House to hire 'diversity consultant'

Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard informed House staffers that he is hiring a "nationally recognized diversity consultant" to review workplace culture.

On Wednesday afternoon, the man in charge of keeping the House operating day-to-day sent an e-mail to employees working in the various support offices, saying that the new consultant "in the process of being selected, will develop an assessment of our commitment to diversity and offer a full report of any additional best practices we can implement immediately."

The full e-mail to CAO staff is after the jump:

 
All:
 
During the last two years, you have all worked very hard to help our organization refocus, with each and every one of you playing an integral role in making the CAO more sustainable, efficient and responsive.  Also, you have all helped to make this organization a great place to work, something we were publicly honored for in 2007 and expect to be honored for again this year.
 
Part of being a great place to work is our commitment to diversity, which has been a large part of our success and a point of personal pride for me.  I am 100 percent committed to supporting each one of you in sustaining the diverse work environment we have created together.
 
Our organizational improvements have resulted in many changes, and change is never easy.  To change the direction of any organization requires careful examination of how that change impacts not only the productivity and efficacy of an organization, but also how it affects employee morale and the general spirit of fairness and equity we all hold in high regard.
 
It is in this spirit that I am hiring a nationally recognized diversity consultant to conduct a thorough review of our workplace culture. This consultant, who is in the process of being selected, will develop an assessment of our commitment to diversity and offer a full report of any additional best practices we can implement immediately.
 
As we move through this important process, I would like to reiterate that my door is always open.  This consultant will be given total access to our organization and I would greatly encourage you to participate in this vital process.
 
Thank you.
 
Dan