Aim: Introduce a mechanism for basic and ongoing training, clear instructions from the employer (government) and an easily accessible complaints office for facts relating to discrimination and racism in public administration.
Starting point: The government published a "roadmap" for an egalitarian administration open to diversity in 2018. Several actions had been taken, but it was time to aim for a more generalised approach, to bring about a change in culture among all civil servants. This required a "directive", "training" and a complaints mechanism.
Process: During the initial dialogue with specialists from the Swiss Migration Forum, we realized that a training course/commitment would only have an effect if it were aimed at 100% of civil servants. Approaching only managers, only employees, or only recruiters would have no effect, as the discriminatory culture persisting in the rest of the group would prevail. We also established that the approach should be compulsory, so as not to be limited to civil servants who are either forced, already convinced or victims. Finally, we decided that the sequence should be simultaneous, to avoid group effects (a trained employee returning to his or her own unit and rediscovering discriminatory attitudes that undermine the effort).
We came up with the idea of a complete instruction-training-principles-complaint sequence, to be submitted simultaneously to 5 000 civil servants, for which we needed the full commitment of the government and all department heads, to take ownership of the approach.
We also had to ensure that there was no "plan B" (face-to-face rather than e-learning, time-shifting, postponement, partial follow-up), but that the sole objective was 100% participation. During the design phase, we convinced the government and the human resources department of the need to make the training compulsory by presenting an analogy with the start of the COVID crisis: if we made it compulsory to wear a mask without exception, we could make a 1.5-hour training course on non-discrimination compulsory too.
We wanted to be the only department in charge of the content of the training sequence, and not to set up a working group, considering that we are the experts in this field and that it is not necessary for the content to be consensual, in the same way as a training course on IT security, which is only prepared by the specialist department.
In order to eliminate racial discrimination from public action, a four-pronged approach has been designed and deployed in the public administration, simultaneously, individually and compulsorily for all incumbents.
- Instruction to eliminate discrimination in public service work, given by the President of the government in a full-screen video for each learner, after their individual login (including mention of the 4 pillars of the intercultural integration policy (equal dignity, diversity, interaction, participation).
- Training in three e-learning sequences on discrimination and eliminating it by changing "our behaviours", approached in a benevolent and firm manner
- Notification of non-discriminatory working principles
- Information on the opening of a simple access complaints office against public office holders for violent, racist and discriminatory acts
The system was designed in one year, distributed in July-August and taken up by 92% of our civil servants. A second phase will take place to reach 100% by 2025. The system is now compulsory for all new employees of our administration.
Impact: The sequence helped to establish the desired change of culture, and to convey the Authority's message to its employees on an individual and mandatory basis. It also made it possible to include a 1.5-hour training session on non-discriminatory administration in the induction course for all new civil servants. Finally, it has enabled us to install a "basic knowledge" passed on to 100% of our employees, which will enable us to develop numerous subsequent measures, based on an understanding of the objectives sought.
A number of departments have asked for this training to be followed by interventions, events and measures specific to their areas of activity (police, health, vocational training in particular), and are thus committing themselves to the desired transformation.
Main reference documents: www.ne.ch/autorites/DECS/COSM/cours-formations/Pages/Administration-%c3%a9galitaire-et-ouverte-%c3%a0-la-diversit%c3%a9-.aspx
