Talent Management

• Continued the DEI journey where team members become more aware of unconscious bias. This year, under the direction of Dr. Tyrone A. Holmes, Ed.D., two unconscious bias sessions were conducted. In these sessions, team members participated in a working session on Uncomfortable Conversations and Microaggressions and participated in an interactive discussion on how to unbias a common organizational process in the final session.
• Offered on-demand training for all CommonLook license-holders, an enhanced accessibility software, thereby expanding our ability to provide equal access to electronic documents.
• Provided enterprise-wide awareness and education with a virtual event and special communications messaging on the importance of digital accessibility in recognition of the eleventh annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
• Offered 70 DEI on-demand web-based training to all team members via our partnership with our CalPERS Learning Management System, GoLearn, which houses LinkedIn Learning.
• Provided training to 167 new team members and managers on CalPERS’ DEI philosophy and fundamental concepts, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy and resources, and team member opportunities for engagement with DEI.
• Implemented a new course for CalPERS team members – What Emerging Leaders Need to Know. This one-day class provides clear demonstration and hands-on practice of effective and easy to use tools and techniques in the areas of Analyzing the Four Functions of Management framework, Applying the Behavior Model, Practicing the Coaching Model, and how to Create an Action Plan to manage teams and individuals.

• Redesigned the onboarding process to accelerate and shorten the compliance period regarding completing Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Prevention policies.
• Piloted Phase 1 of an Employee Onboarding Program to 113 team members to enhance the onboarding experience and to increase the understanding of mandatory training modules, as well as increase compliance in the first 30 days of being hired.

Launched a new management course for CalPERS leaders titled Cultural Competency and Our Bias Blindspot. The goal of the training is to teach leaders how to identify ways bias can be unconscious and automatic, and to foster dialogue about how prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination impact team members. In addition, the course covered increased awareness of unconscious bias and perceptual filters to minimize the impact on our work as helping professionals, and practice moving from thinking about bias to taking meaningful steps to overcome it. Thirty-four team leaders completed this training.

CalPERS is committed to mitigating the impact of bias in recruitment and selection in hiring, as well as internal development and promotional opportunities. We strive to ensure that our internal recruitment programs, such as Upward Mobility and the Emerging Leader Program (ELP), as well as our external recruitment strategies, such as career fair participation, are free from bias and promote DEI by ensuring that our recruitment strategies reach a diverse pool of potential applicants.

• CalPERS completed the state-required California Annual Workforce Analysis, which provides state government entities with a way to gauge their EEO efforts through three components: Workforce Composition, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and Upward Mobility. CalPERS’ efforts resulted in the following:
• About 13.1% or 372 CalPERS team members were identified as PWD, leading to the establishment of hiring goals and the development of an action plan required by CalHR.
• Five (5) of 16 team members accepted into the second cohort of the CalPERS Upward Mobility Program moved into higher-level positions. The program helps entry-level team members advance to higher-level technical, professional, and administrative positions.
• CalPERS conducted its annual campaigns for the Statewide Change in Disability Status Survey and the Statewide Employee Veteran Survey. The goal of the surveys is to improve annual data accuracy to support departmental plans to correct disability, gender, race, and veteran underutilization within identified occupational groups.
• The CalPERS ELP is a six-month cohort program for journey-level analysts who aspire to a leadership position as the next step in their career. For the third consecutive year, ELP redacted the applicant’s name, email address, classification, and division to guard against bias in accepting applicants. There were 14 journey-level ELP participants accepted into the 2021 cohort. For applicants not selected or ineligible for ELP, a new self-directed development program, Path to Leadership, is now available.

• Ensured all CalPERS Job Bulletins contained DEI language.
• Established DEI Recruiter Role.
• Promoted mission-driven work opportunities and Health Equity videos on LinkedIn.
• Expanded the HR Glossary and amended CalPERS Business Glossary.

• Continued analysis of the Annual Performance Review processes, documents, and tools.
• Created an internal project team to update internal processes and procedures and streamline the submission and tracking process.
• Continued providing recommendations for new performance factors, such as the inclusion of CalPERS competencies, and a five-point rating scale.

Hosted the second annual Pathways for Women Conference in recognition of Women’s Equality Day. This dynamic forum meant to inspire and inform women in their careers, featured extraordinary leaders from business, healthcare, and government – all in service of advancing women. The conference attracted 1,131 virtual attendees.