BNSF Railway is striving to attract, retain, and develop diverse "railroaders" under the leadership of AVP Kim Cummings. Through ongoing initiatives, BNSF has become a diversity leader in a challenging industry.
By Robin Byrd

Watching the freight trains roll by leads to thoughts of massive amounts of goods being transported to parts unknown. While everyone is familiar with trains, they are likely not familiar with the transformation railway companies have undergone due to technology. BNSF Railway (BNSF) is one of the largest rail systems in the country, and has embraced the transformation of its mechanical systems, but also realized it needed to transform its workforce in order to remain competitive, flexible, and adaptable in the coming years. One response to the challenge – embedding Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) in the culture in order to attract a diversity of members of the younger generation. Under the leadership of Kim Cummings, Assistant Vice President Human Resources and Diversity, BNSF is strategically strengthening its position in the diversity space by implementing a variety of initiatives and conversations in the workforce and communities, and working with educational facilities.

Choosing to be a Railroader
The people keeping the BNSF Railway's freight moving across a network of rails running from coast to coast and north to south have never been a more technical workforce than they are today. However, they also need soft skills because that is how doors are opened for discussion, especially around what D&I means to BNSF. As a 160-year old company, transforming itself into a modern company that is attractive to a diversity of millennials requires a sophisticated approach to D&I. "We have three goals," explains Kim. "The first goal is to open doors to diversity to everyone – employees, contractors, and business partners - and be a premier employer in diversity in every area. The second goal is to give back to communities. The third goal is to develop employees so they choose to make being a railroader a career."

The BNSF efforts in the D&I space is a fascinating study of an evolving program in a traditionally conservative industry. One of the many challenges is helping potential employees overcome the preconceived notions about careers as a "railroader" which includes a belief the work is not exciting. In reality, BNSF offers a variety of positions, many technical, and long-term careers, and the company wants to diversify its workforce. The company has to excite people in diverse populations, attract women to non-traditional roles in the field, and sell itself as a company that has a strong HR career development program and a supportive culture of diversity.

Mission of Synergy
Kim's strategy embraces a variety of approaches, all working together to create a culture of D&I. She says "We had ERGs three years ago, and still have diversity councils across our network." What I believe we do differently is collaborate to ensure the diversity discussion is transferred to our field entities. I call it a mission of synergy. Most of our workforce works in the field and outside of Texas, our headquarters state. When we talk about spreading diversity initiatives, we need knowledgeable field workers." The Diversity Councils partner with the exempt population and union representatives, merging leadership groups together to meet the challenges. In effect, the ERG becomes a BRG, but this requires building a value proposition for all groups, tying in the strategic priorities of what the company does every day so the Diversity Council members and BRGs can promote tangible progress. "We want BRGs to function like ERGs, using a business purpose to solve a business problem. Having diverse members is critical to meeting this goal," says Kim.

Kim employs a variety of strategies to create a culture of acceptance and dialogue. She works closely with the BRGs and Diversity Councils to ensure members feel comfortable having open conversations about diversity, discrimination, and change. She is a strong believer in educating people in what it feels like to "walk in my shoes." BRGs play an important role because they align people and give them a safe forum to address issues. Another critical strategy is the alignment of HR staffing, recruiting groups, BRGs, and Diversity Councils.

Exact Opposite

There is also a robust development program for employees at all levels. The internship program is open to all employees when they come onboard and offers a technical and diversity perspective, explaining the mission of BNSF and what the company does. The management trainee program is the next development level and is open to people who show leadership potential. Both programs are adapted to people in all geographies in order to connect with a diverse pool of people. For example, our scholarship program in collaboration with the American Indian Science Engineering Society (AISES) is a great example of our commitment to building a more diverse workforce. Partnerships like this allow companies to explore more diverse recruitment opportunities. "My job is to make sure that what I am offering recruits makes sense from a cultural and family perspective. We have methodically looked at culture which is something we did not do five years ago. Now we think carefully about each area where we do business," explains Kim.

Once someone is recruited, activities in the HR and D&I space include job shadowing and panel interviews with a diverse set of leaders across organizational functions, from marketing to mechanical. They get a realistic job preview because the purpose is to hire people who will build a career at BNSF. Once on board, new hires who have multi-faceted skills and potential are targeted for particular roles in the company and developed through informal and formal mentoring.

The formal mentors represent leaders at every salary band from senior leaders to Vice-Presidents. "In practice, everybody in the company is expected to be a mentor," says Kim. "We encourage employees to find someone who is the exact opposite. If someone is in sales, we want the person to find someone in finance. If the person is in finance, the employee could find someone in marketing." The matching process is intended to encourage people to explore their area of interest or to strengthen areas where skills development is needed. An aspect of the D&I process is matching people with different backgrounds so they can learn from each other.

Preparing for the Future
The type of skills BNSF Railway needs have changed over time. "We came to realize the programs at K-12 and colleges and universities were not preparing people for the kind of jobs we offer. Locomotives, for example, are changing due to technology," says Kim, "so we had to start working with the schools to explain the particular skill sets we needed." BNSF began partnering with universities, trade schools, and professional organizations in particular industries like welding, to develop relevant curriculums.

To be a great leader at BSNF requires the ability to communicate well and to lead with purpose. The leader must have the ability to develop others and to be concerned about other people's needs and careers. Development is a priority. In the D&I space, Kim believes the strongest leaders are those who have the courage to speak out for others and are willing to challenge the status quo. "We are reinventing ourselves," explains Kim, "and constantly asking how we can make a railroad career more attractive to diverse people. We have done a good job of taking a traditional company and changing the mindset of talking about culture and identifying that culture matters to the bottom line." BNSF Railway may have a long history, but this is a company prepared to succeed today and into the future.