To continue the conversation around Diversity and Inclusion, MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) employees experienced learning sessions that explore the brain science of bias and how to intentionally use mental models to consciously work on rewiring these brain patterns. Last year, employees received a new perspective on the topic to focus more on inclusion as a way of thinking. The program was purchased from a national neuroscientist Inclusion facilitator, Steve Robbins, who is also a Michigan State University (MSU) graduate. To gain commitment, 100 percent of MSUFCU’s board, executives, and management, HR, and Learning and Talent Development (LTD) team previewed Robbins’ program facilitation to reinforce the concepts throughout the organization. After reviewing the program content, LTD worked in collaboration with Robbins to design a custom course structure connected with MSUFCU culture.
Program Details
The LTD team provided 40 sessions to all employees to develop their awareness of unconscious bias, individual assessments to gather personal improvement, and a series of 12 five-minute on-demand videos on topics that continue the exposure throughout the year. Managers and employees received summary reference guides to revisit the videos for team and individual meetings.
The 12 “What If?” video series topics include:
- Introduction: NICE People and Mistakes
- Diversity Is Not the Problem
- Culture: May the Invisible Force Be with You
- The Problem with Noise
- Your Brain: Patterns and Profiles
- Lazy Brains
- The Discomfort of Dissonance
- Model Making Machine
- Membership Has Its Privileges
- Insiders vs. Outsiders
- An Overweighting Problem
- The KISS of Exclusion
All employees must complete the program; new employees experience the same content to maintain consistency with the message and connect employees to the values of inclusivity at the credit union. The program has driven language learning and employee requests for more financial Spanish learning programs. The Learning and Talent Development team is working with MSU Graduate Teaching Assistant students to develop a beginner, intermediate, and advanced program. They also are working to create a network of employees available for MSUFCU’s Spanish phone pilot to assist with member requests.
Results
MSUFCU ranks high for EEO new hire categories to further develop diversity initiatives. For the 2016 Best and Brightest Results, the region median score for the Diversity and Inclusion category was 9.05, and 50 percent of companies fell below that score. MSUFCU’s raw score was 14.67 in comparison, which falls in the 95th percentile for the entire region. MSUFCU scored in the top 5 percent of companies participating in this survey in its region for diversity initiatives based on the peer group.
