Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace contributes to a healthier, more innovative, and more competitive organization. DEI efforts make people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work, reducing turnover and building a more committed workforce.
If you're committed to improving diversity within your organization, these 10 diversity recruiting strategies can get you on the right path.
Humans can have implicit or explicit biases. AI does not share this fault.
As long as you don't add any filters for gender, race, or military status, AI candidate screening software will rate applicants purely based on how well they fit the job description. It will provide you with a completely unbiased list of top applicants, then all you have to do is review and pass on the AI's recommendations to the hiring manager.
Candidate sourcing takes a bit more human involvement than inbound recruiting—even if you use AI sourcing software to do most of the footwork. This can potentially lead to human bias affecting the process more. Fortunately, there are sourcing solutions available that have anti-bias filters to eliminate these concerns. These filters block indicators of race and gender, such as profile pictures and names, so that all the sourcer can see is candidate qualifications. The recruiter can then judge how well the candidate fits the role solely based on experience, education, skills, and location and compile a list of best fit candidates from there.
Setting achievable diversity goals requires a thoughtful approach that considers the current landscape, aligns with the organization's mission, and ensures accountability. Making sure your diversity goals are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) is a good way to make sure that your goals are both realistic and more than just a check in a box.
For instance, "Increase female representation in leadership roles by 20% over the next two years" is more actionable than a vague goal like "improve gender diversity." Make sure that you're taking into consideration the availability of diverse talent in your field and in your area so that the requirements are actually achievable.
Language in job postings can be used to dissuade diverse talent from applying—even if it's completely accidental. Here are some examples of how phrasing may discourage applicant diversity:
Additionally, studies show that men who meet 60% of qualifications will apply for a role, while women won't apply unless they hit 100%. By reducing job requirements to only the most necessary, you will likely get an increase in female applicants.
Finally, a simple statement about your company's commitment to diversity within the workplace could help you gain more diverse applicants.
Developing a well-curated employer brand is vital for encouraging job seekers to become applicants. One of the many positive values that your employer brand should espouse is inclusivity. Here are some tips for developing an inclusive employer brand:
Hiring bias tends to be implicit rather than explicit, so it's important to train your TA team on recognizing and eliminating inequitable practices. It starts with educating your team about unconscious bias and how it can affect hiring decisions. To do so, use data, real-life examples, and interactive exercises to show how bias can unconsciously influence perceptions of candidate qualifications, especially around race, gender, and background.
Bias training should not be a one-time event. Regular refreshers, along with tools like "bias checklists" and reminders before interviews, help TA members remain mindful.
Furthermore, TA members should all get training on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other anti-discrimination laws. These sessions ensure that everyone understands the legal requirements and ethical importance of equitable hiring practices.
Diverse employees within your organization are the best source of verification that your company has equitable employment practices. By accessing your diverse employees' network—with their permission—you can potentially get access to an additional source of diverse candidates. If a diverse individual is willing to present your job opportunities to other diverse employees, it could be seen as a green flag that your company has good DEI initiatives in place.
Diverse candidates aren't hiding—you just might not be looking where they are. Here are some tips for finding diverse candidates:
Internships aimed at people of diverse backgrounds can help you get more diverse employees down the line. These interns will be able to get a feel for how welcoming and inclusive your organization is, and if they do a good job, you might be able to extend them a job offer once their internship is over.
Reaching out to the community and nearby schools can help you get this internship program moving. Oftentimes, they'll already have initiatives in place that you can partner with to bring diverse interns into your organization.
If you want to further improve your diversity recruiting capabilities, there are a few recruiter certifications you can pursue that are focused on this topic. Here are some DEI in recruiting certifications available online:
DEI recruitment doesnt have to be hard. If you have a talent acquisition platform that offers automated applicant screening, anti-bias screening modes, and filters that allow you to search specifically for underrepresented groups, meeting your diversity goals is a lot easier. Thankfully, theres just such a platform available: hireEZ.
If you're interested, book a demo to learn more.
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