CalPERS recruitments to achieve diverse candidate pools, achieved significant milestones including:
- Continued use of LinkedIn Recruiter Seat search and InMails to connect with a diverse candidate pool for select positions. This resulted in 62,718 job views and 35 influenced hires.
- Conducted 172 one-on-one consultations on job application packages, interview preparation, and career development goals, resulting in 39 team members achieving promotions or transfers.
- Participated in 14 virtual career fairs, six of which were expressly diversity recruitment-focused, allowing us to promote working at CalPERS, current exams, and career opportunities, answer questions about the civil service process, and provide relevant resources to a wide range of diverse prospects.
- Developed and facilitated interactive virtual speed mentoring activities for the Customer Education and Outreach Division and the Member Account Management Division. Overall, 76 team members participated in the 132 virtual speed mentoring sessions. The primary goals for these events were to educate team members about career development and mentoring in a remote environment and to increase employee engagement, retention, and internal mobility. In addition, the Career Services & Outreach team began building a self-service Mentoring Event Tool Kit to expand opportunities for teams to conduct their own mentoring events.
- Conducted informational presentations for the University of California, Davis, and California State University, Sacramento. These schools, which are in relatively close proximity to the CalPERS headquarters, enroll a diverse population of students who reflect the diversity of California.