Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at DGS

DGS acknowledges the role of diversity and inclusion in not only enhancing the morale and productivity of employees but also in boosting innovation, financial performance, and overall effectiveness of the organization. As a part of the diversity and inclusion efforts, DGS strives to recruit, train, engage, and retain a diverse pool of talent that will contribute to DGS’s mission and vision.

In 2018, DGS had its management attend implicit bias training in order to combat unconscious bias in hiring, recruitment, and other aspects of employment. Since then DGS has offered implicit bias training to all its employees.

In 2019, DGS initiated a department-wide effort to offer leadership training to all DGS staff, supporting and enabling employees’ professional growth. Likewise, DGS has provided its employees the opportunity to attend CalHR trainings, covering an array of diversity and inclusion topics, to increase their awareness and promote a culture of acceptance and inclusiveness. Additionally, DGS also promotes the participation of Small Businesses and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises in statewide procurement contracting. 

In 2021, the DGS Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office undertook a multi-year goal to review the demographic composition of the DGS workforce, identify disparities within DGS divisions and offices, and provide recommendations and proposed action plans for each of those divisions and offices with identified disparities. In phase 1 of this multi-year goal, the EEO office will collaborate with a newly formed diversity and inclusion workgroup, along with one of the DGS divisions or offices, to create an action plan to help reduce the disparities in the demographic makeup of that division or office. 

Additionally, the EEO will collaborate with the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to train DGS hiring managers on EEO policies and the effects of unconscious bias on hiring decisions to enhance fairness in DGS hiring process. Our goal is to ensure that all applicants receive equal employment opportunity during the hiring process, and that hiring managers recognize what factors may unconsciously influence their hiring practices.