Original Date: 02/19/2007
Revision Date: / /

Creating a systemic approach to establishing and updating diversity goals, measuring the achievement of these goals, and collaboration with Employee Resource groups is helping Raytheon’s Network Centric Systems Manufacturing Center in Largo, Florida, to build an improved workforce that can better adapt to changing business needs.

Prior to 2005 diversity and inclusion concepts were not integrated into the business goals and strategies of Raytheon’s Network Centric Systems (NCS) Manufacturing Center in Largo, Florida, and existed only as human resource initiatives, not business imperatives. There was no accountability for these concepts, which resulted in a lack of commitment from company leaders and employees. Because of the limited commitment to these areas, diversity counsels previously formed did not have any real impact on the company. Company metrics focused on measuring attrition, hiring, and promotions data based on gender, race, and age; however, multiple categories rendered multiple numerical outputs that were not prioritized, making the results of the data collected difficult to interpret.

The Raytheon-Largo-St. Petersburg Diversity Council (RLSDC) was formed in 2005 with a vision “to foster an inclusive environment, embracing the differences to achieve common goals that inspire creative and stimulated individual and business growth.” RLSDC took the approach of integrating diversity and inclusion into Raytheon Largo’s strategic and tactical goals. This was done by making company leaders and managers individually accountable for integration of diversity concepts into their respective teams. Performance evaluations of company leaders and employees done through the newly developed People Index system now include leadership diversity participation and diversity training metrics. Leaders are evaluated on their participation in diversity activities and on their team’s participation in those activities to determine how well the diversity knowledge is being flowed down and supported.

The People Index system is reevaluated annually to prioritize and set goals for the next year’s diversity initiatives, which are subject to change based on the organizational climate and are prioritized and weighted for simple numerical analysis in terms of not meeting, meeting, and exceeding expectations. Progress is monitored quarterly to identify problem areas.

In the past and as part of the Diversity and Inclusion program, Raytheon Largo sponsored various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that are often formed on the basis of ethnic background, gender, and/or race. RLSDC took a unique step to align Raytheon business goals and ERG initiatives. ERG team leaders are now accountable for value added by their groups and routinely meet with the Diversity Council and Raytheon leaders to present the status of their efforts and discuss goal alignment. As a result, ERGs emerged as a retention aid and as the resources for recruiting and the integration of new employees. ERGs also play a key role in organizing company diversity events, community outreach programs for brand-name recognition, and providing additional opportunities in networking and in personal and professional development.

One of the outcomes of collaboration between ERGs and the Diversity Council is the Raytheon Florida Region Rotation Program. Through rotations at other sites in Florida, the program provides opportunities for leadership skills development, knowledge transfer, and career development to employees who are limited by their geographic mobility or are not eligible to do so on a corporate level.

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