Country where education was attained - Simmons University



Pathways to Leadership Among Foreign Born and Native-Born Human Services Workers: Equity and InclusionJohnnie Hamilton-Mason, Ph.D., MSWPrincipal InvestigatorHugo Kamya, Ph.D., MSWPrincipal InvestigatorJulie Bolduc DeFilippo, MSW, Ph.D. candidateMbita Mbao, MSW, Ph.D. candidate2390140608647500Simmons UniversityCollege of Social Sciences and Public PolicySchool of Social WorkDo not copy, cite, or distribute without permission of the authors.Table of Contents....................................................................................................................1Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................2Appendix A: List of Tables..............................................................................................................3Appendix B: List of Figures............................................................................................................4Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................5Introduction......................................................................................................................................9a. Statement of the Problem.................................................................................................9b. Significance of the Problem and Historical Background.................................................9c. Purpose............................................................................................................................10d. Research Question...........................................................................................................10e. Limitations.......................................................................................................................10f. Ethical Considerations......................................................................................................11Review of Related Literature...........................................................................................................11Design of the Study........................................................................................................................14a. Description of Research Design and Procedures Used..................................................14b. Sources of Data..............................................................................................................14c. Sampling Procedures......................................................................................................15d. Subject Recruitment.......................................................................................................16Analysis of Data.............................................................................................................................17Focus Group Characteristics..........................................................................................................20Highlights of Focus Group Participants.........................................................................................23Survey Characteristics...................................................................................................................23Highlights of Survey Demographics..............................................................................................29Summary and Conclusions............................................................................................................61Recommendations for Further Investigation.....................................................................65References......................................................................................................................................66Appendix A: Interview Guide........................................................................................................69Appendix B: Survey Instrument....................................................................................................70Appendix C: Preliminary Analysis................................................................................................88AcknowledgementsThe authors wish to thank Human Service Professionals from Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive, Inc. and Ventures who participated in focus groups, responded to the survey, colleagues who piloted the survey; Peter Obour-Mensah and Emmanuel Owusu from the African Bridge Network who commissioned the study and the leadership of the four partner human service agencies-- Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc. and Venture Community Services, Dean Stephanie Berzin of Simmons University College of Social Sciences and Public Policy for her support and Dr. Anthony Guarino for his invaluable assistance with the with statistical analyses, and MSW graduate assistants Viola Dean and Geneviève Spears.List of TablesTable 1: Cross tabulation analysis conducted to look at the relationship in salary across allRace/ethnic groups.........................................................................................................................51Table 2: Cross tabulation analysis conducted to describe the relationship between salary amongthe four organizations....................................................................................................................53Table 3: Cross tabulation analysis conducted to look at relationship between employees who attained their education in the United States and yearly salary....................................................55Table 4: Cross tabulation analysis conducted to describe relationship between years in service and salary.......................................................................................................................................56 Table 5: Survey results.................................................................................................................. 59List of FiguresFig. 1: Design and methods of data collection of the study...........................................................17Fig. 2: Age ranges of focus group participants by percentage......................................................20Fig. 3: Race/ethnicity of focus group participants by percent.......................................................20Fig. 4: Annual salary of focus group participants by percent.......................................................21Fig. 5: Number of years of service of focus group participants by percent...................................21Fig. 6: Percent of highest level of education of focus group participants.....................................22Fig. 7: Percent of focus group participants who received their highest level of education in theUnited States or outside the United States.....................................................................................22Fig. 8: Current employment of participants by percent.................................................................24Fig. 9: Current employment of participants by number of survey respondents.............................24Fig. 10-11: Age ranges of participants by number of survey respondents................................... 25Fig. 12-13: Race/ethnicity of participants by number of survey respondents................................26Fig. 14-15: Salary range of participants by number of survey respondents..................................27Fig. 16-17: Number of years of service of participants by number of survey respondents............28Fig. 18: Employee role of participants who responded to this survey question.............................29Fig. 19: Qualitative data analysis themes......................................................................................31Fig. 20: Decision making and control are given to employees doing the actual work...................32Fig. 21: Belief an effort is made to get the opinions of people throughout the organization.........33Fig. 22: Programs and policies promote diversity in the workplace.............................................35Fig. 23: Supervisors know whether an individual’s career goals are compatible with organizational goals.......................................................................................................................37 Fig. 24: We work to attract, develop and retain people with diverse backgrounds......................37Fig. 25: Employees have a feeling of personal empowerment with respect to work processes.... 39Fig. 26: Satisfaction with recognition they receive for doing a good job...................................... 40Fig. 27: My supervisor provides me with opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills.......42Executive SummaryThe ethnic and racial diversity of the residents of the United States of America is one of the country’s unique strengths; however, Black, Latinx, Pacific Islander, Native, and certain Asian American workers face wide racial inequities in educational attainment, employment, and income. Immigrants, the majority of whom are people of color, face similar inequities in their educational and employment opportunities. The United States has fueled these disparities through decades of intentional, structurally racist policies, including those that have shaped human service professionals lived experiences, their career trajectory, and their training and professional development. Commissioning of StudyThis study was commissioned in 2019 to explore the lived employment experiences of the foreign-born and people of color in the human services workforce in four non-profit human service organizations-- Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc. and Venture Community Services. Goal of Study The Purpose/Goal of the study was to address the following areas:To examine career development and needs of foreign born and people of colorTo examine racial and ethnic composition of the workforce in the human service industryTo examine racial and ethnic disparities in leadership To explore challenges and opportunitiesTo develop ongoing evaluation strategiesTo address the purpose of the study a key research question was addressed: Research Question: What are the lived employment experiences of the foreign-born and people of color in the human services workforce in Massachusetts?Related Sub Questions were examined: What are the barriers to education, training and advancement for foreign born and people of color who are human service workers?How are local non-profit organizations and stakeholders coping with these barriers? What sources of training and workforce development services are these workers accessing?Key partners included the following organizations:ThriveBay CoveHMEAVenturesAll these organizations are involved in the provision of human services How was the study conducted?The study was done in 2 phases:Phase One: Focus groups: There were 41?participants who participated in a focus group. There was a semi-structured interview guide, using prepared open-ended questions, to allow the subjects to speak freely about their experiences (see Appendix A).? The focus group was recorded and lasted for approximately an hour, and then transcribed as detailed in the informed consent documentation. Recording and transcription allowed for coding, and identification of themes related to the research aim.?The subjects were notified that the recording will be destroyed after three years of completion of the study or when it is no longer being used in accordance with federal regulations. Transcriptions did not contain identifying information. A copy of the findings was given to the subject for confirmation of accuracy.??Phase Two: All subjects were asked to complete survey questions composed about their perceptions and understanding of the career development and needs of foreign born and people of color who are employed at Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc and Venture Community Services; their perceptions of the racial and ethnic composition of the workforce in the human service industry; their understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in leadership; and their perceptions of challenges and opportunities.? The survey was adapted by the team using the Survey of Organizational Excellence (SOE) and the Survey of Human Services Well Being Viewpoint Survey (FEVS).*?246 Participants were asked to complete an online or?paper survey depending on their ability to access a computer (see Appendix B). The survey was administered individually and/or in groups. Only one meeting with the participants was required. It took approximately 40 minutes to complete the survey. Findings:There were several findings from the study. Four significant findings from the study are noted below:There are reported disparities related to foreign born and people of color experiences as workers.Foreign born and people of color human service workers reported the lack of a career ladder in their work experiences.Foreign born and people of color human service workers reported a lack of mentoring for professional development/training and economic growth. Foreign born and people of color service reported the pressure to produce and a lack of appreciation by managementA key finding is the relationship between foreign born and people of color vis a vis their client:Foreign born and people of color reported a strong commitment to their clients There are huge implications of these disparities for people of color employed in human service organizations in Massachusetts. Disparities exist in salaries for foreign born and people of colorAlthough a significant number of foreign born report satisfaction in professional training provided, sizeable number report the need for more professional training opportunitiesTrajectories for foreign born and people of color into leadership positions are limited.In addition to feeling pressure to produce more, respondents across all organizations also focused on the low rates of compensationConcerns related to racism and anti-bias were identified in the study. Recommendations for Further InvestigationAdopting racial equity goals and developing plans and systems to support them; Advancing racial equity through training policies, including career pathways and stackable credentials of value; andAdvocating for sufficient funding of contracts so that employers can offer salaries commensurate with those offered to state employees performing similar jobs.Provide more anti-bias training for each organizationOffer training relevant to the needs of the workforceUsing organizational partnerships to advance racial equity: Create collaborative partnerships with ABN and human service organizations that contributed funding for the pilot study (in process) that will focus on:Increase leadership and salary among workers Implement training modules designed to increase the leadership trajectory of human service providers especially anti bias trainingsUse the training as mechanism as a pipeline to recruit potential MSW applicationImplement training modules for AdministratorsWork with ABN to establish a specific mentoring program:Employing apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs to advance racial equity; Implementing upskilling policies for workers with foundational skills gaps;A key recommendation is that each organization develop evaluation strategies to monitor ongoing progress and work toward the implementation of suggested changes, Talk needs to be translated into action.Foreign born and people of color ought to be key players in the changes that affect them. They need to be invited at the decision-making table Footnote:*The Survey of Organizational Excellence (SOE) (Lauderdale, 1999). The SOE was utilized to measure job satisfaction in this study. The SOE provided the means to collect internal data, which included employee attitudes, beliefs, and values. The SOE assessed five dimensions: work team, physical work settings accommodations, general organizational features, communication patterns, and personal demands. For purposes of this study, the job satisfaction construct was utilized. The job satisfaction construct explored the degree to which employees liked their jobs and their work environment by focusing on both the job itself and the availability of resources to do their job. The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) is an annual survey administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It is a tool that measures employees' perceptions of whether, and to what extent, conditions characterizing successful organizations are present in their agencies. It was an opportunity for employees to share their perceptions about their work experiences, organizations, and leaders. (National Institute of Health, 2019).Introductiona. Statement of the ProblemThe absence of opportunity for advancement for foreign-born people of color and African Americans who make up the majority of direct care staff in group home health, mental health, substance use and rehabilitation facilities is a big issue.??According to the U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns Survey (2016), 28 percent of jobs in Massachusetts were in human services field. A UMASS Donahue (2018) report found that over the previous decade, from 2006 through 2016, employment within the human services system has grown by 65 percent. The report also shows that nearly one in five human services workers are foreign-born, with one third of human services workers being people of color. Given the highly diverse nature of the foreign-born population, the human service field faces challenges in ensuring that foreign-born workers have equitable access to employment opportunities and opportunities to move up the employment ladder and integrated into management jobs (Milliona, Erwin & Tsoi, n.d). b. Significance of the Problem (and historical background)According to the American Immigration Council (2017), immigrants continue to play a vital role in Massachusetts today, making up 16 percent of the state’s population. A fifth of the Massachusetts labor force is foreign-born, with immigrants supporting the state’s healthcare, science, and service industries, among others. As workers, business owners, taxpayers, and residents, immigrants are an integral part of Massachusetts’ diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions that benefit all. Nearly one in six Massachusetts residents is an immigrant, while one in seven residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent. In 2015, 1.1 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 16.1 percent of the population. Massachusetts was home to 539,003 women, 497,730 men, and 59,220 children who were immigrants.The human service workforce is on the verge of an enormous demographic shift (Provider’s Council, 2015). According to the U.S. Census, race-based “minorities” including Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians, represented 34% of the working-age population in 2008. By 2039, these people of color will be the majority of the workforce. Simultaneously, the Baby Boomer generation that dominated the workplace for decades is now retiring while Generation X and Millennials are stepping into new leadership roles. These two trends and their impact on the workplace suggests that developing diverse leadership is more important than ever. Especially in the human services sector it is important that staff represent and understand the communities they serve. c. PurposeTo understand the career development and needs of foreign-born and people of colorTo understand the racial and ethnic composition of the workforce in the human service industryTo understand racial and ethnic disparities in leadership To explore challenges and opportunitiesTo develop ongoing evaluation strategiesd. Research QuestionWhat are the lived employment experiences of the foreign-born and people of color in the human services workforce in Massachusetts?Sub QuestionsWhat are the barriers to education, training and advancement for foreign-born and people of color who are human service workers?How are local non-profit organizations and stakeholders coping with these barriers? What sources of training and workforce development services are these workers accessing?e. LimitationsAccording to Creswell and Clark (2017) the mixed method triangulation design makes intuitive sense. For this study, this design was efficient since both data sets were collected at different times, using some of the same participants and multiple researchers. Each data set was analyzed using the techniques that are commonly associated with that type of data (Creswell & Clark, 2017). Yet mixed method research carries the limitations and strengths of both qualitative and quantitative methods (Creswell & Clark, 2017). Among the limitations of study is its use of convenience sampling methods in four different human service organizations with differential numbers of human service workers and in some cases, communication was through the human resources personnel or leading administrators with different organizational cultures. These factors may increase the likelihood of some bias. Especially given the confidential nature of the research and the fact that workers may not have felt certain that confidentiality could be maintained. A second limitation was the decision to sample through a survey that was electronic which may limit respondents who may not be computer literate or have access to computers. The reliance on collecting data in focus groups and quantitative data on such a sensitive issue may also constitute a limitation of this study. The subtle nuances of direct care staff and leadership might have affected the low number of respondents from the smaller organizations due to the limited number of people of color.f. Ethical ConsiderationsPermission to solicit participants were obtained from the Simmons Internal Review Board (IRB) prior to the placement of the advertisement. The researcher guaranteed the protection of the participants’ rights, stating in writing the procedures for data collection, storage and dissemination, along with the risks of involvement in the study. Participants’ signatures on a consent form indicate their agreement in the plan (Creswell & Clark, 2017). Participants were informed that their identities and the data collected will remain confidential, through Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved consent forms, as well as discussion with the researchers. As previously mentioned, the questions asked during the interview are sensitive in nature, as were the responses. Participants were made aware of the use of an audio recording devices during the interview, and assured that these recordings will also remain confidential and will be destroyed after three years in accordance with Federal guidelines. Review of Related LiteratureMore than 42 million immigrants live in the United States, and?by 2060 nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population will be foreign-born (Vespa, Armstrong & Medina, 2018).?As of 2014 the foreign-born population comprised 16.5 percent of the labor force and had greater labor force participation rates than the native-born population (Bureau of Labor statistics, 2015). The United States Census Bureau (2019) defines “foreign-born” as persons residing in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at birth. That is, they were born outside the United States or one of its outlying areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam, to parents neither of whom was a U.S. citizen. Between 2009 and 2013, Massachusetts was home to 5.4 million residents ages 16 and older of whom 18 percent were foreign-born (McHugh & Morawski, 2015). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns Survey (2016), 28 percent of jobs in Massachusetts were in human services field. A UMASS Donahue (2018) report found that over the previous decade, from 2006 through 2016, employment within the human services system has grown by 65 percent. The report also shows that nearly one in five human services workers are foreign-born, with one third of human services workers being people of color. Given the highly diverse nature of the foreign-born population, the human service field faces challenges in ensuring that foreign-born workers have equitable access to employment opportunities and opportunities to move up the employment ladder and integrated into management jobs (Milliona, Erwin & Tsoi, n.d).Both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the U.S. continue to struggle with the issue of “brain waste.” ?“Brain waste” is the phrase used to describe individuals with four-year college degrees or higher working in low-skilled jobs or are unemployed. This is a concern for foreign-educated immigrants given the unique barriers they often face in attempting to transfer their education, training, and work experience to the U.S. labor market (Batalova, Fix and Bachmeier, 2016). In 2008, there were 41,261 college-educated immigrants who were either unemployed or working in unskilled jobs, representing 19.3 percent of the college-educated immigrant labor force in Massachusetts. Among the native-born college-educated persons, 16.6 percent were underutilized (Milliona, Erwin & Tsoi, n.d). Racial barriers persist in employment throughout the United States. “Structural racism continues in the systems and policies that govern our labor market, including the high cost of education and skill training, the lack of effective transit systems, inequitable hiring and promotion practices, and many other impediments to securing employment that fall heaviest on communities of color” (McHugh, 2019). While people of color make up the majority of the direct care workforce, management and supervisory positions are often occupied by White people. “It is not surprising that workers of color continue to face disproportionate and compounding barriers in the pursuit of living-wage jobs and higher-income career paths” (Race Forward, 2017).There are several documented factors that have impacted occupational mobility and advancement for foreign-born immigrants. Batalova, Fix & Creticos (2008) identify two key factors that contribute to the underutilization of high-skilled immigrant workers as non-recognition of foreign academic and professional credentials and limited English proficiency. Massey et al. (1987) and Waldinger and Lichter (2003) as cited by Catron (2016) found that “people who share common traits, such as a similar ethnic origin, will embed themselves into interlocking networks and activities with their co-ethnics that in turn shape aspirations and careers over time.” The reliance on co-ethnic social networks to find employment, leads to most foreign-born populations likely concentrated in jobs where veteran migrants have already been established. This means that recent arrivals will likely find employment where long-tenure immigrants work, which are at the bottom of the social stratification system in departments and occupations that lack avenues for upward mobility.Due to the continued increase in the percentage of foreign-born and people of color workers in the human service industry, the importance of these workers to the stability of the service system cannot be overstated. Research is needed to understand the experiences of foreign-born and people of color working in the human service industry.It is also important to note that every workforce deserves opportunities for professional development. According to the Buffalo State University Human Resources, professional development can take many forms. It has been described as opportunities for “continuing growth.” Examples include continuing education, participation in professional organizations, enrollment in training programs, research, improved job performance and increased duties and responsibilities (Buffalo State University, n.d.).Design of the Studya. Description of Research Design and Procedures UsedMixed MethodsThe study was conducted using mixed method design. In a review of multi-disciplinary publications, Tashakkori and Teddlie (2010) found more than forty different types of mixed designs. These designs can be grouped into four major categories, including the Triangulation Design, the Embedded Design, the Explanatory Design and the Exploratory Design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). This study would utilize a variant of the Triangulation Design: the Concurrent, Convergence, and Triangulation Design. The purpose of a Triangulation Design is to obtain different types of data regarding the same topic (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). The analysis brings together types of data that have different strengths in answering the research questions. Although most commonly used to validate quantitative data with qualitative material, the Triangulation Design can give equal weight to each, or emphasize either the quantitative or qualitative arm of the study (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010). b. Sources of DataPhase One: There were 41?participants who participated in a focus group. There was a semi-structured interview guide, using prepared open-ended questions, to allow the subjects to speak freely about their experiences (see Appendix A).? The focus group was recorded and lasted for approximately an hour, and then transcribed as detailed in the informed consent documentation. Recording and transcription allowed for coding, and identification of themes related to the research aim.?The subjects were notified that the recording will be destroyed after three years of completion of the study or when it is no longer being used in accordance with Federal regulations. Transcriptions did not contain identifying information. Phase Two: All subjects were asked to complete survey questions composed about their perceptions and understanding of the career development and needs of foreign born and people of color who are employed at Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc. and Venture Community Services; their perceptions of the racial and ethnic composition of the workforce in the human service industry; their understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in leadership; and their perceptions of challenges and opportunities.? The survey was adapted by the team using the Survey of Organizational Excellence (SOE) (Lauderdale, 1999) and the Human Services Well Being Viewpoint Survey (FEVS).?The SOE was utilized to measure job satisfaction in this study. The SOE provided the means to collect internal data, which included employee attitudes, beliefs, and values. The SOE assessed five dimensions: work team, physical work settings accommodations, general organizational features, communication patterns, and personal demands. For purposes of this study, the job satisfaction construct was utilized. The job satisfaction construct explored the degree to which employees liked their jobs and their work environment by focusing on both the job itself and the availability of resources to do their job. The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) is an annual survey administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It is a tool that measures employees' perceptions of whether, and to what extent, conditions characterizing successful organizations are present in their agencies. It was an opportunity for employees to share their perceptions about their work experiences, organizations, and leaders. (National Institute of Health, 2019).246 participants were asked to complete an online or?paper survey depending on their ability to access a computer (see Appendix B). The survey was administered individually and/or in groups. Only one meeting with the participants was required. It took approximately 40 minutes to complete the survey. The survey was self-administered in the participant’s office, or a previously agreed upon location. All surveys were randomly assigned an identification number to ensure that the names of participants are not linked to the completed survey document. The names and identifying information were protected and kept in a locked file, and all electronic information was coded and secured with a password protected file.?No information was included in any report that would make it possible to identify a participant. The data from the surveys will be kept for at least three years according to Federal regulations. They may be kept longer if still needed for research. After the three years, or whenever the data are no longer being used, all data will be destroyed.?c. Sampling ProceduresConvenience and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit a sample of foreign-born and people of color self-identified professionals employed in four human service organizations (Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc. and Venture Community Services),?in the Boston area to participate in a focus group for phase one of the study.?The sampling criteria included employment as a human service worker for at least three years, a foreign-born professional residing in the area for at least three years and ages 18-60.The sampling criteria in phase two of the study included a small-scale quantitative survey that we selected from the focus group respondents as well as other employees of Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc. and Venture Community Services who are not focus group participants. In phase two of the study, participants were asked to complete an online survey or paper survey?for individuals who may not have access to technology. The survey was administered individually and/or in groups.?d. Subject RecruitmentPotential participants were recruited from the following human service organizations; Bay Cove, HMEA Thrive Inc. and Ventures.?Snowball methods and personal contacts were also used. In phase two of the study, participants were recruited from focus group participants as well as the above methods.The sampling criterion for the recruitment consists of race, age, length of employment in human services and length of time residing in Massachusetts. Specifically, men and women who self-identify as foreign-born or native-born and were between the ages of 18 and 60 years of age, have lived in the area for at least a year and employed as a human services agency and resided in Massachusetts for at least three years were recruited. The exclusion criteria were ages below 18 and above 60 years of age. Figure 1. The above chart illustrates an overview of design and methods of data collection of the study.Analysis of DataQualitative Data analysis was based on a grounded theory framework (Charmaz, 2014). ?Open coding was used for initial analysis of each transcribed interview, with review of every word of transcriptions to identify important themes and ideas of participant dialogue. ?In a second round of analysis, codes generated in initial analysis were reviewed and organized in terms of their relationships to each other, and their role in participants’ perceptions and understandings of the experiences of these human service workers who participated in this study. ?In a third round of analysis, themes running across code categories were identified and distilled. ?The resulting thematic framework describes from the perspectives of the respondents.Trustworthiness of methodsWilliams and Morrow (2009) recommended several approaches to establishing trustworthiness in qualitative research; through data integrity, balance between participant meanings and researcher interpretations, and clear communication of findings. ?Data integrity was supported in this study through clarity of study design and quality of data derived from interviews. ?The primary investigator explored reflexivity throughout the research project, iteratively developed the study interview guide, and conducted member-checking with participants, to bring balance to the interplay between meanings and interpretations and ethical integrity to analysis and reporting. ?The clarity of study findings presented in this research report also contribute to the trustworthiness of the study.Analysis of Quantitative DataAll surveys were randomly assigned an identification number to ensure that the names of participants would not be linked to the completed survey document. The names and identifying information were protected and kept electronically with all information was coded and secured using a password protected file. The data were analyzed using SPSS, a package for statistical analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Pearson Chi-Square were computed as part of the data analysis. Cross tabulation was used to quantitatively analyze the relationship between multiple variables. This test helped in understanding the correlation between different variables and to show the change in correlations from one variable grouping to another.Race and EthnicityA cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe a relationship between employees reported race/ethnicity and how they responded to the survey questions. The results showed that there were no significant differences across the race/ethnic backgrounds of employees with how they responded to the survey questions. Highest Level of EducationA cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe relationships between employees reported highest educational level and with how they responded to survey questions. The results showed that there were no significant differences with level of education and how participants responded to the survey questions. Education Attained in the U.S. or outside the U.S.A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe relationships between employees who attained their education in the U.S. and those that attained their education outside the U.S. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the participant that attained their education in the U.S. vs. those that received their education outside the U.S. Salary ($45K or more vs Less than $45K)A cross tabulation analysis describing a relationship between salary and whether the employees reported their satisfaction with the training they received for their present job showed that there was a significant difference between participants who made $45K or less and those that made more than $45K with P < .001. 70.9% of the participants who made $45k or less reported being mostly satisfied with training, while 29.1% reported being rarely satisfied. A cross tabulation analysis describing a relationship between salary and whether employees reported that they had access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops and training showed that there were significant differences between participants who made 45K or less than those who made more than 45K. P< .005. With 77.6 of the participants reporting mostly having access to information, while 22.4% reported rarely (See Figures 2-7 below). Focus Group CharacteristicsFigure 2. Age ranges of focus group participants by percentage.Figure 3. Race/ethnicity of focus group participants by percent.Figure 4. Annual salary of focus group participants by percent.Figure 5. Number of years of service of focus group participants by percent.Figure 6. Percent of highest level of education of focus group participants.Figure 7. Percent of focus group participants who received their highest level of education in the United States or outside of the United States.Highlights of Focus Group ParticipantsThe Simmons research team conducted 6 focus groups at Bay Cove (2); HMEA (2); Thrive Inc. (1) and Ventures (1). The dates were June 21, 2019—Bay Cove & July 12; June 24, 2019—HMEA and August 1, Ventures July12 and Thrive July 24, 2019. There was a total of 41 focus group participants with 34.1percent who were 40-49 years of age and 29.3 percent were 30-39 years of age (see Figure 1). The respondents racial/ethnic background consisted of 87.5 percent African American or Black, 2.5 percent Latino/a and 10 percent Multiracial (Figure 2). Figure 3 shows the average salary of the human service workers who participated in focus groups. The most frequent salary ranges were 29.3 percent for $15,000.00-$35,000.00 and 34.1 percent at $45,000.00-$50,000.00 as the second most frequent. Figure 4 gives a snapshot of the number of years the workers were employed at their respective human service organizations with the most frequent as 30 percent reporting they worked 3-5 years and 30 percent 6-10 years, while a majority, 36.4 percent held a bachelor’s degree and 24.6 percent had a master’s degree. A majority, 67. 6 percent had received their degrees and received their education in United States, while 32. 4 percent received their post-secondary education outside of the United States (see Figures 4,5, 6 and 7). Survey CharacteristicsThe survey data was collected electronically from July through October 2019 and resulted in a total of 247 surveys. The following chart illustrates the number of survey participants and the agencies in which they were employed. Due to an error on the initial link, this response was missing for twenty-one participants.4121331914400156368260015636826Figure 8: Current employment of participants by percent.Figure 9: Current employment of participants by number of survey respondents.Figure 10. Age ranges of participants by number of survey respondents. Figure 11. Age (in years) of arrival in the United States by number of survey respondents.Figure 12. Race/ethnicity of participants by number of survey respondents. Figure 13. Race/ethnicity of participants by number of survey respondents.Figure 14. Salary range of participants by number of survey respondents. Figure 15. Salary range of participants by number of survey respondentsFigure 16. Number of years of service of participants by number of survey respondents. Figure 17. Number of years of service of participants by number of survey respondents.Figure 18. Employee role of participants who responded to this survey question.Highlights of Survey DemographicsThere was a total of 247 survey participants who completed electronic surveys and 21 paper surveys completed during the survey collection period beginning in late July 2019 through October 30th. There were an additional paper surveys, which were completed and received after the analysis of data was conducted, therefore only the demographics are included. In contrast to the focus group participants, the ages of survey participants were fairly consistent with focus group participants. There were (N 43) participants or 18% 16-29 years of age; (N 88) participants or 37.4 percent were 30-39 years of age and (N 43)18 percent were 40-49 years of age, while (N 42) 17.9 percent were 50-59 and 19 or 17.9 percent were over 60 years of age (see Figure 10). The respondents racial/ethnic background was much more diverse than the focus groups’ participants. Their backgrounds consisted of (N 166) 69.5 percent identified as African American or Black, Whites represented (N 23) 9.6 percent; 10 percent were (N 24) Latino/a, Asians and or Pacific Islanders were (N 15) were 5.3 percent; and (N 18) 7.5 percent were Multiracial (Figure 11). Figure 12 shows the average salary of the human service workers who completed the surveys. The most frequent salary ranges were (N 74) 30.8 percent for $15,000.00-$35,000.00, (N72) 30.8 percent fell in the range of 35,000.00-45,000.00and (N 25) 10. 4 percent at $45,000.00-$50,000.00 as the second most frequent. Figure 13 gives a snapshot of the number of years the workers were employed in their respective human service organizations as most frequently as 30 percent having worked 3-5 years and 30 percent 6-10 years, while a majority, 36.4 percent, held bachelor’s degree and 24.6 percent had a master’s degree. A majority, 67. 6 percent, had received their education in the United States, while 32. 4 percent received their post-secondary education outside of the United States (see Figures 9-14 and their corresponding Charts above). Qualitative The qualitative data was analyzed using Nvivo 12 qualitative software, the following chart exhibits the most salient themes which emerged from the analysis. These themes were used to structure the findings below.-889007886700This table represents the Qualitative Coding Categories. The Top Section are the major themes.0This table represents the Qualitative Coding Categories. The Top Section are the major themes.685799-609600Figure 19: Qualitative Data Analysis Themes00Figure 19: Qualitative Data Analysis Themes4899025290195Professional Development and Training00Professional Development and Training3370580287020Human Service Workers00Human Service Workers1826895282575Communication00Communication293370281940Systemic,Organizational00Systemic,OrganizationalThe Leadership There were varied responses to what is needed to improve the work conditions at the four human services where focus groups were held. Responses to questions about tools and resources needed to do their jobs triggered varied responses, which were related to systemic organizations that were studied. The following themes emerged in the data analysis process—upper management needs to experience the work of the staff, lack of representative managers, lack of confidence in interpretation of policies and procedures, pressure to produce, pay is not comparable to the job, don’t feel appreciated by management.Upper Management needs to experience the work of staff Figure 20. Decision making and control are given to employees doing the actual work.Figure 21. Belief that an effort is made to get the opinions of people throughout the organization.The workers report a disconnect between the leadership and the direct care staff. For example, the following participant felt that upper management should collaborate more.Direct care providers that come together and meet with the people who are writing the RFRs and, like, the leadership at corporate to kind of understand what the everyday day-to-day looks like. Like, I know, obviously, you need grants, because that’s how we are funded –Another worker elaborated that they should be involved because they are more aware of the services that they provide. In contrast to upper level management who are seem unaware or do not advocate for adequate resources needed at different programs. The participant articulates the following,…but as part of it, there is -- [we’re in the room to write it out?] based on the services you already provided and what you’re aware of. And I feel like they don’t have those connections -- to say, “Oh, I know D--- at Team Five, and, like, this is a common occurrence here, so maybe we should try to advocate for more funding for this kind of support.” Or -- you know what I mean?Similarly, this respondent follows up with “Like, there’s no true connection with the people who are doing hands-on [work]. He continues to talk further about the disconnect between upper management’s lack of knowledge stating that,I even had suggested, it would be great if leadership [stepped down?] one day, go to different programs, and spend half a day [at?] the different programs, just to see exactly who is in the program, the population we serve, and who’s actually managing the program, to at least get to know your managers and get to know your supervisors. It’s a far-removed –Another participant states, “but if those people on that side of the table can at least come down a bit. Following up another respondent replied,But you, but you need to come to the trenches. (laughter) We need to spend a week with you, you know? So that would be one of the, one of the things that would help to improve -- you think -- the conditions -- your job, would be to have upper management come and spend a week at the various facilities, and live in the building?Lack of Representative ManagersNearly one third of human services workers are people of color, with Latino workers (13.5%) making up the largest proportion of this group. The Massachusetts human services industry is nearly twice as likely to employ individuals who report being Black or African American, and 1.5 times as likely to employ Latinos as compared to their counterparts in the broader state economy as a whole (Provider’s Council, 2018). However, racial and ethnic background are but one measure of the workforce’s diversity. Nearly one in five human service workers are foreign-born.Figure 22. Programs and policies promote diversity in the workplace (for example, recruiting minorities and women, training in awareness of diversity issues, mentoring).The staff also explored the lack of diversity among the leadership across the four organizations. For example, the following participant states “Well, first of all, leadership needs to be a little diverse.” Another respondent states “our leadership does not represent the population -- does not reflect the population we serve and the staff we serve, which is a big -- this has always been my pet peeve here.” This comment also came up in multiple focus group at other organizations, for example this respondent conveys the following: “That is the opportunity for you to pick somebody who is at least of color, and there are so many people qualified -- people of color -- that you can pick [them] and train them. They didn’t.” Another reports “so [their organization] 100 percent, like, white, you know? And the senior program directors -- again, not colored, not Latinos, nothing like that.” The respondents continue discussing the lack of upward trajectory for direct care staff of color. While people of color make up the majority of the direct care workforce, management and supervisory positions are often occupied by White people. “It is not surprising that workers of color continue to face disproportionate and compounding barriers in the pursuit of living-wage jobs and higher-income career paths” (Race Forward, 2017). Monroe (2013) argues that untapped talent may be devalued and therefore untapped, this was apparent in the following section which documents the perceptions of our respondents. Untapped factor that appears prevalent in the experiences of the focus group participants was the lack of support and mentorship from the leaders.So that’s why you see a lot of, uh, us from outside of this country who are in this field. It’s difficult to go into managerial, supervisory role because we are not supported adequately. We have not been trained to do these things, [you know, help us?]. It’s not that we can’t -- we can’t do it. No, no, they can do it. I know they can do the job Another respondent supports the above sentiment; “You know, the staff -- uh, nobody’s encouraging you, nobody’s, like, “No, you can do it.” The question below from the survey has the following possible responses: (1) Strongly Agree, (2) Agree, (3) Fair/Neutral, (4) Disagree, (5) Strongly Disagree and (6) Do Not Know. Although 21.8% of the survey participants Strongly agreed and 30.5 % agreed, in response to the question that supervisors know whether an individual’s career goals are compatible with organizational goals (see Figure 19) below, 18% responded either neutral, 10.5% disagreed, 10% strongly disagreed and 9.2% did not know, these results confirm that just under half of participants were unsure if their supervisors were aware if their career goals were compatible with organizational goals. According to Dani Monroe (2013), “when people can align on common goals, they can partner and work towards a common outcome” (p.29). Advancement may require exposure to leaders other than one’s manager or supervisor. These results are also consistent with the results illustrated in the subsequent two Figures.Figure 23. Supervisors know whether an individuals’ career goals are compatible with organizational goals.Figure 24. We work to attract, develop and retain people with diverse backgrounds.One of the ways to improve pathways is to develop and retain people of diverse backgrounds. It appears that retention is not the major issue or exposure to opportunities to advance. This data is further supported by a survey participant who noted in the section which allows for follow-up comments after completing the survey. Often times open supervisory vacancies are given to people based on “been at the right place and time” and not based on qualifications. How can you explain why someone who was hired as a direct care worker… and in less than a year with --- is now a program manager, whereas another staff who has been working for X organization for over 10 years with who has similar educational qualification is still an (same level hired) and is being supervised by earlier mentioned supervisors?Lack of Confidence in Interpretation of PoliciesOther respondents discussed differential rewards and sadly punishment for mistakes. I’ve known people that have gone through this process …when a policy is in place and then if you are [trying to work?] against this policy, there’s an expectation of what -- a way [you’ve been?] reprimanded. But if i-- if I actually went through that, (inaudible), and I would get whatever [I deserve?], the punishment. But when it’s a white person, it gets dropped down -- like, it doesn’t matter. She can get away with that.The above example highlights experiencing differential interpretation of policies that may influence the racial climate of an organization. According to the literature, a form of racism that transcends the individual level and is embedded in society and in organizations is termed as institutional racism (McHugh, 2019; Tourse, Hamilton-Mason & Wewiorski, 2018). Although the above quote appears to be an individual’s perception, the focus groups across organizations had similar accounts of their individual experiences. The following respondent emphasizes how direct care staff also report not being overlooked but afraid and/or not motivated to take on more responsibility. Sometimes it’s not the issue of being overlooked, but it’s the issue of the residential staff from different background, like you -- you have in focus group now -- not wanting to, to take the job, not wanting to step up to the job. And that’s the main reason. I mean, that’s the main reason for that. The reasoning is, you know, we lack motivation. We’re not being trained properly enough, so the confidence is not there to take the job.Motivation in this instance is connected to needing to understand the job in order to do it, it also relates to acceptance that sometimes you fail. The following respondent states that, …so, instead of losing a job, better to have a job and don’t -- not venture to, you know, go into something that you really don’t understand because you have not been given a chance. Figure 25. Employees have a feeling of personal empowerment with respect to work processes.Figure 26. Satisfaction with recognition they receive for doing a good job.Motivation and success of direct care staff also requires recognition and ongoing constructive and critical feedback. Hidden workforce typically exemplifies three characteristics: resourcefulness, reliance and resolve - human characteristics that are often overlooked (Monroe, 2013). Human service practice occurs in the context of rapidly changing consumer and community needs and policies. Lifelong learning enables these workers to continually update their knowledge and skills in order to provide relevant and effective services. Human service workers encounter ongoing expectations to serve new populations experiencing emerging social problems. The level of pressure to produce can hinder a worker’s ability to respond to the competing demands of their positions.Pressure to Produce Another reports that there is a pressure to produce, especially when everything is moving -- you have to produce. You have to produce. It’s not like the days when you can come down -- “Oh, blah-blah-blah,” you know, I’m gonna do a 9:00-to-5:00 job. I’ve never done 9:00-to-5:00 at----.Pay not comparable to jobIn addition to feeling pressure to produce more, respondents also focused across all organizations on the low rates of compensation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns Survey (2016), 28 percent of jobs in Massachusetts were in human services field. A UMASS Donahue (2018) report found that over the previous decade, from 2006 through 2016, employment within the human services system has grown by 65 percent. However, the medium reported salary was $35,000.00- $45,000.00 per year for focus group participants. Even with full-time hours, their current wages do not meet the basic needs of individuals and families; some low-wage human services workers are often eligible for the same benefits as the clients they serve. For example, “Um, ’cause lot of times our staff are complaining about how they are paid to do this much. Well, it’s, it’s not worth the work and the headache and the everything else that comes with it. So, definitely, the pay rate.” This is followed by another who states, “Cause I’ve seen staff that work in the day program for 20 years, and they’re still getting paid $13.” While jobs performed by human services workers vary greatly, they are essential to the functioning of communities. Unfortunately, despite their vital purpose, these workers also face pervasively low wages. Don’t Feel Appreciated by ManagementFactors like appreciation also came up across all organizations, I think that it’s really important to feel appreciated, for all the hard work that we do. Um, but we don’t always get that sense. It’s kind of like, we’re just reminded of everything that we need to do, and what they’re adding on to it. They’re never saying, “Thank you for everything that you are doing, we know it’s hard.” Um, you know, as we all know, the burnout rate in this field is high.Another respondent adds, “I feel at this point, like, working here and, and being in the position I am, it’s strictly a résumé-builder and nothing else.” With little opportunity for advancement coupled with low wages, these human services workers are often left with tough choices, forced to weigh organizational loyalty and love of their work with what is necessary for their family’s own economic security (Monroe, 2013). Human services workers are often motivated by a desire to make change in their communities, but they should not have to choose between their commitment to meaningful community work and sustaining their families. Figure 27. My supervisor provides me with opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills.ConsumersThere is limited knowledge available regarding worker commitment to clients and motivation across the human services, social work, social service and psychology literature. This is an area where this study stands to add substantially to the research. The primary area participants identified as motivating them to do their work was their commitment to their clients. For me, it’s the individuals I serve. I do not look at them as clients, because they are not clients. We are equal. I am their peer specialist, so I, I refer to them as individuals, or the people I serve, or residents. They will keep me coming back. Um, I look at them as if it was one of my children or one of my parents or my aunts or my uncles that was in the same situation. So I come in and I provide the best care that I can. I make sure that I advocate for, for them the best way that I can. If something’s not going right or if something’s not being done, I -- I’m, I’m the person that speaks up when they are not able to speak up for theirself. I’m not there for staff, I’m not there to make friends. I am there to do my job and to do my job efficiently. I travel 96 miles one way --So my motivation is coming from my calling. My calling is, every day I wake up, I have to wake up with a positive attitude. I believe it’s attitude that connects the people and places and things that makes us more successful. But the other part of it is getting to touch as many people’s lives as I can before I check out. It’s no longer the pursuit for money, it’s (inaudible) [happiness?], but it’s helping my brother or my sister next to me. And I realize that that’s not about color, that’s not even about titles. So it’s about the human race, and it’s about not getting distracted by external things and understanding we have a responsibility to make sure we’re accountable for our time, our energy, and resources. So that’s motivated me.SupervisionFalender et al.’s supervision framework includes specific competencies: (a) working alliance, (b) development of competence, (c) formative and cumulative assessment, (d) learning by identifying with specificity the areas for improvement, (e) understanding of competence as a lifelong process and encourages career-long learning, and (f) ensure client welfare. In social work, supervision is essential to 1) continuing development of professional skills; 2) practitioner wellbeing; 3) the safeguarding of competent and ethnical practice; and 3) the oversight of casework (Beddor et al., 2016). In a study of job place satisfaction about social workers and social services workers, Mrhalek and Kajanova (2018) found that dissatisfaction was shown in possibilities for career development, evaluation of their?work, and administrative stress. The human services staff gave mixed responses as to if they were receiving this appropriate level of supervision. So that’s why you see a lot of, uh, us from outside of this country who are in this field. It’s difficult to go into managerial, supervisory role because we are not supported adequately. We have not been trained to do these things. It’s not that we can’t -- we can’t do it. No, no, they can do it. I know they can do the job well. You know, the staff -- uh, nobody’s encouraging you, nobody’s, like, “No, you can do it.”But I do have to say, support-wise, like, I really don’t feel like it’s there at all in my position. I’m kind of just thrown different things and (inaudible) “Good luck with it” -- which is kind of why I left the first one.As for me, I have the best supervisor I’ve ever had at any job. Um, um, they’re very supportive. Even when it comes to my personal issues and I’m not my best, I can go to them and just express myself and get it off my chest. Um, when I’m doing too much and they can see that I’m being a little r-- burned out, ’cause I’m the type of person that I keep going, they say, “Okay, you’ve” -- you know, “It’s time to take a break, and I’ll get somebody to do X, Y, and Z.” Um, if I email, text or need an answer, a response, I get it a-- immediately. Um, I ha-- when it comes to supervision, I have it on a regular basis. And my whole team is supportive of, um, me and everything that I do.Professional Development and Training Professional development can take many forms. It has been described as opportunities for “continuing growth.” Examples include continuing education, participation in professional organizations, enrollment in training programs, research, improved job performance and increased duties and responsibilities (Buffalo State University n.d.). Examination of the qualitative data indicates the presence of these themes.Professional Development and TrainingMany participants voiced the need to gain further training. Often, they find themselves in a job with no upward mobility for lack of training in much needed skills. The way training was understood covered continuing education, on the job training, training programs and increased duties and responsibilities Well (inaudible) is our aide, one of the (inaudible) things that motivate us is the needs we have. Plus our training. We come even to -- to do things for our clients. Uh, even beyond their expectation…. It is the training.. [ that keeps us keeping back]At one agency when asked about training, a participant reported: That’s the open wide door. You need a lot of training all the time –because no one is perfect. So. The more help you have, the training that can help you -- help you to do the job and improve your skill, so, but sometimes the training, maybe, I don’t say (inaudible), you get every individual you have, you have training, on (inaudible) –Asked if there are certain areas that they needed training in, one participant reported:Yeah like, you know, always, as far as, uh, according to what he said, most of the time, I mean the training we’re supposed to receive here, we -- we’re getting it. But the thing is, uh, what he said about feeding back. So we need feedback, so the training we -- we -- they -- they recommend for us to do, we’re doing it every time before, you know, your certificate for that training expire, they schedule you to do more training on it. But I think every day we need training, because I mean, whatever you know is not enough. So every time you might need somebody that can give you more information and, you know, to -- to help you to do the job.A number of participants reported that they needed more training to fulfil their task and duties. They need skills. This participant captures this:-- and, like, we try to, like, talk, like the supervisor or the bosses like, this is this, this is what we see this individual is doing, and I guess we need like more training on this person because of this. But, like, I feel like some of the training, I had, like, less training, and some are not even what these guys do, like it’s different from what some of these guys do. Like, that’s what I’m trying to say, so like more skills, like more training, and like, like, more advanced trainings, because most of the time they want to give the surveys, I always put it on there, like more advanced training. But sometimes like the same thing with coming back with doing the same thing, like stuff. If we come back with doing the same stuff, like one year later, we’re doing the same stuff, but where we are on the floor, we’re seeing like different things from those individuals, and those stuff that we are doing on them, we need more. Like, that’s what I’m trying to say, like more -- more skills.Some participants expressed the mismatch between the skills they learn at the agency and the career development they aspire to getting.Yeah, I just wanted to be on record as it’s not a professional career development. What you do here is not professional career development.Another participant reported the waste of time they spend in these trainings that are offered at the agency but lack the connection to their work.It’s -- it’s -- it’s -- it’s (inaudible) they -- they tell you how to do mandatory do this, your mandatory do that, you have to go to these trainings. And you sit there and you’re like why am I wasting my two hours, three hours here.The literature underscores the persistence of racial barriers in employment throughout the United States. “Structural racism continues in the systems and policies that govern our labor market, including the high cost of education and skill training, the lack of effective transit systems, inequitable hiring and promotion practices, and many other impediments to securing employment that fall heaviest on communities of color” (McHugh, 2019). While people of color make up the majority of the direct care workforce, management and supervisory positions are often occupied by White people. “It is not surprising that workers of color continue to face disproportionate and compounding barriers in the pursuit of living-wage jobs and higher-income career paths” (Race Forward, 2017). Some respondents reported that racism was a factor in their organizations. For example, one suggested professional development for management:We need implicit bias trainings for management. Okay? Because I don’t like to always say it’s a racism thing, but I will say, my first time on the job, I was held at gunpoint by five police officers in my program who felt that I -- I don’t know if some of you guys remember this -- who felt that I w-- had -- fit the description of somebody who had committed a robbery and then jumped over the fence into the program.Participant later commented that management was not responsive to how this affected a person of color. This was true for managers too.But at the same time -- and we were talking about this yesterday -- in terms of a training that does not already exist, I think that this entire company, including the people at the top, need a very intensive clinical trauma training.DiversityManaging diversity should be an integral part of every organization. Management needs to understand discrimination and its consequences as well as understand their own biases and prejudices (Green, Lopez, Wysocki, and Kepner, 2008). Managing diversity means creating an environment where everyone is included (Roosevelt, 2001cited in Green et. al., 2008). Inclusion should be an integral part of any diversity program. Global Diversity and Inclusion (2009) define inclusion as, “making sure people can make the contribution they were brought in to make which helps to ensure that employees from diverse backgrounds are able to contribute, remain with the company and flourish” (p.12). The staff shared that there was a need for diversity on the leadership team and also addressed issues of discrimination and biases. Staff shared the following quote;Leadership needs to be a little diverse. Our leadership does not represent the population and does not reflect the population we serve and the staff we serve. We need implicit bias trainings for management. ..they put some people that are incompetent in leadership. …there are so many people qualified -- people of color -- that you can pick them up and train them. They didn’t. They picked someone who is 100 percent, white. I don’t feel like I’m recognized at all for anything that I have the ability to do … When things are not going well and it’s a person of color, I feel like they start the termination processStaff expressed the need for an organization that creates a culture that fosters learning and opportunities for growth. According to Bates and Khasawneh (2005) an environment that fosters learning can help motivate employees to devote more time to learning newer things and applying what they learn in their work context. When management is open to new ideas and change, employees' motivation to transfer knowledge and ideas will enhance (Banerjee, Gupta & Bates, 2017). Staff felt that this type of culture was lacking in their organizations.I definitely feel overlooked in my job, and I feel like, you know, I’m kind of just there, you know, and not really achieving anything or building anything And I was never good for anything or any other project that was going on in leadership. They have already looked at you, and they have limited you, so you know, because of the way they treat you.Even staff who did not feel overlooked, shared that they did not have the motivation to apply for the positions because they had low perceived self-efficacy to perform a management role due to lack of training and guidance towards advancement. sometimes it’s not the issue of being overlooked, but it’s the issue of the residential staff from different background, like you have in focus group now not wanting to take the job, not wanting to step up to the job…The reasoning is, you know, we lack motivation. We’re not being trained properly enough, so the confidence is not there to take the job. So sometime people, even when they come and they say, oh, look, you can be assistant manager, you are afraid to do that because you don’t know what is expected of you.Diversity is more than just hiring people of diverse backgrounds. It involves top management developing strategies, programs and policies that accommodate and manage diversity (Riccucci, 2018). Staff felt that even though the word diversity was used in the organizations, the actions of the organizations did not support diversity. You know, they say that they have this diversity thing, they have this diversity thing -- it’s just lip service. They’re not really committed to it. I’m sorry. They’re not truly committed to this. And it’s funny -- like, when this started, the only time I felt I was recognized in my position was because of my skin color, and when they wanted to start talking about diversity, I was thrown into every group, every meeting, every table talk, every single thing -- every write-up, everything that you could ever think of that they wanted to do around diversity. Staff discussed the importance of cultural humility by management. This means being sensitive to some of the cultural needs of the staff. Management needs to take time to understand the staff’s cultural backgrounds and value the differences that employees bring to the organization. Pitts (2009) notes that valuing of differences involves the employees and managers appreciating the different cultural assumptions and biases that employees bring to the work and they stress on the importance of “multicultural understanding for managers who supervise diverse staff” (p. 330). Staff expressed a need for open channels of communications on both the supervisor and staff end. I think that if supervisors are able to know their staff’s story and be open and be approachable, more approachable...Nobody asks anything about me, you know. And so, I think, it’s hard for them to even know what I’m capable of, because they just throw this side work at me -- like, oh, nobody wants to do it. So that’s why you see a lot of us from outside of this country who are in this field. It’s difficult to go into managerial, supervisory role because we are not supported adequately. We have not been trained to do these things. It’s not that we can’t do it. I know they can do the job well, but nobody is encouraging you, nobody is like, “No, you can do it!According to the Provider’s Council, “direct support professionals perform a number of tasks to aid individuals with disabilities, mental health and substance abuse challenges, they are essential in providing support, encouragement and specific tasks the individual consumers may struggle with due to their disabilities”. (2017, p. 28).there are things that they expect of you and because of your different cultural background, you will not be able to understand these things easily, and you can get fired for that. We don’t understand the cultural setting here. You know, and some who have masters don’t even know the difference between certain foods… Yeah, to prepare this food, you know, for them (clients) is kind of a lot for us, we don’t know how to do that, and if you are working, you have to do that. Just imagine what will happen. it’s just as basic as just preparing food, and people need training for that. Some can’t even use the microwave or stove. Given the challenges of balancing life and work on a low income, they have limited opportunity to invest in their own training and enhance their prospects for better-paid work and career advancement. I need a management team that will understand my work ethic or my desire to improve. If I get support, it creates a different environment, because understanding me or understanding my blackness gives you, the employer, a better understanding. I would say example, like, if I came to work, and you give me a task, and I’m not able to do the task based on some cultural value, but you understand my cultural point of view, what I need to get better, you will give better assistance or tools..Like native-born workers, many foreign-born workers are working hard and want to learn new skills that will help them in their current jobs as well as prepare them for growth opportunities. If companies are devoted to hiring employees of diverse backgrounds, they should be committed to understanding the cultural needs of their employees. Bernstein & Vilter (2018) suggest that companies should invest in upskilling of employees through on-site trainings to promote advancement. Organizations should invest in training that is culturally sensitive and takes each staff persons ‘cultural background into considerations. Quantitative Data--- Questions number responses to be displayed—A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to look at the relationships in demographics across the four organizations that participated in the study with how participants responded to the survey questions. The relationship in salary across all Race/ethnic groups and the results were significant with P < .001. 73.2% of African American/Black participants reported a salary of 45K/year or less.Table 1A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to look at the relationship in salary across all Race/ethnic groups. SalaryTotal$45K or LessMore than $45KRace/EthnicAfr-Amer?/blackCount11241153% within Race/Ethnic73.2%26.8%100.0%Standardized Residual1.3-1.7 HispanicCount71421% within Race/Ethnic33.3%66.7%100.0%Standardized Residual-1.82.4 Anglo-Amer?/WhiteCount131023% within Race/Ethnic56.5%43.5%100.0%Standardized Residual-.5.7 AsianCount7714% within Race/Ethnic50.0%50.0%100.0%Standardized Residual-.7.9 Multiracial?/OtherCount7714% within Race/Ethnic50.0%50.0%100.0%Standardized Residual-.7.9 TotalCount14679225% within Race/Ethnic64.9%35.1%100.0%Note. The results were significant with P < .001. 73.2% of African American/Black participants reported a salary of 45K/year or less.Table 2A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe the relationship between salary among the four organizations. Salary2Total45K or LessMore than 45KOrganization NameBaycoveCount9065155% within Organization Name58.1%41.9%100.0%Standardized Residual-.91.1 VenturesCount29736% within Organization Name80.6%19.4%100.0%Standardized Residual1.3-1.7 ThriveCount628% within Organization Name75.0%25.0%100.0%Standardized Residual.4-.5 HMEACount9312% within Organization Name75.0%25.0%100.0%Standardized Residual.5-.7 TotalCount13477211% within Organization Name63.5%36.5%100.0%Note. There were no differences in salary variations across the four organizations with P = 054. When Salary was compared across organizations, 63.5% of the participants reported making less than 45K/year.Table 3A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to look at the relationship between employees who attained their education in the United States and the yearly salary. Salary2Total45K or LessMore than 45KEducation Attained in USANoCount561268% within Education Attained in USA82.4%17.6%100.0%Standardized Residual1.9-2.5 YesCount7663139% within Education Attained in USA54.7%45.3%100.0%Standardized Residual-1.31.8 TotalCount13275207% within Education Attained in USA63.8%36.2%100.0%Note. There was a significant relationship with P< .001. Only 17.6% of participants who attained their education outside the United States reported earning more that 45K a year compared to 45.3% of participants who received their education in the United States. This was a significant finding for this study. Table 4A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe a relationship between years in service and salary. Years in Service * Salary2 Crosstabulation Salary2Total45K or LessMore than 45KYears in ServiceLess than 1Count21526% within years in Service80.8%19.2%100.0%Standardized Residual1.0-1.4 1-2Count21930% within years in Service70.0%30.0%100.0%Standardized Residual.4-.5 3-5Count341751% within years in Service66.7%33.3%100.0%Standardized Residual.2-.3 6-10Count291847% within years in Service61.7%38.3%100.0%Standardized Residual-.2.3 11-15Count261339% within years in Service66.7%33.3%100.0%Standardized Residual.2-.2 16+Count131730% within years in Service43.3%56.7%100.0%Standardized Residual-1.42.0 TotalCount14479223% within years in Service64.6%35.4%100.0%Note. There was no significant relationship between number of years worked and salary with P =0.87. (This is an important finding and supports the qualitative data on employees feeling under-valued despite working for the organizations for a number of years). Race and EthnicityA cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe a relationship between employees reported race/ethnicity and how they responded to the survey questions. The results showed that there were no significant differences across the Race/Ethnic backgrounds of employees with how they responded to the survey questions. Highest level of EducationA cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe relationships between employees reported highest educational level and with how they responded to survey questions. The results showed that there were no significant differences with level of education and how participants responded to the survey questions. Education attained in the U.S or outside the U.SA cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe relationships between employees who attained their education in the U.S and those that attained their education outside the U.S. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the participant that attained their education in the U.S vs those that received their education outside the U.S. Salary ($45K or more vs Less than $45K)A cross tabulation analysis describing a relationship between salary and whether the employees reported their satisfaction with the training they received for their present job showed that there was a significant difference between Participants who made $45K or less and those that made more than $45K with P < .001. 70.9% of the participants who made $45k or less reported mostly satisfied with training, while 29.1% reported rarely satisfied. A cross tabulation analysis describing a relationship between salary and whether employees reported that they had access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops and training showed that there were significant differences between Participants who made 45K or less than those who made more than 45K. P< .005. With 77.6 of the participants reporting mostly having access to information, while 22.4% reported rarely. Organization size A cross tabulation analysis was conducted to describe the relationship between organizations that had 100 employees or more and those with less than 100 employees against survey questions. Results of the cross-tabulation analysis indicates, there were no differences between the organizations with 100 or more employees and those with less than 100 employees in how they responded to the following questions. The yellow highlight are the statistically significant findings Question 18 (I have access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops and training and question 49 How satisfied are you with the training you receive for your present job?). The following Table represents the cross tabulations analysis for Specific survey questions (7, 10, 12, 17, 18, 21, 24, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38, 47 and 49 (See Table below). This data was requested by Human Service Advisory group following the presentation of Preliminary results in December, 2019.Table 5. Survey results. Survey QuestionsRace/EthnicityHighest Level of EducationEducation attained in the U.S vs Education level attained outside the U.SEarning $45k or less vs earning less than $45KOrganizations with 100 employees or more and those with less than a 100 employees 7. Decision making, and control are given to employees doing the actual workP=.379P=.670.P=220P=.019P=.32710. An effort is made to get the opinions of people throughout the organization.P=.756P=.317P=.018P=.513P=.12812. Outstanding work is recognizedP=.420P=.342P=.169P=.044P=.56017. Training is made available to us so that we can do our jobs betterP=.283P=.037P=.017P=.318P=.58318. I have access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops and trainingP=.809P=.045P=.093P<.005P=.61421. I am given a real opportunity to improve my skills in my organizationP=.702P=.562P=.503P=.014P=.45124. My performance appraisal is a fair reflection of my performanceP=.336P=.259P=.575P=.408P=.73128. In my work unit, differences in performance are recognized in a meaningful way.P=.273P=500P=.043P=.040P=.54230. Employees have a feeling of personal empowerment with respect to work processes.P=.841P=.124P=.997P=.070P=.95931. Creativity and innovation are rewardedP=.822P=.833P=.197P=.105P=.87933. We work to attract, develop and retain people with diverse backgroundsP=.916P=.504P=.474P=.338P=.78235. Supervisors know whether an individuals’ career goals are compatible with organizational goals.P=.065P=.021P=.132P=.024P=.92938. My supervisor provides me with opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills.P=.371P=.345P=.342P=.261P=.43847. How satisfied are you with the recognition you receive for doing a good job?P=.598P=.246P=.678P=.819P=.63349. How satisfied are you with the training you receive for your present job?P=.107P=.029P=.011P<.001P=.808Summary and ConclusionsThe purpose of this report is to document and examine the findings from the mixed methods study “Pathways to Leadership Among Foreign Born and Native-Born Human Services Workers:? Equity and Inclusion” –- in partnership with the African Bridge Network and Simmons University College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s School of Social Work. The mixed methods study was commissioned in 2019 to explore the lived employment experiences of foreign-born and people of color in the human services workforce in four non-profit human service organizations-- Bay Cove, HMEA, Thrive Inc. and Venture Community Services. The study then compared both sets of data with the quantitative arm of the study resulted in a statistically significant correlation between test scores associated with the three main variables, while the qualitative arm of the study resulted in remarkable synergy and triangulation with the quantitative data. Of note is the racial and ethnic background from the focus group and survey participants were varied, but a majority of both the quantitative and qualitative participants were black or African American. Racial Ethnic BackgroundThe survey participants’ racial and ethnic backgrounds consisted of (N 166) 69.5 percent identified as African American or Black and smaller numbers of Latinx, Asians, Mixed race respondents. These respondents’ racial/ethnic background was much more diverse than the focus groups’ participant’s racial/ethnic background which consisted of 87.5 percent African American or Black, 2.5 percent Latino/a and 10 percent Multiracial and no Latinx participants. This finding is consistent with previous studies, documenting that “Human service workers are more likely to be Black and Latino than workers in other fields, with 12.3 percent of the human service workforce identifying as black and 13.5 percent as Latino, compared to 6.2 and 9 percent, respectively, among all Massachusetts workers. Nearly 19 percent of all human service workers are foreign-born (UMASS, 2018). While the same report also shows that that nearly one in five human services workers are foreign-born, with one third of human services workers being people of color. While people of color make up the majority of the direct care workforce, management and supervisory positions are often occupied by White people. “It is not surprising that workers of color continue to face disproportionate and compounding barriers in the pursuit of living-wage jobs and higher-income career paths” (Race Forward, 2017). Monroe (2013) argues that untapped talent may be devalued and therefore untapped, this was apparent in the following section which documents the perceptions of our respondents. Untapped factors that appears prevalent in the experiences of the focus group participants was the lack of support and mentorship from the leaders. The quantitative arm of the study resulted in a statistically significant correlation between test scores associated with the three main variables, while the qualitative arm of the study revealed the ways in which our sample of human service workers experience their employment in the area of salary, training and professional development. While many other themes relevant to their experiences were discovered qualitatively the current report is focusing on the most salient findings.Salary and TrainingThe comparison of these two aspects of the data suggest that there is, in fact, a relationship between salary and race for human service workers earning less than $45, 000.00 per year. Additionally, there was statistically significant finding for respondents who obtained their educational degrees outside of the United States overwhelmingly also made less than $45,000. 00, and for A cross tabulation analysis describing a relationship between salary and whether the employees reported their satisfaction with the training they received for their present job showed that there was a significant difference between Participants who made $45K or less and those that made more than $45K with P < .001. 70.9% of the participants who made $45k or less reported mostly satisfied with training, while 29.1% reported rarely satisfied. Professional DevelopmentStaff expressed the need for an organization that creates a culture that fosters learning and opportunities for growth. According to Bates and Khasawneh (2005) an environment that fosters learning can help motivate employees to devote more time to learning newer things and applying what they learn in their work context. A cross tabulation analysis describing a relationship between salary and whether employees reported that they had access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops and training showed that there were significant differences between participants who made $45,000.00 or less than those who made more than $45, 000.00K. P< .005. With 77.6 of the participants reporting mostly having access to information, while 22.4% reported rarely. Our findings are supported by the findings of Mrhalek and Kajanova (2018). The human services staff gave mixed responses as to if they were receiving an appropriate level of supervision, but when there many who were not satisfied. Lifelong learning enables human workers to continually update their knowledge and skills in order to provide relevant and effective services. Human service workers encounter ongoing expectations to serve new populations experiencing emerging social problems. At the same time, they experience pressures to engage in evidence and culturally-responsive practices, and are required to be accountable for outcomes in environments of shrinking public resources. Therefore, it is essential for these workers to be given varied opportunities for on-going learning. Human services jobs are both physically and emotionally demanding, requiring staff to be caring and resilient as they work with people facing significant challenges. Yet, as has been repeatedly documented over the past decade, direct service positions in this industry are paid a lower wage than their counterparts in health care, education, and government positions. Furthermore, in some cases, direct service positions such as direct support professionals may make salaries comparable to those working in retail or hospitality (Providers Council, 2017).Low WagesThe most frequent salary ranges were 29.3 percent for $15,000.00-$35,000.00 and 34.1 percent at $45,000.00-$50,000.00 as the second most frequent salary for focus groups. Survey results were similar with the most frequent salary ranges were (N 74) 30.8 percent for $15,000.00-$35,000.00, (N72) 30.8 percent fell in the range of $35,000.00-45,000.00and (N 25) 10. 4.1 percent at $45,000.00-$50,000.00 as the second most frequent. While the majority of the study’s respondents earn less than $45,000.00, the literature reports that one in eight human service workers earn below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $31,170 for a family of three (UMASS, 2018). Focus group participants reported many challenges with low wages given the kind of work they do. Even with full-time hours, their current wages do not meet the basic needs of individuals and families; some low-wage human services workers are often eligible for the same benefits as the clients they serve. For example, “Um, ’cause lot of times our staff are complaining about how they are paid to do this much. Well, it’s, it’s not worth the work and the headache and the everything else that comes with it. So, definitely, the pay rate.”In summary this, report is the result of the researchers’ exploration of the lived employment experiences of the foreign-born and people of color in the human services workforce in four non-profit human service organizations. The most significant findings show disparities related to the lack of a career ladder or lack of mentoring for professional and economic growth within the organizations as reported by a large number of survey and focus group participants who were Black, African American or Hispanic. There is an absence of opportunity for advancement for foreign-born people of color and African Americans who make up the majority of direct care staff in the human service organizations studied. The implications of these disparities are enormous for people of color employed in human service organizations in Massachusetts. There are two dimensions of racism within human services itself: (1) racial equity, and (2) racial tolerance. Racial equity is defined as the degree to which organizational services, organizational outcomes, organizational resources, and organizational power are distributed without regard to race. Indicators of racial equity are the allocation by race of product supply chains, product and sales distribution networks, customers, service recipients, service outcomes, employee salaries, positions of power within the organization, and expenditures on goods and services. Racial equity is influenced by implicit bias. Racial tolerance is the degree to which non-whites participate in institutional membership and the degree to which whites are accepting of non-whites. The level of non-white inclusion throughout the organization are some indicators of an organization’s level of racial tolerance. Our findings support that there is most likely more racial tolerance and the need for increased attention to equity (for a fuller discussion see Tourse, Hamilton-Mason, & Wewiorski, 2018).Recommendations for Further InvestigationAdopting racial equity goals and developing plans and systems to support them; Advancing racial equity through training policies, including career pathways and stackable credentials of value; andAdvocating for sufficient funding of contracts so that employers can offer salaries commensurate with those offered to state employees performing similar jobs.Using organizational partnerships to advance racial equity: Create collaborative partnerships with ABN and human service organizations that contributed funding for the pilot study (in process) that will focus on:Increase leadership and salary among workers Implement training modules designed to increase the leadership trajectory of human service providersUse the training as mechanism as a pipeline to recruit potential MSW applicationImplement training modules for AdministratorsWork with ABN to establish a specific mentoring program:Employing apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs to advance racial equity; Implementing upskilling policies for workers with foundational skills gaps; Investing in support services for education and training participants. ReferencesAmerican Immigration Council. (2017). Immigrants in Massachusetts. Retrieved from , P., Gupta, R., & Bates, R. (2017). Influence of Organizational Learning Culture on Knowledge Worker's Motivation to Transfer Training: Testing Moderating Effects of Learning Transfer Climate. Current Psychology, 36(3), 606+. Retrieved from , R., & Khasawneh, A. (2004). Organizational learning culture, transfer climate and perceived innovation in Jordan. In T. B. Egan, M. L. Morris, & V. Inbakumar (Eds.), Academy of Human Resource Development 2004 Conference Proceedings (pp. 513-519). Bowling Green, OH: AHRD.Bernstein. H., & Vilter., C. (2018). Upskilling the Immigrant Workforce to Meet Employer Demand for Skilled Workers. Urban Institute Report. Retrieved from State University: Human Resource Management. (2019) . Retrieved??from?http:://hr.buffalostate.edu/staff-developmentBLS. (2015). Labor Force Characteristics of Foreign-born Workers Summary. Economic News Release, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from , J.W. & Plano Clark, V.L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Falender, C. A., Cornish, J. A., Goodyear, R., Hatcher, R., Kaslow, N. J., Leventhal, G., . . .Grus, C. (2004). Defining competencies in psychology supervision: A consensus statement. Journal of C Global Diversity and Inclusion (2009). Perceptions, Practices and Attitudes. SHRM Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. Retrieved from K. A., Lo?pez M., Wysocki A., Kepner K. (2002). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools. University of Florida, HR# 022. Retrieved from , P. (2019). Some progress in 2018 , but racial barriers to employment persist. Retrieved from , E., Erwin, S., & Tsoi, S. (n.d.). Getting to Work?: Boosting Massachusetts ’ Workforce Competitiveness via Immigrants , Education and Training. , D. (2013). Untapped Talent Unleashing the Power of the Hidden Workforce. NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Mrhalek, T., Kajanova, A. (2018). Work satisifaction and mental pressure of social workers and workers in social services. Journal of Nursing and Social Sciences Related to Health and Illness. Doi: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2017.10.001Pitts, D. (2009). Diversity Management, Job Satisfaction, and Performance: Evidence from U.S. Federal Agencies. Public Administration Review, 69(2), 328–338. Forward. (2017). Race-Explicit Strategies for Workforce Equity in Healthcare and IT. Race Forward. Retrieved from , T. R. (2001). Elements of a successful “diversity” process. The American Institute for Managing Diversity. Retrieved from . articles/elements.htmlRuch, G., & Tsui, M. (2016). Towards an International Consensus on a Research Agenda for Social Work Supervision?: Report on the First Survey of a Delphi Study, (August 2015), 1568–1586.Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2010). Putting the Human Back in ‘“Human Research Methodology”’: The Researcher in Mixed Methods Research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 4(4), 271–277. , R., Hamilton-Mason, J. & Wewiorski, N. (2018). Systemic Racism in America: Scaffolding as Social Construction. Switzerland: Springer Publisher.University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute for Providers Council (2017, February) Who will care? The workforce crisis in human Services. Retrieved from of Massachusetts Donahue Institute for Providers Council (2018, December). The face of the human services sector. Retrieved from States Census Bureau (2019). Foreign Born. Retrieved at , J., Armstrong, D. M., & Medina, L. (2018). Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060. Current Population Reports, 1–15. Retrieved from programs-surveys/popprojWilliams, E & Morrow, S. (2009) Achieving trustworthiness in qualitative research: A pan-paradigmatic perspective, Psychotherapy Research, 19:4-5, 576-582, DOI: 10.1080/10503300802702113To link to this article: A: Interview GuideCan you share what tools and resources you need to do your job? What motivates you to do this work? Can you share what factors keep you in your job? Probes: Can you give an example of positive results because of your work? Can you give an example of an incident in which you needed support?Can you talk about the amount of work you are expected to do? Can you talk about relations among co-workers here?Supervision:Can you talk about your supervisors’ role in how you are able to do your job? Can you talk about the expectations for your performance?Are you able to receive supervision that helps you understand how your work is important to the organization?Training:Can you talk about what kinds of training and development opportunities you need?Can you talk about a specific training or professional development that you received in the last year? Probe: ?Was it helpful?Organization:How can the organization improve their effectiveness in supporting your growth and development in your job? Where there any incidences of you being overlooked for a promotion or a merit increase?What are the areas that need the most improvement in our organization?How can the role of supervisors and managers be changed to help in your autonomy as a worker? Can you talk about benefits, and working conditions that are needed to attract and retain human service workers and supervisors? Can you talk about the organization’s value of employees’ opinions about issues that affect their job?Appendix B: Survey InstrumentAfrican Bridge Network Project: Lived Experiences of Immigrants of ColorThese questions are a combination of parts of the Survey of Organizational Excellence (2003) and Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) (2019).The goal is for the survey to take about half an hour for respondents to complete.MARKING INSTRUCTIONSDemographic items are used for research purposes. To ensure anonymity, your organization does not receive any information which could identify an individual or group. Please circle your response?Top of FormMy highest educational levelDid not finish high schoolHigh school (or GED)Some collegeAssociate’s degreeBachelor’s degreeMaster’s degreeDoctoral degreeCountry where education was attainedEducation was attained in the United StatesEducation was attained outside the United StatesMy age (in years)16-2930-3940-4950-5960+My annual salaryLess than $15,000$15,001-$35,000$35,001-$45,000$45,001-$50,000$50,001-$60,000$60,001-$75,000More than $75,000Years of serviceLess than 11-23-56-1011-1516+My race/ethnic identificationAfrican-American or BlackHispanic or Latino/aAnglo-American or WhiteAsianAmerican-Indian/Pac IslanMultiracial or OtherEmployee RoleI am currently in a supervisory role. Yes /NoI received a promotion during the past two years. Yes/ NoI received a merit increase during the past two years. Yes/ NoI plan to be working for this organization in one year. Yes/ NoI am eligible for retirement within the next two years. Yes/ NoTop of FormThe following statements will be rated by respondents on a 6-point Likert Scale:(1)Strongly Agree, (2)Agree, (3)Fair/Neutral, (4)Disagree, (5)Strongly Disagree, (6)Do Not Know1. I am given the opportunity to do the best work.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know2. I am given accurate feedback about my performance.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know3. My performance is evaluated fairly.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know4. Favoritism (special treatment) is not an issue in raises or promotions.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know5. People who challenge the status quo are valued.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know6. There is basic trust among employees and supervisors.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know7. Decision making and control are given to employees doing the actual work.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know8. Every employee is valued.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know9. My ideas and opinions count at work.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know10. An effort is made to get the opinions of people throughout the organization.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know11. I feel my efforts count.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know12. Outstanding work is recognized.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know13. The work atmosphere encourages open and honest communication1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know14. Work groups are trained to incorporate the opinions of each member.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know15. The people I work with treat each other with respect.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know16. Training is made available to us for personal growth and development.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know17. Training is made available to us so that we can do our jobs better.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know18. I have access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops and training.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know19. My training needs are assessed.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know20. We balance our focus on both long range and short-term goals.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know21. I am given a real opportunity to improve my skills in my organization.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know?22. I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know23. My talents are used well in the workplace.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know24. My performance appraisal is a fair reflection of my performance.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know25. I can disclose a suspected violation of any law, rule or regulation without fear or reprisal.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know26. In my most recent performance appraisal, I understood what I had to do to be rated at different performance levels (for example, fully successful, outstanding).1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know27. Promotions in my work unit are based on merit.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know28. In my work unit, differences in performance are recognized in a meaningful way.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know29. The skill level in my work unit has improved in the past year.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know30. Employees have a feeling of personal empowerment with respect to work processes.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know31. Creativity and innovation are rewarded1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know32. Programs and policies promote diversity in the workplace (for example, recruiting minorities and women, training in awareness of diversity issues, mentoring).1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know33. We work to attract, develop and retain people with diverse backgrounds.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know34. Arbitrary action, personal favoritism, and coercion for partisan political purposes are not tolerated.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know35. Supervisors know whether an individuals’ career goals are compatible with organizational goals.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know36. My supervisor supports my need to balance work and other life issues.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know37. My supervisor is consistent when administering policies concerning employees.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know38. My supervisor provides me with opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know39. Discussions with my supervisor about my performance are worthwhile.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know40. My supervisor is committed to a workforce representative of all segments of society.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know41. Supervisors in my work unit support employee development1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know42. My supervisor listens to what I have to say.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know43. My supervisor treats me with respect.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know44. In the last six months, my supervisor has talked with me about my performance.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know45. I have trust and confidence in my supervisor.1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know46. Supervisors work well with employees of different backgrounds.?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know47. How satisfied are you with the recognition you receive for doing a good job?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know48. How satisfied are you with your opportunity to get a better job in your organization?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know49. How satisfied are you with the training you receive for your present job?1 Strongly Agree2 Agree3 Fair/Neutral4 Disagree5 Strongly Disagree6 Do not know50. Is there anything you would like to tell us regarding your education attainment or employment experience? Please use the comment box belowBottom of Form-10336712128600Appendix C: Preliminary AnalysisSlide 1Slide 2Slide 3Slide 4Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7Slide 8Slide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Slide 17Slide 18Slide 19Slide 20Slide 21Slide 22Slide 23Slide 24Slide 25Slide 26Slide 27Slide 28Slide 29Slide 30Slide 31Slide 32Slide 33Slide 34Slide 35Slide 36Slide 37Slide 38Slide 39Slide 40Slide 41Slide 42Slide 43Slide 44 ................
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