1. Build awareness and understanding (December 2024 - February 2025)
   • Develop a core team using roles and responsibilities and hold a kick-off meeting 
   • Conduct surveys/assessments of your key audiences and use that data to drive your plan
   • Develop your communication strategy and review your target audiences. 
2. Engagement and feedback (March 2025 - June 2025)
   • Use key messages and consider additional channels for communication
3. Implementation and monitoring (July 2025 - October 2025)
   • Review ideas for monitoring and evaluation 
4. Review and reporting (November 2025 - Ongoing)
   • Other suggested activities 

To successfully implement Executive Order 24-04, it's important to identify key audiences and provide them with the right information and resources. This strategy ensures that everyone is informed, supported, and actively involved in the transition, driving the success of the order’s goals.

Target audiences

• HR managers and recruiters
• Supervisors 
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and access practitioners 
• Organization change management practitioners 
• Trainers 
• State employees 

Key objectives

• Equity and access: Highlight how the Executive Order promotes equity by eliminating arbitrary degree requirements, allowing hiring decisions to focus on an applicant’s skills and experience.
• Skills-based hiring: Emphasize the benefits of skills-based hiring, which will prioritize candidates' professional experience over educational credentials where applicable.
• Transparency: Share how the On-Line Recruiting System (OLRS) will enhance transparency and accountability in the hiring process.
• Support: Communicate the resources and tools (e.g., toolkits, equity training, reporting standards) that will help state agencies implement these changes.

This section provides clear, human-centered messaging that guides leaders, HR professionals, and employees through the core values and objectives of Executive Order 24-04. By focusing on equity, skills-based hiring, and transparency, it ensures that all partners understand the purpose of the changes and feel supported throughout the process. These messages foster a sense of collaboration and open communication, encouraging everyone to actively participate in the transition. Ultimately, this section helps build trust, engagement, and alignment, driving the successful implementation of more inclusive and fair hiring practices.

Promoting equity and access in hiring

Message: "Executive Order 24-04 is a major step forward in creating fairer opportunities for everyone. By removing unnecessary degree requirements, we're giving people the chance to apply based on their real-world skills and experiences, not just their formal education. This opens doors for individuals from all backgrounds to show what they truly bring to the table."

Objective: Highlight how this shift gives people an equal chance, especially for those whose talents have often been overlooked because they didn't have the 'right' degree.

Embracing skills-based hiring

Message: "We’re focusing on what really matters: the skills and experiences candidates bring. Skills-based hiring means we can hire the best people for the job, without letting educational background get in the way. It’s all about finding the right fit, no matter where someone’s learning happened."

Objective: Show how skills-based hiring helps us build a diverse, talented team and supports growth for everyone—whether they’re just starting or looking to advance.

Ensuring transparency and accountability

Message: "The new On-Line Recruiting System will make our hiring process more open and honest. We’ll be able to track how we’re doing with equitable hiring, which builds trust and holds us accountable for the changes we’re making."

Objective: Emphasize how the new system will give everyone insight into our progress, ensuring that fairness isn’t just a goal, but a practice.

Providing support for implementation

Message: "To make these changes work, we’re giving our teams the tools they need: detailed guides, training on equity, and clear reporting standards. We want everyone, from HR to supervisors, to feel confident and supported as we move forward."

Objective: Reassure leaders and teams that they’ll have the resources and knowledge to make these changes a success.

Fostering organizational engagement and participation

Message: "This isn’t something we can do alone—it’s a team effort. We need HR, recruiters, managers, and DEIB leaders all working together to make sure this transition is a success. By joining forces, we can create a hiring process that values talent, skills, and diversity in a meaningful way."

Objective: Encourage a collaborative spirit where everyone shares responsibility, ensuring a smoother transition and stronger buy-in across the organization.

Building a future of inclusive hiring practices

Message: "These changes aren’t just about today—they’re about building a stronger, more inclusive workforce for the future. By embracing equitable hiring now, we’re setting the stage for a more diverse, skilled, and capable team in the years ahead."

Objective: Frame this as a long-term investment in a better, more inclusive future for the workforce, inspiring everyone to embrace and drive the change.

Encouraging open dialogue and feedback

Message: "We know change can feel challenging, and we’re here to listen. We welcome your thoughts, feedback, and ideas as we move forward. Together, we can make this process better for everyone."

Objective: Promote a culture of open communication, ensuring that people feel heard and valued throughout the transition.

Communication channels

• Town halls: Virtual and in-person sessions to provide an overview of the Executive Order, address questions, and clarify changes in the hiring process.
• Staff Meetings: Regular departmental updates to discuss specific changes, provide guidance on new processes, and encourage ongoing dialogue about implementation.
• Coffee Chats: Informal, small group discussions with leadership to foster an open exchange of concerns, feedback, and best practices.
• Intranet: A dedicated section on the agency’s intranet for updates, FAQs, training resources, and real-time progress reports on the Executive Order's implementation.
• Employee Resource Groups and Affinity Groups: Virtual and in-person sessions to provide an overview of the Executive Order and discuss concerns and feedback. 
• Supervisor/Manager Meetings: Regular updates to discuss specific changes to how managers recruit, evaluate, and hire candidates and compensation.

Phase 1: Awareness and understanding (December 2024 - February 2025)

Initial announcement – December 2024

• An online news article in the medium.com from the governor and State HR director and state equity director introducing the executive order, its purpose, and its expected benefits for both employees and state agencies.
• Email from State HR director to HR managers 

HR meeting – January 2025

• A state-wide meeting to present the rationale behind the changes, key aspects of the executive order. 

Phase 2: Engagement and feedback on the EO (March 2025 - June 2025)

• Interactive agency staff meetings: 
  • Recruiters with DEI leads could host small group meetings to discuss the impact of the new hiring practices on their departments and address specific challenges in applying skills-based hiring.
• Coffee chats with leadership: 
  • Schedule one-on-one or small group sessions with department heads and recruiters to discuss the practical application of the changes and listen to concerns.
• Online surveys/feedback: 
  • Conduct surveys via the intranet, focus groups, or listening sessions to collect feedback on the clarity and effectiveness of the initial rollout and to gauge readiness for further implementation.

Phase 3: Implementation and monitoring (July 2025 - October 2025)

Training and resources:

• Roll out a comprehensive training program for recruiters and hiring managers on skills-based hiring, the OLRS, and creating equity-focused job descriptions.
• Distribute toolkits developed by the Office of Equity and OFM State HR to assist in applying these new practices.
• Agencies will receive a toolkit that includes templates for skills-based job descriptions, interview evaluation forms, and sample equity-driven interview questions. 
• The toolkit will also provide guidelines for reducing unconscious bias and creating inclusive interview processes.

Intranet dashboard:

• Set up an intranet dashboard that tracks agency compliance with the new hiring standards, including diversity metrics and equity-related goals.

Ongoing communication:

• Regular updates through email newsletters, intranet posts, staff meetings, manager meetings, and additional town halls to share successes, challenges, and data on recruitment improvements.

Phase 4: Review and reporting (November 2025 - Ongoing)

Annual reports and dashboards:

• Provide clear, accessible reports on the outcomes of the changes, focusing on how the new practices have increased workforce diversity and improved hiring fairness.
• Include visual dashboards on the intranet that allow employees to track progress toward equity goals.

Continuous improvement:

• Hold follow-up town halls and coffee chats to discuss lessons learned, share best practices, and make adjustments where necessary based on employee feedback and data collected.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Data collection: Use the OLRS to collect data on applicants, including their demographic information and success rates through the new system. This will help identify potential barriers to equitable access.
• Feedback loops: Continuously solicit feedback through surveys, focus groups, and regular communication channels to assess the effectiveness of the new hiring processes.
• Success indicators:
  • Increased diversity in applicants and hires.
  • Reduction in hiring time and increased satisfaction from both applicants and hiring managers.
  • Higher employee engagement in training and adoption of new processes.

HR managers and recruiters

• Lead implementation: Apply skills-based recruitment practices and adjust policies to focus on experience over education.
• Training and support: Facilitate training and provide guidance to hiring teams.
• Track and report: Monitor hiring outcomes and report data for transparency.

Supervisors

• Support transition: Ensure hiring managers understand and adopt new recruitment practices.
• Inclusive decision-making: Champion equity by prioritizing skills over degrees in hiring decisions.
• Feedback: Collect and relay feedback from teams to HR.

OCM and DEIB leaders

• Lead change: Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring practices.
• Develop resources: Promote use of toolkits and guidelines for the new processes.
• Monitor and evaluate: Use data to track progress and drive continuous improvement.

Trainers

• Provide training: Promote and provide space for training on skills-based hiring and the OLRS.
• Support adoption: Ensure smooth implementation through ongoing training and assistance.

State employees

• Engage and participate: Attend training and provide feedback.
• Support diversity: Foster an inclusive culture and support equitable hiring practices.

This section of the survey will help us determine how much awareness and knowledge of Executive Order 24-04 you have, your desire and ability to implement the order, and how to continue to reinforce the order after implementation.  Here is a link to the Executive Order: 24-04 - Hiring (tmp).pdf.

1. Have you heard of Executive Order 24-04 - Increasing Employment Opportunities in Washington State Government?

Yes

No

2. How did you hear about the executive order?

Agency e-mail

Governor e-mail

Agency newsletter

Social media or news

3. Why is the executive order important?

It removes barriers to obtaining employment in state government positions

It increases equitable access to employment in state government positions for individuals that previously may not have qualified

It supports diversity within our workforce

I do not know why this is important

This is not important

4. Please rate whether you believe this executive order aligns with our DSHS Values: Welcome, Serve, Collaborate, Improve, Communicate.

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

5. Does this executive order impact your work?

Yes

No

Look for responses indicating strong awareness, understanding of the executive order’s value, and its alignment with organizational values and their daily work. By using a mix of clear, targeted communication and ongoing engagement, you can build stronger awareness and understanding of the executive order across your agency. 

Executive order - Online Recruiting System/Online Hiring Center

This section of the survey will help us determine how much awareness and knowledge of the requirements around use of the Online Recruiting System/Online Hiring Center within Executive Order 24-04 you have, your desire and ability to implement the order, and how to continue to reinforce the order after implementation.  Here is a link to the Executive Order 24-04 - Hiring (tmp).pdf

1. Have you heard of Executive Order 24-04 - Increasing Employment Opportunities in Washington State Government?

Yes

No

2. How did you hear about the executive order?

Agency e-mail

Governor e-mail

Agency newsletter

Social media or news

My supervisor or leadership team

The Human Resources Division

3. What are potential benefits of implementing this executive order?

It removes barriers to obtaining employment in state government positions

It increases equitable access to employment in state government positions for individuals that previously may not have qualified

It supports diversity within our workforce

I do not know 

There aren't any

4. Do you know how this executive order impacts your work?

Yes

No

5. Please rate whether you believe you and/or your team are ready to successfully implement the executive order.

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

6. What support do you need to successfully implement the executive order within your work?

Understanding the new expectations

Training and/or knowledge about how to meet the expectations

Resources

Time/capacity

Supportive and encouraging culture

7. Please rate whether you believe the DSHS Online Hiring Center (OHC) resource site, linked in the previous question, provides enough information to support your understanding of the expectations required for you to successfully implement Executive Order 24-04.

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

The survey will reveal if employees understand Executive Order 24-04. Those with strong understanding will recognize its benefits, like equity and diversity, and feel confident in its impact on their work. Employees lacking understanding may be unaware of the order, its benefits, or how it affects them, signaling a need for more communication, training, and support for successful implementation.