Affirmative Action: A Customized Approach at Best Buy

1
Affirmative Action A Customized Approach at
Best Buy

• Presented by Mark Nagel, Director of
  Government Employment Practices
• Deb Dennin, Corporate Affirmative Action Manager

2
The Journey Begins

• Early 2005
• Dedicated sales team seeks government/education
  contracts
• Conducted Request for Proposal for Affirmative
  Action vendors
• Inception of Affirmative Action Team (Team of 1)
• June 2005
• Signed contract with Peopleclick to produce
  affirmative action plans
• Retained counsel of Jackson Lewis to guide
  decision making on affirmative action program
  strategy
• July 2005
• Held project planning meeting to kick off
  affirmative action program
• Established retroactive affirmative action plan
  year (April 1 March 31st)
• January 2006
• Completed 1st set of Affirmative Action Plans
  (707 plans to be exact!)
• April 2006
• Began work on first set of Affirmative Action
  Plans to be implemented at Best Buy
• June 2006
• First Implementation of Affirmative Action plans
  begin (785 plans)

3
Multi-faceted Organization

• Core Business
• Retail Stores
• Product Service Centers
• Retail Offices
• Corporate Office
• Distribution Centers
• Subsidiaries/Other Brands
• Geek Squad
• Best Buy Mobile
• Magnolia Audio Video
• Audiovisions
• Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers
• Speakeasy

4
Questions We Asked Ourselves

• Philosophy
• How do we want to build the program - Compliance
  versus a way of doing business?
• Structure
• Are our subsidiaries required to participate?
• Are there natural breaks in the organization we
  need to consider as we build our plans/job
  groups?
• Would a functional or establishment plan fit our
  organization best? Or is it a combination?
• Should we count Occasional/Seasonal employees?
  What are the pros and cons?
• What movement will our businesses want to count
  as progress toward goals?
• Timing
• What time of year will our leaders be able to
  focus on the data?

5
Questions We Asked Ourselves

• Implementation
• How often should we measure and report our
  progress to leaders?
• What preconceptions might leaders have about
  affirmative action?
• Who should own the plan?
• What resources are available to support and help
  execute the program?
• What mediums can/should we use to educate leaders
  and employees?
• How might the implementation differ across the
  organization? Where should it be the same?
• Where does our diversity program fit in?
• How do we tie affirmative action back to the
  business?

6
Guiding Principles

• Incorporate AA as way of doing business Its
  the right thing to do
• Link Affirmative Action to the Diversity and
  Business Strategies
• Model good behaviors by developing a program that
  is inclusive
• Provide materials that are relevant to our
  businesses

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Building a Customized Approach

• Linking AA to the business and diversity
  strategies
• Identifying the playing field
• Defining the roles
• Choosing the players
• Addressing training needs
• Taking action on goals
• Building an Affirmative Action business rhythm
• Sustaining the program

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Linking Affirmative Action to Diversity
Business Strategies
Best Buy Company Core Philosophies Invite each
employee to contribute their unique ideas and
experiences in service of customer Treat
customers uniquely and honor their differences
as segments and individuals Meet customers
unique needs, end-to-end
Diversity Race Gender
Thought
Age Familial Status
Sexual Orientation Religion Gender
Identity Education Economic
Color Ancestry
Abilities
Citizenship
Affirmative Action Race Gender
9
Identifying the Playing Field

• Affirmative Action Plans Produced for
• Retail
• Every store, including New Store Openings as of
  April 1
• Every Product Service Center that has more than
  50 employees
• Every Territory Office, which will also includes
  the respective District Offices and Product
  Service Centers with less than 50 employees
• Logistics
• Every Distribution Center (DCs) and Delivery
  Distribution Center (DDCs) with more than 50
  employees
• DDCs with less than 50 employees roll into the DC
  they report into
• Best Buy Corporate includes Geek Squad and Best
  Buy Mobile stand alone locations
• Magnolia Audio Video
• AUDIOVISIONS (AVI)

10
Defining the Roles

• Plan Developer
• Plan Owner
• Plan Supporter
• Plan Coach

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The Role Plan Developer

• Reviews areas for improvement, formulates
  solutions and develops action plan based on
  affirmative action placement goals

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The Role Plan Owner

• Executes the good faith efforts outlined in the
  action plan and is accountable for the outcomes
• Maintains Good Faith Efforts Binder (GFEB) to
  retain documentation of all actions taken as
  outlined in action plan
• Utilizes resources available, both internal and
  external, to create a work environment that is
  diverse and non-discriminatory

13
The Role Plan Supporter

• Supports Plan Owners by determining tools and
  providing resources needed to execute the action
  plan
• Places ads with diverse sources
• Finds alternative recruiting resources
• Involves team in Employee Resource Groups
• Seeks out diversity events
• Helps determine future staffing needs and/or
  integrates affirmative action needs into the
  staffing plan

14
The Role Plan Coach (Customized by
Organization)

• Retail/Logistics
• Trains and assists Plan Developer/Owner on
  affirmative action and how to write an action
  plan
• Follows up with Plan Owner on his/her efforts
• Connects Plan Developer/Owner to resources (e.g.
  Plan Coaches/Plan Supporters) to assist them in
  achieving action plan goals
• Monitors employment practices assessment results
  and inspects GFEB quarterly
• Recommends and/or takes appropriate action if no
  efforts have been made to implement affirmative
  action

15
The Role Plan Coach (Customized by Organization)

• Best Buy Corporate/Magnolia/AVI
• Communicates the action plan and goals to hiring
  managers to help them understand their role and
  the context in which the organization needs to
  focus its recruiting efforts

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Choosing the PlayersRoles/Job Titles by
Organization
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Addressing Training Needs

• Specific to Plan roles
• Inclusive of all organizations subject to AA
• Forum that fits the audience

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Training Plan Developers/Owners

• Multi-Media/Multi-Phased approach

Not applicable to Best Buy Corporate
19
Training Plan Coaches

• Multi-Media/Multi-Phased approach

Not applicable to Best Buy Corporate
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Training Plan Supporters
Training Audience varies by Job Title
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Customized Approach to E-Learning

• Screen Shots
• Intro to Affirmative Action
• A Culture of Opportunity

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Taking Action on Goals
Differentiated by Location
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Building AA Business Rhythm
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Sustain the Program

• Supporting Resources/Tools for all Organizations
• Internal Affirmative Action Web Page
• One stop shopping for all training materials and
  resources
• Good Faith Efforts Binder
• Best Buy Field Specific Tools
• Manager online action center (Retail Only)
• Employment Practices Assessment

25
Sustain the Program

• Screen Shots
• Internal Affirmative Action Web Page
• HR Professionals and Managers
• All Employees

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Good Faith Efforts Binder

• Binder that contains locations placement goals,
  action plan to address goals and documentation of
  good faith efforts
• Retained at every location that has an
  Affirmative Action Plan
• Contains 3 plan years of data separated by plan
  year
• Referenced during AA quarterly meetings
• Audited semi-annually

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Sustain the Program

• Screen Shots
• Retail Online Action Center
• General Manager View
• District HR Manager View
• Employment Practices Assessment
• Good Faith Efforts Binder

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Landing AA in Our Culture

• Different structures necessitate changing how the
  work is approached, although business rhythms and
  roles run in parity.
• Plan ownership and accountability has to come
  from the business owner.
• Human Resources is the Coach and Subject Matter
  Expert. Train them first to prepare for their
  role.
• Reinforce the importance of changing behaviors
  and impacting the applicant pool. Dont make it
  another compliance checklist.
• Utilize and grow partnerships with others in the
  organization (Diversity, Selection, Government
  Relations, Communications).

29
Questions?

• Mark Nagel
• Director of Government Employment Practices
• Mark.Nagel_at_BestBuy.com
• Deb Dennin
• Corporate Affirmative Action Manager
• Debra.Dennin_at_BestBuy.com