Promotion And Advancement

As part of its continuing efforts in technical assistance, outreach, and education the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission established a task force to examine private sector best practices in EEO policy, programs and practices. The task force's report, released in December 1997, is intended to facilitate voluntary compliance through the examination of business polices, programs, and practices that will be useful to employers in structuring systems and policies that are consistent with their business priorities as well as with their EEO obligations and diversity objectives.

The task force did not endorse any particular policy, program, or practice. It's goal in identifying practices currently being implemented by employers was to disseminate information about practices that are likely to promote voluntary compliance with the EEO laws. Noteworthy promotion and career advancement practices should promote the opportunities and developmental experiences of minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and older persons. The Task Force looked at a number of areas, including the employer's consideration of the diversity of its workforce; the adequacy of the information network in terms of notifying interested persons of opportunities; the adequacy of the selection procedures, including identification and selection of high potential employees; the kinds of developmental practices provided; the extent to which the nature of the developmental opportunities reflect the diversity of the total management candidate pool; and the extent and nature of any monitoring. Accordingly, effectiveness in the promotion and advancement practice was considered, as well as the opportunities and developmental experiences of minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and older persons.

Best practice ideas

Steps to consider that will help to avoid discrimination or limit liability in implementing promotion and advancement initiatives include:

____ 1. Establish a policy for promotion and career advancement, including criteria, procedures, responsible individuals, and the applicability of diversity and affirmative action.

____ 2. Engage in short-term and long-term strategic planning:

____ 3. Define aims;

____ 4. Identify the applicable barriers to equal employment opportunity;

____ 5. Make a road map for implementing the plan.

____ 6. Develop methods to identify high-potential persons.

____ 7. Establish a communication network notifying interested persons of opportunities, including advertising within the organization and, where applicable, not only with the general media, but with minority, persons with disabilities, older persons, and women-focused media.

____ 8. Communicate the competencies, skills, and abilities required.

____ 9. Provide for succession planning.

____ 10. Build talent pools.

____ 11. Develop career plans and programs for high potential employees.

____ 12. Provide sufficient training and opportunities for additional education.

____ 13. Ensure that tools for continuous learning and optimum job performance are available.

____ 14. Provide tools to enable employees to self-manage careers.

____ 15. Provide job transfer/rotation programs for career enhancing developmental experiences.

____ 16. Provide employee resource centers, so individuals may have more opportunities to develop career plans.

____ 17. Establish mentoring and networking programs and systems to help develop high potential individuals.

____ 18. Eliminate practices which exclude or present barriers to minorities, women, persons with disabilities, older persons, or any individuals.

____ 19. Ensure that personnel involved in the promotion and advancement process are well trained in their equal employment opportunity responsibilities.

____ 20. Include progress in equal employment opportunity in advancement and promotion as factors in management evaluation.