Implementing diversity in your hiring process? Here are 12 aspects you’ll want to consider.

To help you understand the crucial aspects of implementing diversity in the recruiting process, we’ve gathered insights from twelve professionals, including CEOs and recruiting managers. From valuing diversity for different perspectives to incorporating diverse interview panels, these leaders share their top strategies for fostering a diverse and inclusive recruitment environment.

Value Diversity for Different Perspectives

In the recruiting process, it’s easy to distill things down to simple boxes to be checked. “Do you have X hard skill or software? Y or N. Do you have Y years of experience? Y or N. Did we interview a diverse pool of candidates? Y or N.” 

It’s important not to treat diversity considerations in this way. The true value of diversity comes from providing your team or organization with different perspectives, and it should be valued accordingly. 

This means building elements into your process that are designed to help you figure out what these perspectives are, what value they provide, and even asking the hard questions about why your team and organization could really benefit from them.

Kyle Minton, Recruiting Manager, TEC Group INC

Design the Process with Equity at the Center

When diversity is the desired outcome, it’s important to design your process in a way that centers on equity. How you design evaluation criteria, what modality you use for interviews, and what is communicated to candidates in advance are all examples of where bias can creep in. 

For example, do you require a doctorate when someone with a master’s degree could be successful in the role? You are likely excluding highly qualified diverse candidates given the composition of doctoral recipients. Are you judging candidates for leaving roles “too soon?” What if they were escaping from harmful work environments, given the prevalence of racism within the workplace? 

When communicating with candidates, be sure to brainstorm various needs or concerns that could emerge for people with different lived experiences and identities. If we want to attract and retain diverse candidates, we will need to prioritize equity and inclusion.

Hayley Haywood, Founder and Chief Equity Officer, Elevating Access

Implement Unconscious Bias Training

We consider unconscious bias training a crucial aspect of implementing diversity in our recruiting process. I acknowledge the importance of educating individuals involved in the recruitment process, from HR managers to decision-makers, about unconscious bias. 

Unconscious bias includes unintentional prejudices that can affect our decisions. Addressing these biases is vital to ensure a fair hiring process. With proper training, our team members can recognize their biases and mitigate their impact. This helps us evaluate candidates with fairness. Unconscious bias training also encourages recruiters to consider a broader range of candidates. 

Thus, we won’t be overlooking highly qualified individuals due to bias. This approach has helped us foster an inclusive culture, prioritizing diversity and inclusion. Moreover, unconscious bias training helps us demonstrate our non-discriminatory hiring practices, which is vital from a legal standpoint.

Dhari Alabdulhadi, CTO and Founder, Ubuy Kuwait

Ensure Genuine Commitment to Inclusion

A crucial aspect of instituting diversity in the hiring process is ensuring that it is not merely a box-checking exercise, but rather a genuine commitment to inclusion. It is not sufficient to recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds; you must also create an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and can flourish.

I believe that diversity should be reflected not only in our employment practices but also in our culture, policies, and leadership. We promote diversity by welcoming and respecting different viewpoints. This includes diversity training, mentorship programs, and clear reporting mechanisms for harassment and bias.

To ensure diverse success, create measurable targets and track progress. To attract more candidates, you must regularly examine and change your recruitment techniques. Diversity is about establishing a richer, more innovative, and inclusive workplace that benefits everyone, not just achieving targets.

Dr. Jennifer Silver, CEO, Owner and Dentist, Macleod Trail Dental

Support Employee Resource Groups

From our perspective, ERGs offer a crucial platform for underrepresented employees to connect, share their unique experiences, and collectively offer insights and suggestions for improving diversity and inclusion within the organization.

ERGs often serve as catalysts for more inclusive recruiting practices, helping to attract a broader range of talent and perspectives. Furthermore, these groups foster a stronger sense of belonging and community within our organization, ensuring that all employees feel heard, valued, and appreciated.

Peter Capp, CEO, Sodick

Adopt the Blind Audition Method

For a more inclusive hiring experience, use a blind audition method. This method entails deleting personally identifiable information (such as names, genders, and even educational backgrounds) from the application screening and interview process during the initial phases.

By removing this information, you create a situation in which you evaluate candidates only on their abilities, experience, and qualifications. This not only removes unconscious prejudices but also ensures that each candidate has an equal opportunity to show their ability.

We greatly expanded the diversity of our staff by anonymizing applications and performing first interviews without access to personal information. We hired individuals from varied backgrounds who would have been disregarded in a regular hiring process.

Percy Grunwald, Co-Founder, Compare Banks

Use Inclusive Language in Job Descriptions

You must ensure that your job description uses inclusive language that resonates with diverse talent. Use common vocabulary and neutral language if you want to target all groups. Let your description be open to everyone, without putting certain restrictions on experience and demographics. In my experience, offering remote positions has done well, as it has helped attract diverse talent.

Albert Vaisman, Marketing Manager, Honest Brand Reviews

Establish Transparency and Accountability

In our experience, establishing transparency and accountability is a fundamental aspect of fostering diversity within our organization. We make it a point to set clear, measurable goals for diversity, actively track our progress, and transparently communicate these initiatives both within our team and to the public. When we hold our leadership accountable for diversity outcomes, we send a powerful message about our genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion.

This approach not only cultivates a more diverse workforce but also enhances our overall company culture. By making diversity a visible and measurable part of our organizational strategy, we actively drive change, encouraging our leaders and employees at all levels to participate in and support diversity initiatives. This proactive stance not only benefits our organization but also has a positive impact on society as a whole.

Rene Delgado, Founder and CEO, The Indoor Golf Shop

Promote an Inclusive and Supportive Culture

Navigating through the vital path of implementing diversity in the recruiting process, one crucial aspect that has illuminated our journey at Ignited Results is ensuring that the spirit of inclusivity permeates beyond mere hiring practices. 

It’s akin to planting seeds in a garden; the act of sowing is but the beginning. The true essence lies in nurturing those seeds, ensuring they are valued, and allowing them to flourish in a supportive environment. There was a moment when we realized that to truly embrace diversity, it was imperative to weave it into our organizational culture, ensuring every individual feels seen, heard, and valued. 

Thus, while diverse hiring is the seed, an inclusive and supportive culture is the fertile soil that allows it to blossom, fostering a garden rich in varied perspectives and innovative ideas.

Jon James, CEO, Ignited Results

Eradicate Bias from the Hiring Process

Making sure inclusion is a key factor to consider when integrating diversity into the hiring process is important. It’s not enough to simply strive for a broad candidate pool; it’s also crucial to establish an inclusive workplace where all applicants are treated with respect and welcomed. 

Recruiters should concentrate on eradicating conscious and unconscious prejudice from each step of the hiring process to accomplish this. This entails checking job descriptions for inclusive language, giving each applicant an equal chance, and preparing interviewers to be objective and sensitive to cultural differences. It ultimately produces a more varied and creative workforce as a result of inclusivity, which promotes a fair and equitable hiring process.

Aqsa Tabassam, Team Lead Manager, Vidfol

Offer Internships to Underrepresented Groups

Over the last few years, many companies have implemented diversity programs that offer internships to candidates from underrepresented or marginalized groups. This is an excellent strategy for attracting top talent in the industry to gain valuable work experience in your company. 

One of the best ways to achieve this is to liaise with colleges and community groups to establish connections with potential interns. Not only does this demonstrate your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity, but it also serves as a talent pipeline for future employees, allowing you to tap into a much wider pool of potential future employees.

Young Pham, Founder and Project Manager, Biz Report

Incorporate Diverse Interview Panels

I believe that incorporating diversity into the hiring process should also include having diverse interview panels. When candidates observe a diverse mix of backgrounds and experiences among the interviewers, they are more likely to believe that the organization encourages diversity and inclusion. 

Diverse interviewers can also present a diversity of perspectives, which can help to decrease prejudice in candidate evaluation. It’s important to ensure that panel members are taught to recognize and minimize unconscious biases in order to produce a fair evaluation process.

Cindi Keller, Communications Coordinator, The Criminal Defense Firm