The Human Resource Management Society (SHRM) defines diversity as a collective combination of differences and similarities, including individual and organizational characteristics, values, beliefs, experiences, environments, preferences, and behaviors. On the contrary, SHRM is characterized as an inclusive work environment in which all people are treated fairly and with respect, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and can fully contribute to the success of the organization.
In other words, imagine a salad. Variety is a salad with many different ingredients in a bowl. The inclusion is to put the salad together so every bite is packed with flavors. According to business reviews, diversity in the work environment is synonymous with representation. But without inclusiveness, there will be no significant connections to attract diverse talent, spur engagement, spur innovation, and grow your business. Ultimately, a diverse workforce is good for business because:
- Diversity of perspectives fosters innovation
- Diverse teams perform better and come up with a wider range of ideas and solutions
- Diversity will improve your workplace culture and help you attract top talent
- Diversity improves your company’s customer service
Building a diverse team starts with recruiting
Here are eight proven ways to hire better:
- Start with your leadership team
Your career site and job postings highlight your organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion training. But does the composition of your staff reflect this commitment? Start by looking at your C-suite. Are they all the same race? Are they all male? Your leadership team strongly influences your company’s culture and shapes the image of the brand. American companies are making progress but still face gender issues. Examples include the gender pay gap, parental leave, hiring women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) sectors, and promoting women to jobs . C-level positions.
The presence of a woman at the head of a company can boost the confidence of all the staff of the company in terms of remuneration. According to data from iCIMS, office professionals (both men and women) are significantly more likely to feel confident in their ability to negotiate salaries when half or more of the leaders are women. Similarly, men and women aspire to obtain a C-level position in similar numbers. For example, 87% of women and 74% of millennial men want to be in a leadership position. In contrast, only 32% of top-level or C-level leaders are women.
- Source from a wide variety of locations
Talent search can have a direct impact on the type of talent you want to hire. Whether it’s veteran status, age, disability, gender, or any other characteristic, consider using a wide range of sources to attract diverse talent . Start by identifying your main sources of hiring diverse candidates and consider increasing your resources there. Then talk to your current employees and find out where they found out about your organization and what made them apply. Ask where they looked for other sources of employment and why.
Finally, explore job boards and recruiting events that you may not have thought of in the past. Talk to colleagues from other organizations (and even industries) where they’re looking. ROI may be low at first, but consider the overall value that a more diverse team brings before ruling out unproven sources.
- Create inclusive job descriptions
When attracting the attention of job seekers, do not lose it with a job description full of slang and one-sided language. Job seekers look for references to whether they are suitable for the organization. One-sidedness can be subtle, especially in areas where groups of people have traditionally dominated, often in appearance and thinking. For example, engineering and programming job postings are more likely to use masculine language – because the culture leans in that direction. This can have the unintended consequence of deterring women who might otherwise have applied.
- inclusive interview process
Data from IMS shows that the top three criteria women look for in a job are health benefits, flexible working hours and work-life balance. In contrast, men seek health benefits, work-life balance, and career advancement. Make sure your candidates know what your company offers in terms of PTO days, maternity/paternity leave, working from home, and more. Women tend not to ask about these benefits because they fear it will make them seem unengaged. Giving them this information up front prevents them from being embarrassed about talking about it later.
- Make training and education a priority
Sign up for training courses to learn about different backgrounds, beliefs, and management and communication styles to get to know how others think and act to eliminate any fear or assumption. Recognizing and examining your preconceptions and biases is the first step. Only then can we address these issues by researching education and training opportunities that may have a negative impact on diversity in the workplace.