2024 Public Health Laboratory Annual Report
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Collaborative
The Public Health Laboratory’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Collaborative focuses on building a foundation of DEIB principles and promoting social cohesion throughout the division. It brings together members of the Environmental Laboratory, the Infectious Disease Laboratory, and the Newborn Screening Program who seldom have other opportunities to interact.
In addressing DEIB principles, it is more effective and meaningful to engage employees and empower them to drive the discussion than to mandate top-down approaches. The DEIB Collaborative has initiated many employee engagement activities:
Gathering input from employees at coffee social
A coffee social included a physical word cloud activity in which attendees gave their definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. This sparked discussion on how DEIB principles manifested in their work and home lives.
The DEIB Collaborative compiled the input from the coffee social into a qualitative report. (See above for one compilation of results.) It then gave this report to the Department of Health’s Health Equity Strategy and Innovation Division, which incorporated the findings into its series of health equity trainings completed in 2024.
Expressing identity through keychain-making activity
The DEIB Collaborative hosted a keychain-making activity in the atrium of the building shared by the Public Health Laboratory and the Department of Agriculture. Using large, colorful beads known as “pony beads,” attendees made keychains that expressed pieces of their identities. Many employees put these keychains on their work badges to communicate who they are.
Meeting with new employees
As part of the onboarding procedure, members of the DEIB Collaborative meet with each new employee for a casual conversation. They introduce the DEIB Collaborative as a way to meet coworkers and find a safe space for honest discussions.
Sharing lunch outside
During the summer months, the DEIB Collaborative encouraged coworkers to join them outside for lunch. As with the meetings with new employees, these lunches are meant for casual socializing and do not have pre-planned agendas.
Future plans
The DEIB Collaborative is also planning to start a book club and create other social events outside of work. The Public Health Laboratory’s primary SharePoint calendar will spread the word about these events, cultural holidays, and more.
Since its founding in 2021, membership in the DEIB Collaborative has grown significantly, to more than a dozen collaborators at this writing. The DEIB Collaborative has a become a central organization for enhancing the welcoming environment of the Public Health Laboratory.
Return to the main 2024 Annual Report page.