Diversity in the Workforce

To: "A  - Division Chief and Staff"<distribution>,
        "B  - Branch Chiefs and Offices"<distribution>,
        "DC - All District Chiefs"<distribution>,
        "FO - State, District, Subdistrict and other Field Offices"<distribution>,
        "PO - Project Offices"<distribution>
From: "Catherine L Hill, ACH/Operations, Reston, VA" <clhill>
Cc: "Catherine L Hill, ACH/Operations, Reston, VA" <clhill>,
        "Joanne C Taylor, Secretary (Typing), Reston, VA" <jctaylor>,
        "Janet N Arneson, Secretary (Typing), Reston, VA" <jarneson>,
        "Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA" <dilandro>
Subject: Diversity in the Workforce
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 11:26:07 -0400
Sender: "Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA" <dilandro>

                         	  MEMORANDUM

                                			September 23, 1997

To:       All USGS Supervisors

From:     Gordon P. Eaton
          Director

Subject:  Diversity in the Workforce

I wish to bring to your attention a matter of critical importance to the
health and future of the USGS.  It is the issue of increasing and
sustaining the diversity of our workforce in both the short and long term.
Diversity includes,but is not limited to, a person's race, religion, color,
gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, age, education,
geographic origin, and skills.  I urge you to recognize and endorse the
concept that a diverse workforce brings a broader, richer perspective to
all our endeavors.  Further, to properly serve the diverse American public
we must have a workforce that reflects our society.

In order to be successful, all segments of the USGS must make a concerted
effort to accept responsibility and to pursue the objectives necessary to
achieve a more diverse workforce.  Final revisions are being made to the
DOI Diversity Strategic Plan and a USGS team has been convened to develop a
bureau diversity plan that mirrors the departmental plan.  You will soon
receive information that communicates these plans and provides guidance.

In the meantime, I wish to clarify each supervisor's role in this strategic
initiative.  Every personnel decision you make should demonstrate your
commitment to diversity.  In particular, our recruiting and hiring should
reflect these values.  Each position filled, regardless of whether
it is permanent or temporary, full time or part time, has the potential to
contribute to our organizational diversity.  Even our volunteer force can
be a rich asset in identifying diverse candidates to join our organization.

An immediate step we can take is to increase the diversity in the pool of
applicants from which we make selections.  This will require that we seek
well-qualified prospective employees (hires) in new and nontraditional
methods.  Our longstanding methods of locating candidates may no longer
connect us to the full range of qualified applicants we seek.   I ask that
you coordinate any
innovative recruiting methods with your servicing personnel office.

It is no longer enough to talk about our efforts, instead, we must be able
to see our results.  I urge you to join together in delivering results by
creating an organizational culture which values diversity and which will
demonstrate the versatility and vitality of the USGS.