EVERETT — Nearly one in five Snohomish County employees don’t feel a sense of inclusion in their workplace, according to a survey of more than 1,700 county employees released Wednesday.
The report, from MGT Consulting, also suggests supervisors do not treat Black and white county employees equitably.
Black respondents were 35% less likely than their white colleagues to agree that all parts of their identity and background were accepted in their workplace.
Nearly one-quarter of the staff surveyed felt Snohomish County leaders are not ready to create safe spaces for all. The same amount of people agreed top leaders of their department are not ready to engage in difficult conversations regarding equity.
On Wednesday, Heather Curry, a senior consultant with MGT Consulting, presented the diversity, equity and inclusion assessment to the Snohomish County Council. The report used survey results, focus groups and open-ended questions to detail employees’ thoughts on inclusion, confidence in leadership and hiring in county government.
(Kate Erickson / The Herald)
From focus groups, Curry and her staff found employees don’t feel supported by the county and coworkers.
“Staff identified that Snohomish County is divided along many polarizing lines, contributing to siloing and exclusion,” the report reads. “They are calling for a shift in culture.”
The report also found some groups have felt resistant to progress in diversity, equity and inclusion. Curry attributed this to the concept becoming highly politicized over the past few years.
However, more than half of surveyed employees reported diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are “critical to Snohomish County’s future success.”
Council members will use this report to create an action plan on enhancing inclusion and communication in the county offices in mid-November.
“We understand that there is more work to do to create a county government that serves our community as well and equitably as possible,” said county spokesperson Kent Patton. “We now have a template for moving this work ahead.”
Curry recommended increasing staffing for the Office of Social Justice. She emphasized the importance of a language and access coordinator in the office ensuring all residents can access county services, no matter a language barrier.
County Executive Dave Somers created the Office of Social Justice in 2020. Its purpose is to “dismantle the individual, institutional and structural racism that exists in the county,” according to the office’s website.
The report noted county staff called for more training on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Somers included money for some of these initiatives in his proposed 2024 budget. He suggested a budget of $973,225 for the Office of Social Justice.
The council has yet to approve next year’s budget.
Jenelle Baumbach: 360-352-8623; jenelle.baumbach@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jenelleclar.
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