Diversity at FRCSW – A Strategic Advantage to the Navy Mission

CORONADO, CA, UNITED STATES

02.03.2023

Story by Janina Lamoglia 

Fleet Readiness Center Southwest

Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) employees share a common bond in their effort to meet the command's mission. FRCSW is comprised of employees with diverse professional, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Recognizing the diversity at FRCSW not only highlights the unique value that each individual brings, but also provides the opportunity for employees to thrive and reach their full potential. Beyond individual employee success, the warfighter’s mission benefits from a workplace that welcomes diversity. Not only does it increase retention, but it also gives individuals the opportunity to improve critical thinking skills as they engage with perspectives outside of their own. In doing so, different life experiences and unique skills are encountered and expand the way in which ideas and solutions are explored. The FRCSW Diversity Advisory Teams (DATs) help foster an empowering environment that is inclusive to different heritages, experiences, styles, traditions, and views which can be strategically utilized as a catalyst for innovation and execution.

DATs also help bring issues that are affecting employees to the forefront. The teams are involved with barrier analysis at the physical, institutional, and attitudinal levels in order to provide recommendations on how to eliminate these barriers. Charles McQueen, the Deputy Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO), works with the DATs to provide the data required for barrier analysis. He gets assistance from teams in surveying employees about inclusion and diversity within the workplace. In many of their day-to-day interactions, employees meet with different customers from all walks of life; whether they previously held a different position, speak a different language, or grew up in an entirely different socioeconomic class. “Everyone views things from a different lens and brings different skillsets,” McQueen says. Beyond diverse skillsets, having a workforce that is inclusive to different ethnicities and cultures is advantageous. McQueen, who was previously deployed overseas as an Airman, explains how connections are made more naturally and easier between people that are similar to or at least understand their culture. He described a scenario during his service in the Middle East in which the elderly villagers were more open to communicating with Americans when they similarly grew out their beards and appeared to assimilate with the local area. With an organization that is so culturally and ethnically diverse like FRCSW, DATs help to educate other employees about cultural norms that might have otherwise been misunderstood, creating harmony in a workplace that embraces, and more importantly, increases understanding of one another. The creation of DATs such as the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) advisory team accomplishes this very understanding of cultural differences.

Pete Aragon from the COMFRC Strategic Group and a site lead for AAPI, discussed the importance of having diversity teams and how it not only benefits employees within the DAT, but also other employees of the command. Among other events, AAPI hosts holiday potlucks giving the community an opportunity to bond over traditional recipes and share their culture with other employees of the command. Shyness tends to be prevalent in the Asian American community, thus AAPI hosted events also serve as a catalyst and an opportunity to speak to leadership. “We want to do a good job, but don’t want to put ourselves out for failure. These events hold a more personal space for employees to talk to leadership.” Aragon says. He continues on to explain that DATs provide a space to communicate “between common cultures and across diversity.” DAT sponsored events bring employees out of their offices and shops to create a space and purpose to meet and discuss topics they may not normally talk over outside of their usual working environment. This avenue also provides employees who may spend all day in the labs or shops, the opportunity to speak to leadership or, other employees they may normally not interact with, allows them to promote the work they do for the command, and establishes good working relations. Like other DATs, AAPI offers mentoring that helps employees better themselves. For example, they work with employees on public speaking and grammar to improve resumes and interviewing skills. Another advantage of DATs is their promotion of inclusion in the workforce. FRCSW boasts a diverse pool of innovative talent and ideas. If negative biases against certain groups prevented that potential from being utilized, the command mission could be jeopardized.

Mark Weir, a representative of the LGBTQ+A advisory team, said it best: “In order for our workforce to prevail at providing excellent services in support of the warfighter, we rely upon inputs. The more diverse our inputs, the higher the probability and effectiveness that someone will provide a solution.” FRCSW has an advantage in having such a diverse workplace because the more diverse the demographics at a job, the larger range of unique skillsets are brought to the table. “Hiding takes a lot of energy,” Weir says. When employees feel comfortable and safe to bring their authentic selves to work, attrition is decreased and positive performance is increased. Like many of the diversity advisory teams, the LGBTQ+A Advisory Team, nurtures diversity and inclusion which enables the freedom to fully support the warfighter’s mission. An important aspect of what DATs provide for FRCSW employees as a whole is to sponsor events that draw multiple different employees to one location in order to promote inclusion and help to fulfill other needs of command employees (e.g. later this year, the advisory team will host a men’s health seminar promoting early cancer screening).

The Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) is another supportive DAT in which employees can openly and safely discuss topics and issues related to women in the workplace. Topics include advancing diversity in hiring, development, career growth, promoting a work-life balance, identifying and eliminating barriers, and cultivating networking and mentoring opportunities. Janene Valenzuela, Aerospace Engineer and WIN site lead, sees the importance of a supportive place such as WIN. The DAT provides a safe place for women to discuss barriers that they may be experiencing. The need and successful execution of creating additional space for lactation in office spaces came about from discussions in these meetings. Valenzuela explained the importance of the WIN sponsored panel events and how despite its name, the “buy-in of males,” especially from upper leadership, helps secure the support needed to eliminate barriers. WIN, like many of the other DATs, hosts events and is continually working to be a strong resource for the command.

Similarly, the Hispanic Engagement Action Team (HEAT) identifies and discusses ways to overcome barriers to employment, development, and retention. Aerospace Engineer and HEAT site lead, Anthony Sanchez, discussed the importance of the HEAT DAT and how it provides outreach for artisans who do not have regular access to computers. “Outreach to the artisans is one of hardest hurdles,” Sanchez says. Attendance at events such as Diversity Day helps reach a wider audience including blue-collar workers who have tight production time frames and do not regularly check e-mails to learn about teams such as HEAT. When artisans are able to attend HEAT sponsored and other DAT events or meetings, site leads are able to collect more accurate information about the workforce that might have otherwise been left out if artisans did not participate in those queries. By collecting this critical information, site leads can properly address workplace concerns to leadership which can then gain forward momentum with the full support of leadership. Rather than one person going “up the chain” about an issue on their own, site leads act as a champion for a team that may be experiencing a common barrier. Advisory teams such as HEAT also motivate participation by establishing a commonality and purpose for meeting. Common celebrations such as their annual Posada, which honors the birth of Baby Jesus, encourages bonding, provides an opportunity to educate others about traditions and holidays, and provides space to discuss effective ways to create a diverse workforce. Several HEAT members are involved in Mesa Shadow Day, which inspire college students by giving them an insider look into potential careers in naval aviation. With the support of these diversity advisory teams, FRCSW employees can continue working in productive spaces free of bias, discrimination, and instead, see differences as a strategic advantage in support of the mission.

Although there are different names for each advisory team, the goal is the same. To promote inclusion and diversity across all backgrounds. A workforce with employees full of diverse backgrounds provides the broadest possible spectrum of solutions available to keep the warfighter prepared and the employees of FRCSW on course to continue meeting the command’s mission.

• Date Taken: 02.03.2023
• Date Posted: 02.03.2023 17:04
• Story ID: 437809
• Location: CORONADO, CA, US
• Hometown: CORONADO, CA, US