Providing Lead Role in Work‐Force Diversity

This paper describes the efforts of the Northwest District of the Minnesota Department of Transportation employees to implement a fair work environment culture that stresses increased employment of Indians and placement of women in nontraditional jobs. The importance of community and top staff involvement, the overall need to connect transportation objectives with other social‐economic issues, and the reaching of consensus on guiding district values are keys to providing a diverse work force for the future that will help to maintain the good quality of life that Minnesotans cherish. A key ingredient of this effort is the leadership role taken by the district as a “full community partner” in the Bemidji region. In 1985, the Northwest District established a set of beliefs that clearly identified the achievement of a fair work environment as a defined and measured work activity for all of its supervisors. This report presents the work programs, ideas, and evaluations that have occurred to date.