Advice for Employers and Recruiters
Top 3 indicators your recruiting strategy needs a diversity & inclusivity makeover
In 2023, diversity and inclusivity in the workplace are crucial for success.
Why is that?
For starters, when your team is diversified, you can get fresh takes and different angles on problem-solving. Your creative pool is far deeper, with opinions coming from many different walks of life. On top of that, you’re creating a positive atmosphere of inclusion that improves the overall company culture.
This commitment to inclusion and diversity makes your business a far more attractive career choice for some of the best and brightest minds of our time. You’ll see increased employee retention and reduced recruitment costs when your workplace is diverse and inclusive.
If you decide to find buyers for your business, good-quality employees will impact the valuation of your business. If certain assets you had expected to increase in value end up decreasing, a strong and diverse team can make up the difference.
But how can you tell that your diversity and inclusion initiatives are working? What red flags indicate your recruitment strategy needs a major diversity overhaul?
In this article, we’ll outline several indicators that can show you when to re-evaluate your inclusivity and diversity practices to forge the strongest team possible.
Your recruitment process doesn’t prioritize inclusion
When trying to figure out whether you’re putting enough emphasis on diversity and inclusion, it’s important to take a long hard look at your current recruitment practices to determine what you’re doing now and whether it’s enough.
Before setting lofty DEI targets for your company, you must first understand the current state of affairs. You can, for example, analyze your recent hiring statistics using a service like Plus to see if there is a clear bias or visible trend. It will help you make your hiring process smooth.
Additionally, take a look at your team-building goals. Are there set realistic goals listed that include diversity and inclusion initiatives? If not, you’ll need to change things up to build a more diverse team.
Your job descriptions lack inclusive language
Examine the job descriptions you’re listing. Many times, unconscious biases can worm their way into our postings. When this happens, it pushes away potential candidates who don’t feel connected to the language we’re using.
For example, are you using gendered pronouns when explaining these roles to potential candidates? If you’re talking about the ideal candidate and saying, “he will have a Master’s degree,” then you’re already alienating your female applicants. Instead, use the gender-neutral pronouns of they/them, showcasing that the role is available for anyone.
If you’re using words like “guru” or “rockstar” when describing your ideal candidates, you might also be turning away a percentage of your audience. These are terms commonly associated with male candidates, and your female audience might decide to look elsewhere.
You should also take time in these descriptions to discuss company culture and your inclusion initiatives. Doing so will let your applicants know what kind of company they’re reaching out to and might make your employer brand stronger in their eyes.
Your team fits into one particular ethnic or social group
Take a look at your current team and note their backgrounds; if you have HRIS software, it will assist you in doing a more thorough investigation of your personnel. Are they mostly composed of a certain gender or ethnic group? Do you have LGBTQ staff members? If you notice that you’re hiring many people from the same groups, then it’s time to look at your diversity and inclusion practices seriously.
Meet with your recruitment team and set strict diversity and inclusion goals. Be sure to tell them why you want to expand the team’s horizons and what kind of success you could gain by bringing in a diverse group of qualified professionals. Don’t forget to create different communication channels, including phone, email, social media, and more so that employees can contact whenever needed. When it comes to email, do an SPF lookup to ensure email authentication and keep employees secure online.
As long as you clearly define these goals, you can hold your recruitment specialists accountable. Consider all of your business ideas when forming this recruiting strategy, injecting diversity initiatives into your vision and overall mission.
Conclusion
Diversity and inclusion are major topics throughout the business recruitment world in 2023. By making sure that you’ve put together a strong team of diverse professionals, you’ll be able to take your business and company culture to the next level.
Take a long look at your team and current recruitment processes and read through your job postings to ensure that you’re prioritizing diversity.
—Ryan Robinson is a blogger, podcaster, and (recovering) side project addict that teaches 500,000 monthly readers how to start a blog and grow a profitable side business at ryrob.com.
