Diversity has become somewhat of a buzzword in almost every aspect of life. While it may be for good reason, when it comes to creating a more diverse workforce, there are important things to consider to make your efforts for diversity truly beneficial for everyone.
Quotas are a shallow way of looking at diversity in the workplace. In reality, it is no secret that a more diverse team is actually more successful. Diversity includes the representation of varying ethnicity and genders. By bringing different types of people together, you’re allowing different mindsets, backgrounds, and problem-solving experiences to add to their list of skills and qualifications. It’s really a diversity of thinking and experience that strengthens the performance of the entire company.
Why is it Important to Hire a Diverse Workforce?
Before jumping at the prospect of adding more diversity to your workforce, consider these steps first so you can be successful both in the recruiting process and with employee retention.
Examine Your Company Culture
Before you begin implementing a plan that supports diversity, you first need to evaluate the culture in your company as it stands. If your company culture is not inclusive, all of your efforts will be for nothing once your new employees begin to work. You can take internal surveys that should be collected anonymously to collect information on how inclusive your current workforce is. Also, check online to see if any of your employees are discussing diversity and inclusion in the company. Respond to any significant commentary to begin to plant seeds of acceptance.
Consider Your Current Workforce Make-Up
What is diverse? To have a diverse workforce, you should consider employees of different ethnicities or genders, in addition to those with different walks of life. A work environment that only represents one gender or one ethnicity would benefit from people of the following groups:
- Veterans
- Neurodiverse people
- Age
- Sexual orientation
- Family history and upbringing
- Cognitive disabilities
- Education status
- Cultural background
- National origin
Review Job Requirements
Now it’s time to look at different positions in the company (open or filled). Consider the job requirements and make note of which diverse populations may be able to fill the positions. While being an inclusive company is good, obviously, certain populations may not be suited for a job (i.e., age requirements).
You’ll also want to look at the language of each job listing from a different perspective. While you need to have the jobs done well and to a certain standard, consider whether any words speak against a diverse applicant that otherwise would be a qualified candidate.
Consider the Interview Process
When a job seeker is looking for a new job, they may be working full-time somewhere else, have limited time-off capabilities, or have a variety of responsibilities to juggle (like kids at home) to be able to meet for an interview at a traditional time. It shows empathy, flexibility, and acceptance to consider having interviews at hours that will work with your candidate’s schedule. Remember, it’s much more beneficial to be flexible for a qualified and promising candidate than to miss out because of rigidity.
Enhance Your Team’s Talents & Diversity
If you want reliable and unbiased help finding personnel to fill your open positions and who add diversity to your workforce, contact the pros at Expert Staffing.
