Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is one of the hidden gems of the San Francisco Bay Area. Nestled on 200 acres in the Berkeley Hills, the Lab, as it is known, attracts scientific colleagues from across the United States and worldwide to work together to tackle the world's most challenging scientific problems. The employee base is relatively small, with about half of the approximately 4,000 employees involved in science and the other half of the employees providing critical support services such as finance, human resources, custodial, health, and landscaping. How do these two halves of the organization learn to speak one language, the language of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability? 

The heart of the campaign is that behavioral norms that advance IDEA — inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability — are critical to delivering on the Lab's scientific mission. Working together unlocks the creative power of individuals and teams to contribute fully to the Lab's mission. Engagement of all employees would be needed to start shifting the culture. It would start with talking. 

The campaign introduced IDEA through a compelling series of videos that let both operations and scientific employees speak about the impact on their lives when they felt excluded. Senior leadership followed with a video introduction of the campaign and a leadership town hall explaining why the shift was significant. Tools were rolled out for supervisors to continue the dialogue in smaller groups. Employees received a measured cadence of videos, employee profiles, in-person brown bag sessions, and interactive events to keep the conversation alive. 

We want employees to understand that IDEA is not separate from our work; instead, it is integral to who we are and what we do. Our goal is to have IDEA become second nature for each person at Berkeley Lab. We want it to become part of our DNA. 

In the ten months since the launch of the campaign, a dialogue has started. Employees use terms such as psychological safety and upstander to ask for support from their co-workers. Many who thought they were voiceless are finding they can speak and be heard. Like the people who make up the Lab, IDEA is a work in progress. We are not perfect, but we are talking. 

Susan Brand, Graphic Designer, Illustrator; Creative Services

Phil Butler, Web Developer; Web Services

John German, Chief Communications Officer; Lab Directorate

Lady Idos, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer (Client); Lab Directorate

Marilyn Sargent, Videography, Photography, & Multimedia Specialist; Strategic Communications

Dianne Wentworth, Manager for Employee, Executive, & Emergency Communications; Strategic Communications

Cait Youngquist, Creative Director; Creative Services