Role of Equal Opportunity Advisors

1
Role of Equal Opportunity Advisors

• Prepared by
• Directorate of Research
• Defense Equal Opportunity
• Management Institute

2
Overview

• Five Major Duty Areas for EOAs
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
  Characteristics
• Barriers
• Best Practices
• Emerging Issues
• EO Personnel in a Deployed Environment

3
Five Major Duty Areas for EOAs

• Climate Assessment
• Complaint Processing
• Education, Training, and Awareness
• General EO/Administrative
• Special Observances

4
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
Characteristics

• Three sources used to develop complete listing of
  KSAOs
• Department of Labor ONET
• Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
• Exemplary EOAs

5
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
Characteristics

• 9 Knowledge areas
• 19 Skill areas
• 9 Abilities
• 23 Work Styles or Other Characteristics

6
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
characteristics

• Knowledge
• Historical events
• Human behavior and performance
• Group behavior and dynamics

7
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
characteristics

• Skills
• Active Listening
• Facilitation Skills
• Negotiation
• Social Perceptiveness
• Speaking
• Writing

8
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
Characteristics

• Abilities
• Oral Comprehension and Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Written Comprehension and Expression

9
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
Characteristics

• Other Characteristics
• Awareness
• Concern for Others
• Empathy
• Integrity
• Leadership
• Receptiveness
• Self-Awareness
• Stress Tolerance

10
Barriers

• Communication problems upward and downward
• Buy-in from leadership
• Funding
• Additional duties (tasks that take away from EOA
  duty time)

11
Barriers

• Interference with others in leadership (detracts
  from protection of EO process)
• Personnel with EO issues are prevented from using
  EOA personnel
• Former EOAs/EORs handling/attempting to resolve
  current issues

12
Barriers

• Personnel cuts/shortages/turnovers without prior
  notice
• Not informed of policy/procedural changes
• Addition of new responsibilities

13
Barriers

• Geographic location of EOA in relation to
  personnel in the organization
• Privacy for interviews (cubicles vs. offices)
• Command interest in access to EO complainants vs.
  client needs

14
Best Practices

• EOA/Program Manager/Civil Rights personnel
  conduct senior leader training focusing on equal
  opportunity and sexual harassment.
• Document the amount of dollars or training days
  lost due to EO incidents (USCG has a model)
• Bring in guest speakers to address command on EO
  issues

15
Best Practices

• Ensure EO has a seat at the table (staff call,
  directors call, chiefs meetings)
• Conduct staff assistance visits to lower echelons
  (creates a face-to-face environment)
• Conduct teleconferences with outlying units
• Invite a DEOMI Mobil Training Team to conduct
  training

16
Best Practices

• Market program to commanders/key staff personnel
• Establish relationship with resource/budget
  advisor
• Market program to other affiliates to get buy-in
  to receive support needed to run EO program

17
Best Practices

• Partner with other EO representatives within the
  organization
• Educate leadership on EO process

18
Emerging Issues

• Diversity Diversity has become a buzzword for
  leadership. EOAs must at least be able to address
  diversity within the respective organizations.

19
Emerging Issues

• Topics to address when discussing Diversity
• Tie diversity to strategic plan mission/goals
• EO/EEO Laws, policies
• Clear policy guidance from DOD
• Demographics (particularly promotions)
• Protected categories
• Education levels
• Cultural/Ethnic backgrounds
• Management styles/personalities

20
Emerging Issues

• Disabled servicemen remaining on active duty
• Age discrimination
• Women in combat career fields closed to women
• Joint Service environments e.g., USAF filling in
  deployed Army units

21
Emerging Issues

• Deployment with Coalition Forces
• Merging/Joint Bases (conflicts between services)
• Merging EO/EEO duties and responsibilities
  (particularly in USAF)

22
Senior Leader Emerging Issues

• Religious discrimination
• Gang activity
• Sexual harassment/assault
• Cultural awareness

23
EO Personnel in a Deployed Environment

• What was the major EO complaint your office dealt
  with?
• All of the respondents listed sexual harassment
  as the primary basis for EO complaints in their
  respective positions. One individual noted that
  there may have been an equal amount of racial
  discrimination complaints as well.

24
EO Personnel in a Deployed Environment

• What major barrier existed for you or your office
  in the performance of your EOA/MEO duties?
• Separating EO Issues from IG complaints
• Establishing the program while in a deployed
  environment
• Convincing leaders that EO was important in a
  wartime environment (i.e., in comparison to
  safety concerns associated with mortar attacks)
• Lack of quality EO training for soldiers
• Absence of trained EOAs in Reserve and Guard
  components

25
EO Personnel in a Deployed Environment

• What best practice did you employ in support of
  the EO program?
• Conduct as much training as possible
• Raise awareness of the program through contact
  with leaders and other soldiers
• Gain senior leadership participation in
  observances
• Be a team player and continue to support the
  mission
• Be involved in solving leadership issues beyond
  EO
• Work the program as a Human Relations Office
• Network with other relevant agencies (JAG, IG,
  MP, CID, Medical, MWR, etc.)

26
Summary

• Five Major Duty Areas for EOAs
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other
  Characteristics
• Barriers
• Best Practices
• Emerging Issues
• EO Personnel in a Deployed Environment