10 IDEAS TO build and sustain diversity in your team

76% of employees and job seekers said diversity is important when considering job offers, according to a 2021 Glassdoor study.

Companies that support diversity are 1.7 times more innovative, according to a Bersin study by Deloitte, High-Impact Talent Management. When people with varied viewpoints, experiences, and skills, they tend to come up with innovative solutions.

A study by McKinsey & Company found that organizations with diverse executive teams outperformed industry peers by 21% in terms of profitability.

Data from recent studies shows that the importance of diversity in the workplace cannot be underestimated. The Harvard Business Review has been talking about the value of a diverse workforce since 1996. Diversity stimulates creativity and innovation, leads to better decisions, and results in a professional environment, according to Forbes. The BIA Human Capital Solutions recruitment team supports diversity in recruitment and organizes career counseling sessions. Here’s what diversity means and how you can support it.

 

WHAT IS DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT?

Diversity in recruitment means recruiting the best people for the jobs. However, it places more emphasis on structuring the hiring process in a way that gives all candidates an equal chance of being hired. Companies that practice diversity in recruiting attract candidates from different backgrounds, integrating people with disabilities, different socioeconomic statuses, religions, genders, and races.

 

WHY IS It IMPORTANT IN RECRUITMENT?

Diversity in recruitment is vital because it encourages innovation. More inventive and analytical minds can find more creative and robust solutions to complex problems. A difference in perspectives and cultures helps companies make products that meet a wider range of customer needs.

In addition, having leaders with different profiles in the company shows that management is open and encourages diversity. Diverse managers also tend to lead to better productivity and performance among their teams. The Boston Consulting Group finds that those companies with diverse management teams have 19% higher revenues.

 

RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY IN YOUR TEAM

1. MAKE SURE COMPANY POLICIES ARE FAIR AND INCLUSIVE

Inclusive and fair policies attract more diverse candidates and increase interest in a position. One of the best workplace policies you can focus on is flexibility. For example, parents or caregivers of sick or elderly family members appreciate a flexible schedule. Knowing that they can choose their work hours will motivate them to work for your company. Millennials prefer workplaces that prioritize a work-life balance. You can also give time off to a variety of religions on their holidays.

 

2. INVEST IN HR TEAM TRAINING TO REDUCE BIAS AND INCREASE INCLUSION

Anti-bias and diversity coaching are necessary steps to becoming a more inclusive company. And you can go beyond online courses by thinking of interactive activities for your peers. Have company leaders speak in front of each department about the importance of inclusion, or enlist the support of an outside group to host workshops. Another training opportunity is to attend diversity conferences. Our colleague, Andreea Dumitrescu, Senior Recruitment Manager, recently participated in the Diversity & Inclusion World Romania conference, the 5th edition. Over time, Andreea has created career counseling sessions for people over 45, for mothers, and for all those who have difficulty fitting into the labor market.

Key Findings from Diversity & Inclusion World Romania Conference: 

• Examples and case studies to integrate the principles of diversity and inclusion into organizational culture
• New solutions for inclusive leadership
• Lessons learned in implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from D&I champions 

 

3. PAY ATTENTION TO The Tone of Voice

Candidates pay attention to how you present your company. The language you use in ads, marketing materials, and interviews can inadvertently alienate various candidates. That’s why it’s important to ask for feedback on the communication actions you make to candidates, even from people in certain categories you’re targeting for employment.

 

4. RECONSIDER THE REQUIREMENTS AT THE TIME OF SCANNING THE CV

Focusing on skills that may be broader than traditional ones can help you find candidates who bring a different vision to your business. So always communicate what you’re looking for to have diverse candidates in your talent pool. This means making room for people with disabilities, people +45, people of different ethnicities, and people who may be marginalized or underrepresented in HR searches. It’s essential to avoid requirements that are not completely necessary to fulfill the position so that all qualified candidates feel comfortable applying.

 

5. USE AI TO REVIEW RESUMES

Artificial intelligence (AI) can bring candidates from underrepresented groups into talent pools, saving you time and reducing bias in the process. The key is to program the algorithms to filter based on certain skills and experiences. With these criteria in mind, the AI analyzes candidate resumes as well as other data sources for the parameters you’ve selected and outputs a short and objective list of candidates who would be a good fit for the company.

 

6. DISCOVER FEEDBACK PROVIDED BY TECHNOLOGY

You can make errors and have biases. It’s human. Technology can help you reduce bias by working to a set of defined rules and eliminating the need for human interaction in the resume screening process. However, even machine learning can have biases introduced by the people who create it, so targeting nuanced skills beyond specific experience or job titles can expand your talent pool. Some recruitment platforms even track KPIs and provide benchmarks at each stage of the recruitment process to get you closer to achieving your diversity goals. You can also use technology to identify and remove certain aspects that may be considered discriminatory from job postings.

 

7. USE TECHNOLOGY TO REMOVE CERTAIN DATA FROM RESUMES

Removing a candidate’s name or face from a resume decreases the chances of unconscious bias due to race or gender. You can also remove your city of residence and year of graduation to promote a more objective screening process based on skills and experience. It’s all possible with software that can anonymize resumes or collect answers to screening questions.

 

8. WORK WITH DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES TO REACH THEIR NETWORKS

Employees with different profiles who are satisfied with the company, because it supports an inclusive and psychologically safe work environment are a resource for the company. And they can recommend you to more diverse candidates. Show them that the company supports causes that are important to them by asking for their feedback and celebrating employee successes.

 

9. USE INTERNSHIPS WISELY

Consider the value of specialized internship programs. Configure internships to target diverse candidates. Recruit students from faculties and groups that you want to integrate into the company, pay the internships as is legal, and offer them flexible hours. Internships are a great way to show the opportunities they might have if they join the company after graduation.

 

10. RECRUIT FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

To support diversity-based recruiting and diversity values, go where diverse candidates meet. Actively search online, through specialized groups, and find universities or high schools that integrate the candidates you want to hire. You can host recruiting events or attend job fairs.

 

Recruiting for diversity IS NOT EVERYTHING

All your efforts to create an inclusive recruitment process will be in vain if your company does not have an inclusive work environment. Candidates pay attention to company culture and how diverse people are supported. As a leader, dare to address negative reviews and create an improvement plan.

Achieving the goal of creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is more than a talking point or a trendy topic. It’s an ambitious plan that delivers better results, from profitability to employee engagement.

 

Sources:

https://blog.clearcompany.com/12-workplace-diversity-statistics;

https://www.findem.ai/knowledge-center/improve-diversity-recruiting;

https://www.hays.com.au/blog/insights/hiring-for-diversity-9-tips-for-employers;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/09/20/recruiting-for-diversity-four-steps-to-success/?sh=536b8fdd7fe5

 

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