CSO Diversity and Inclusion Survey

CSO Diversity and Inclusion Survey

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Thank you for participating in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) Diversity and Inclusion Survey. This survey was developed by CSO’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Council and Executive Office.

The goal of this survey is to help the D&I Council and Bureau Leadership make data-informed decisions regarding activities and priorities aimed at strengthening CSO’s efforts to recruit, retain, and develop a diverse, inclusive, high-performing workforce.

This survey will help achieve our goal by ensuring the D&I Council and Bureau Leadership (1) better understand employee views of CSO’s culture, (2) learn about employees’ experiences with diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, and (3) assess employee needs for and satisfaction with professional and leadership development opportunities. The D&I Council will use the survey to shape D&I Council priorities to better support employees, foster an inclusive workplace, and advance equity within CSO.

The survey should take around 10 minutes to complete. Please complete it by XX date.

The survey is optional, but we strongly encourage all staff to participate. Responses will be anonymized and confidential – aggregated results will be shared with the D&I Council and Bureau leadership as appropriate, but no individual results will be shared. Please note that while results are confidential, IT system administrators can access identifying information of survey respondents.

<<survey link>>

Thank you for your contribution to making CSO a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable place! 

Retention, Professional Development, and Leadership

This first set of questions is about your level of satisfaction with the support you receive from your leadership and the professional and leadership development opportunities available to you.

1. Which CSO office are you a part of?

   1. AA

   2. AF

   3. CPP

   4. DME

   5. EAP-SCA

   6. EX

   7. FO

   8. NEA

   9. WHA-EUR

   10. Prefer not to answer

2. Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements.

	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t know	Prefer not to answer
My supervisor(s) support my work-life balance.
CSO’s senior leadership supports my work-life balance.
My workload is manageable.
The workload is fairly and equitably distributed across my primary work unit (team, office, etc.).
My supervisor(s) support my professional growth.
I am satisfied with the training I receive.
I have sufficient time and opportunity to pursue training and professional development activities.

3. Thinking about what would be most beneficial for CSO employees’ professional development, from the below list of professional development activities, please select up to three options in order of preference.

1. Optional, temporary mentorship program for new hires

2. Weekly allotment of time to devote to professional development (e.g., 2 hours per week)

3. CSO alumni network

4. Additional technical skills training

5. Additional thematic training

6. Additional regional knowledge training

7. Knowledge sharing sessions (e.g., what are EERs, how do embassies function)

8. Regular notifications of training opportunities broken down by GS or FS level

9. Something else [specify]

10. Don’t know

11. Prefer not to answer

4. Thinking about what would be most beneficial for CSO employees’ leadership development, from the below list of leadership activities, please select up to three options in order of preference.

1. Monthly leadership seminar discussion, panel, or guest speaker

2. Monthly leadership book club or article review

3. Apprentice or shadowing program with senior leaders

4. Bureau-wide leadership effectiveness skills assessments

5. CSO-specific leadership training

6. Something else [specify]

7. Don’t know

8. Prefer not to answer

5. CSO is trying to decide how best to put ideas for new leadership initiatives and activities into practice. In your opinion, which of the following would be the most effective?

1. Leadership should be the focus of a new committee on CSO’s D&I Council.

2. Leadership should be the focus of a subcommittee of one of the D&I Council’s existing Strategy, Recruitment, or Retention Committees.

3. Leadership should be the focus of a separate entity, with a distinct mandate, but coordinate with the D&I Council.

4. CSO doesn’t need a formal mechanism to implement bureau leadership activities. CSO should pursue leadership events and activities as demand arises.

5. Don’t know

6. Prefer not to answer

Bureau Culture

These next questions are related to your perceptions of CSO’s overall culture, that is, how well you feel CSO fosters the conditions and provides the resources required for you to do your best work.

6. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the overall culture of CSO?

1. Very satisfied

2. Satisfied

3. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

4. Dissatisfied

5. Very dissatisfied

6. Don’t know

7. Prefer not to answer

7. If you responded “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” to the previous question, please explain. [Open-ended]

8. Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements.

	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t know	Prefer not to answer
I feel that my work is important.
I feel that my work is valued by CSO’s senior leaders.
I am included in decisions that affect my work.
I believe all employees at CSO have an equal opportunity to succeed here.
The people I work with treat each other with respect.
I trust CSO’s senior leaders to act in the best interest of CSO employees.

9. Are you considering leaving CSO in the next 6 months?

   1. Yes

   2. No

   3. Don’t know

   4. Prefer not to answer

10. If yes, what are the reasons you are considering leaving? Check all that apply.

    1. Salary, retirement, and/or other benefits

    2. Work-life balance

    3. Upward career mobility opportunities

    4. Opportunity to gain or apply skills and abilities

    5. CSO’s mission

    6. The job is challenging

    7. Recognition of job performance

    8. Relationship with managers or coworkers

    9. CSO’s culture

    10. Completion of my tour (for Foreign Service)

    11. Something else [specify]

    12. Don’t know

    13. Prefer not to answer

11. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the work of CSO’s D&I Council?

8. Very satisfied

9. Satisfied

10. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

11. Dissatisfied

12. Very dissatisfied

13. Don’t know

14. Prefer not to answer

12. If you responded “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” to the previous question, please explain. [Open-ended]

13. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.

	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t know	Prefer not to answer
CSO has policies and programs in place to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
CSO recruits and retains people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
I regularly have meaningful interactions with other CSO employees who I believe are different from myself (e.g., race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, religious beliefs).
Having a diverse workforce is a priority for bureau leadership.
CSO provides ample opportunities for employees and leadership to engage on important issues pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
I feel that I can be myself at CSO without judgement or repercussions.

14. What can CSO leadership do to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion at CSO? [Open-ended]

15. What can CSO employees do as individuals to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion at CSO? [Open-ended]

Finally, we’d like to ask you about your experiences with microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination at CSO. These terms are defined as follows:

• Microaggressions: Indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of marginalized groups.

• Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual because of their race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age (40 years or older), disability, genetic information, and/or retaliation for EEO protected activity.

• Discrimination: Unfavorable treatment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age (40 years or older), disability, or genetic information, or in retaliation for EEO protected activity.

If you have experienced or witnessed microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination at CSO, you are encouraged to report your experiences to your supervisor or S/OCR (socr_direct@state.gov). An employee who wishes to file an EEO complaint must consult an EEO Counselor within 45 days of the alleged incident; it is not necessary for an employee to report an incident to their supervisor before approaching an EEO Counselor. In addition, supervisors and other responsible Department officials who observe, are informed of, or reasonably suspect incidents of possible discriminatory or sexual harassment must immediately report such incidents to S/OCR (link: https://usdos.sharepoint.com/sites/OCR/SitePages/Report-Harassment.aspx). See 3 FAM 1525/1526.

16. Over the past 6 months, how often in the workplace (including remotely) have you experienced microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination because of your…

	Never	One time	More than once	Doesn’t apply to me	Don’t know	Prefer not to answer
…sex, including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy?
…race, color, or ethnic identity?
…religion?
...genetic information?
…national origin?
…disability (if any)?
…age (if 40 years or older)?

Your response to this question is not part of a formal complaint or grievance process. If you have experienced or witnessed microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination, you are encouraged to report your experiences to your supervisor or S/OCR (socr_direct@state.gov). Note an employee who wishes to file an EEO complaint must consult an EEO Counselor within 45 days of the alleged incident; it is not necessary for an employee to report an incident to their supervisor before approaching an EEO Counselor. In addition, supervisors and other responsible Department officials who observe, are informed of, or reasonably suspect incidents of possible discriminatory or sexual harassment must immediately report such incidents to S/OCR. See 3 FAM 1525/1526.

17. Over the past 6 months, how often in the workplace (including remotely) have you witnessed microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination based on…

	Never	One time	More than once	Don’t know	Prefer not to answer
…sex, including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy?
…race, color, or ethnic identity?
…religion?
...genetic information?
…national origin?
…disability (if any)?
…age (if 40 years or older)?

Your response to this question is not part of a formal complaint or grievance process. If you have experienced or witnessed microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination, you are encouraged to report your experiences to your supervisor or S/OCR (socr_direct@state.gov). Note an employee who wishes to file an EEO complaint must consult an EEO Counselor within 45 days of the alleged incident; it is not necessary for an employee to report an incident to their supervisor before approaching an EEO Counselor. In addition, supervisors and other responsible Department officials who observe, are informed of, or reasonably suspect incidents of possible discriminatory or sexual harassment must immediately report such incidents to S/OCR. See 3 FAM 1525/1526.

18. If you experienced or witnessed microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination in the workplace (including remotely), would you feel comfortable reporting it to office or bureau leadership?

1. Yes, in either case

2. Yes, but only if I experienced microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination

3. Yes, but only if I witnessed microaggressions, harassment, or discrimination

4. No, in neither case

5. Don’t know

6. Prefer not to answer

19. If no, why not? Check all that apply.

1. I feel like my concerns would be dismissed

2. I worry there would be backlash against me

3. I don’t know who to talk to

4. Something else [specify]

5. Don’t know

6. Prefer not to answer

20. Please provide any additional comments/feedback related diversity, equity, and inclusion at CSO that you would like to share. [Open-ended]

21. May the D&I Council quote your anonymous comment in the report on the findings of this survey?

1. Yes

2. No

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