Mid-Atlantic ADA Center



Slide 1

25th Annual Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference

Improving Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion

Susan M. Skelly

Dr. Rachael Bradley Montgomery

F. Erick Mitchell

Adrienne D. Thomas-Loftin

Slide 2

Objectives

• Identify how The MITRE Corporation began our accessibility journey

• Discuss how we identified and prioritized the top areas of concern

• Explain the innovations made to functional areas

• Describe how we communicate the message to our employees

Slide 3

Agenda

I. Introduction to MITRE

II. MITRE’s Accessibility Story

III. Communicating our Commitment to Accessibility

IV. Talent Acquisition and New Employee Onboarding

V. Integrating Accessibility into Development Processes

VI. Making Facilities Accessible for Persons with Disabilities

VII. Conclusion/ Q & A

Slide 4

Introduction to MITRE

Slide 5

MITRE

Image: MITRE Center in Bedford, MA

Image: MITRE 4 in Mclean, VA

Slide 6

What is a FFRDC?

MITRE produced this short animation, which explains the history, purpose and value of federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) at a high level



For a more in-depth look at FFRDCs--their history, legal structure, and value to the nation--we invite you to read our publication, FFRDCs: A Primer located at

Image: United States Capital Building

Slide 7

MITRE’s Accessibility Story

Slide 8

MITRE’s Accessibility Story: Advocacy, Assessment, Outreach

Image: Flow chart; 2016: Sponsor Support led to internal conversations which led to the formation of the Accessibility team. 2017: Started self assessment and expanded the team. 2018: the team formalized into an accessibility council with associated ERGs.

Continuing challenges: Limited funding, competing priorities, and necessary education

Slide 9

Key Drivers for Inclusion & Diversity

• Goal: We believe that inclusion and diversity supports our corporate values and strengthens our teams, so we strive to increase the underrepresented (UR) population in our workforce and create an environment where each employee can realize their full potential.

• Our programs, structure, and strategic efforts are holistically designed to support long term growth of our UR populations as well as to retain existing UR staff

• We have specific, short-term goals and metrics for UR populations identified as a result of the Corporate Operating Plan

"It's a priority at MITRE to leverage diversity throughout our workforce. Our rich mosaic of diversity in all dimensions—demographic, cultural, cognitive, and occupational—underscores MITRE's unwavering commitment that every employee feels welcome, engaged, and supported. We believe our inclusive workforce helps MITRE realize its fullest potential.”…. Dr. Jason Providakes

Image: Jason Providakes

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Operationalizing Inclusion & Diversity

Image: Organizational chart: CEO and CHRO relates to MITRE Office of Inclusion and Diversity, which advises MCID, Officer Champions, and Council (collect information internal and external) and relates to HR Institute, Recruiters and OECs, and HRBLs and HRBPs, Cross Functional Work Teams (STEM, Awareness), Employee Councils (Leadership Champions, Council Members), and Site Liasons

Slide 11

Corporate and Employee Councils

Images: Members of MITRE Commission on Inclusion and Diversity (MCID) and Employee Council Leadership Champions; graphic of Inclusion and Diversity, including Accessibility Council, Multi-Generational Council, Multi-Cultural Council, Women’s Council, Pride Council, and Veteran’s Council

• Networking

• Mentorship

• Job Shadowing

• Development

• STEM Outreach

• Community Involvement

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Inclusion and Diversity Framework 2018

Image:

• I&D Mission

o Partner with employees and management teams to institutionalize I&D across MITRE

• Focus areas

o Talent management

▪ Establish new approaches to attract, retain, and develop a diverse talent pool so that MITRE has a diverse workforce and inclusive culture

o Awareness

▪ Promote behaviors that demonstrate awareness and acceptance of valuing differences and inclusion; we are recognized externally

o STEM/STEAM (K-12)

▪ Develop partnerships to build a strong and sustainable pipeline of quality STEM/STEAM professionals that lead to MITRE hires

o Accountability

▪ Define and implement a sustainable program that incorporates I&D into our performance management so our business practices reflect and I&D culture

• Objectives

o Grow our talent

▪ Build university partnerships

▪ Build professional partnerships

▪ Encourage targeted referral

o Increase our cultural competency

▪ Stand-up employee councils

▪ Enhance recruitment processes

▪ Develop I&D employee competency

o Enhance our message

▪ Integrate I&D in all MITRE materials

▪ Strengthen social media presence

▪ Host events and participate in external I&D activities

Slide 13

Communicating Our Commitment

Slide 14

Communicating Accessibility

Image: MITRE's accessibility website includes links to accommodations, instructions for making products accessible, information on the accessibility council and other resources.

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Importance of Culture

• Ecosystem of values, practices, rules, and ideologies that provide the framework for how we engage with each other in pursuing a common mission

• The optimal culture means

o Trust

o Inspires entrepreneurial mindset and innovation

o Thrive during change/comfortable with ambiguity

• Brand/image, Attract talent (externally)

• Retain, Perform/Output, Engagement (internally)

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Fit?

“Culture Fit”

• Common default to hire people that “walk and talk” just like the other individuals on a team

• Adding people with the same values, ideas and approaches as others on the team can be stifling

• Safety Familiarity

Image: 6 gold fish with a hand stopping a green fish from joining them.

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What is “Culture Add”

Culture Add

• The notion of culture “add” reflects a forward-thinking mindset.

• Diverse candidates can add to the capabilities of a team and a culture

• Grounded in the intention to ensure:

o Unique communication styles

o Values

o Perspectives

o Interests are reflected team composition

• Results in more effective decision-making and better business/project outcomes.

Image: Picture of a group of men and women with the caption “Culture fit is dead, long live culture add.”

Slide 18

Different Approach -Predictors of Success

• What do the top 10% of performers have in common (traits)? Define them.

• Instead of “fit”, determine if the candidates meet these predictors

• Examples:

o Authentic interactions.

o Fully engaged

o Impact driven.

o Self-aware

o Inclusive leadership

o Analytical Rigor

• Analyze high caliber teams –go beyond technical –build for long-term

Image: Four hands putting puzzle pieces together

Slide 19

Inclusive Talent Acquisition & On Boarding

• Process Upgrade

• Training of Our Talent Acquisition Team

• Link with Health Services

o Needed Services Provided

• Guidance Provided via Portal

Image: Welcome to New Employee Integration Website Page

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Leveraging MITRE’s External KEY I&D Partnerships

Grow Talent

• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

• National Action Council on Minorities in Engineering (NACME)

• Women In Technology (WIT)

• Women in Aerospace (WIA)

• Advancing Minorities Interest in Engineering (AMIE)

• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)

• Catalyst

• BEYA

• Women of Color (WOC)

• CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge

• Grace Hopper

• Boston’s Women Workforce Council

• World Unity Inc. Partnership

• MITRE Employee Councils

o Women

o Multi-Cultural -MERG

o Multi-Generational

o PRIDE

o Accessibility

o Veterans

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Integrating Accessibility into Development Processes

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Image:

• Centralized Team Enforcement Prioritization Approach

o Define System Requirements

▪ Organization Specific Standards

▪ Acquisition Language and Evaluation

▪ Standard Assistive Technology List

▪ User Stories

o Design System

▪ Accessible Technology Selection

▪ Accessible Design Decisions

▪ Content Management

o Build Components

▪ Developer Education

▪ Technical Accessibility

o Test System

▪ Testing Tools and Methods

▪ Usability Testing w/ Users with Disabilities

▪ Functional Accessibility

o Deploy & Operate

▪ Accommodation Requests

▪ Monitor Upgrades

▪ Content Creation

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Technology Statement

• MITRE is committed to promoting equal access to information and capabilities provided using information technologies.

• To support this commitment, new, user-facing information technology capabilities developed or acquired will adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standard (AA) to the extent feasible.

• This includes both MITRE’s internal and public-facing capabilities.

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Challenges in the Development Process

• Changing Standards

o Section 508 refresh

o WCAG 2.0 to 2.1

• Training Needed

o Acquisitions

o Developers

o Corporate Communications

• Assessment at Acquisition

o All major acquisitions must be reviewed for accessibility

• JAWS and testing tools

o Determining test tool selection

o Availability

Slide 25

Tradeoffs

• Remediating legacy applications vs. creating a patch

o Example: Hiring Portal

• Hiring accessibility specialists’ vs distributed knowledge

o We’ve tried both –there are not enough specialists

Slide 26

Making Facilities Accessible

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Facilities Statement

• The MITRE Corporation applies prevailing accessibility standards in all owned buildings and leased space to the extent feasible.

• This pertains to the design, construction and alteration of buildings providing access and flexibility for all persons.

Image: Accessibility eye, hand, ear, brain

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Accommodations Policy

Image: Screenshot of the MITRE Policies and Procedures letter of introduction from the office of the president

Image: Screenshot of the work place accommodations policy.

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Making MITRE a Disability Friendly Organization

Image: graph of number of workplace accommodations: 15 in 2011, 24 in 2012, 15 in 2013, 23 in 2014, 31 in 2015, 49 in 2016, 42 in 2017, and 31 in 2018

Slide 30

Type of Accommodations (2011 through June, 2018)

Image: graph of type and number of accommodations: 3 denied, 260 ergonomic, 24 hardware, 47 job, 25 mobility,7 other, 8 services, 8 site, 6 software, 99 travel.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Job Accommodations Network annual report, “Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact” workplace accommodations cost absolutely nothing for the companies to implement.

In our case, most accommodations cost under $500.

Slide 31

McLean Campus Cafeteria

Images: The newly designed cafeteria includes plenty of space and counters that are designed to facilitate access for wheel chair users.

The sodas and other refreshments are organized so a variety is easily reachable from a seated position.

A reach aid is conveniently located near the soda shelving.

The redesign has a mix of natural and artificial lighting and sufficient contrast between the floor and walls.

Slide 32

Before and After –Door to Patio

Images: The door to the patio during construction. A step is visible leading out to the patio.

The door after construction. The step has been removed.

The door from the inside now includes an automatic door opener.

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MITRE 4 Building Walkway

Image: A long ramp between buildings with a rest space in the middle.

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Main Street

Images: A desk with computers for employee use. One is set aside with space for a wheelchair

Small mobile office spaces, one is designed for wheelchair access.

The copy center with multi-level desks with a cut out to facilitate wheelchair access.

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MITRE Institute

Image: A computer located on an adjustable height desk.

A black box hanging from the ceiling.

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Fitness Center (former)

Image: A mid-sized workout room with traditional weight equipment

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Fitness Center (new)

Image: New fitness center with more space between machines, a tread desk, and large areas to navigate.

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Fitness Center

Images: Restroom, shower and lockers for employees with special needs

Slide 39

Partners in Training Service Animals

Images: Accessibility Fair October 2017

Service dog

An employee working with a service dog

A group of employees watching a service dog training setting.

Slide 40

Conclusion

Slide 41

Areas for Improvement

• As we engage more with our employees with diverse abilities, we improve

o Verbiage

o Hiring Process

o Need to support employees with family members with disabilities

o Cognitive diversity

Image: Sign above an automatic door opener states "Button is for handicap personnel only. Please refrain from using button if you are not handicap. Thanks, MITRE Security

Slide 42

Lessons Learned

• An organization can become disabled-friendly only to the extent that its management embraces and supports the concept

• Accessibility is wholistic and must address:

o Technology

o Facilities

o Culture

• Everyone in the organization is affected

• Communication is critical

• It takes time and effort

o There is a large amount of work in standing up employee councils

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Next Steps

• Empower and expand Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

o Build on early wins

• Dedicated resources to improve technology

• Public assessment of status

Slide 44

Questions and Answers

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