The modern corporate world demonstrates an understanding of the importance of diversity. Not so long ago, laws were in force in a number of countries that protected the rights of employers who refused to employ people of different origins. However, today everything has changed: those issues and topics that were previously limited to race and/or gender have now significantly changed and expanded. Now various physical abilities, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, language, religious beliefs, social status, and much more are considered. This overview provides an introduction to the basic principles of an inclusive approach in the recruitment process and examines 9 effective steps for improving the hiring process taking into account diversity features.

Inclusivity or Another PR Exercise?

Diversity is part of modern corporate culture. Today, for many companies and organisations, diversity is considered one of the core values. However, one should not confuse two completely different concepts – a PR campaign and genuine commitment to the principles of diversity.

How can one understand that a company takes diversity issues seriously? It is necessary to pay attention to the list of methods that the company employs during staff recruitment.

What Does an Inclusive Approach to Recruitment Entail?

Attracting candidates from different population groups is chosen by those companies that focus their attention on hiring specialists from different social strata. In their work, such companies apply decisions without prejudice: they do not pay attention to age, religious preferences, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other characteristics. After all, none of this has any relation to the professional qualities of a future employee.

The main focus is the specialist’s qualifications, their knowledge and experience in a specific field. Only in this way can an ideal team be created to achieve common goals.

Why Is Inclusive Recruitment Important for Modern Business?

A diverse corporate culture has particular significance compared to strict compliance with regulatory requirements. The following important principle and concept should be embedded in every company’s consciousness: providing equal opportunities for all.

Diverse teams bring far more opportunities and advantages to a company. After all, people with different ideas work in the team, possessing a broad spectrum of experience and skills. For example, if people with the same mindset work in a team, similar in several or all aspects, they do not ask questions, working in a unified direction. However, if people with different viewpoints and ideas work in the team, they carefully consider their decisions, do not succumb to groupthink, and therefore one can count on quality work results.

9 Ways to Make the Hiring Process More Inclusive

Talent acquisition teams, when hiring employees, increasingly pay attention to the principles of diversity. According to research by Ideal company, 57% of respondents indicated having their own recruitment strategy, attracting talent from various social groups. For example, one can start by changing the standard wording in job advertisements. Gradually, companies adhering to diversity principles will come closer to creating a more diverse workforce.

To simplify the recruitment process, the following steps can be taken right now:

1. Changing one’s own rules. It is necessary to organise such a corporate culture through which diversity and inclusivity can be developed. In which specific matters can company policy be changed to demonstrate maximum openness? For example, all-gender toilets, flexible schedules with leave for religious holidays, and so forth. One can ask people from different groups to list areas and issues requiring improvement.
2. Defining key indicators. This concerns indicators reflecting the main goals in the area of hiring employees from different groups. To assess the effectiveness of efforts made, attention should be paid to specific numerical indicators. The key goal is creating a diverse, inclusive space. Figures serve as a good indicator; however, they should not become the main focus.
3. Expanding the talent pool. Hiring new employees should be carried out from different sources: the number of applicants should include representatives of marginalised groups, but it is important to increase their number. For example, employees can be recruited from colleges where a diverse contingent of students studies. Another option: placing job advertisements on specialised websites dedicated to marginalised groups.
4. Understanding and demonstrating the value of diversity. Millennial candidates, when considering job offers, pay particular attention to diversity in the workforce. Moreover, employees can openly declare their own commitment to diversity principles. At the same time, it is important to exclude the probability of formality, choosing in favour of sincerity and simultaneous modesty.
5. Overcoming one’s natural prejudices. The first step to overcoming bias is acknowledging it. For example, CVs in which names sound “white” receive 30% more interview invitations than CVs sent by representatives of other ethnic groups. If one acknowledges the presence of biased attitudes, one can attempt to combat this.
6. Conducting an experiment using blind screening. At Stanford, an experiment was conducted during which several scientists were given identical CVs but with different names. The majority of them gave preference to the man’s CV, noting it as more competent. This indicated hidden gender bias.
7. Creating a diverse group of interviewers. It is necessary to invite hiring managers with diverse views and perspectives to the team. Thanks to a balanced composition, a unique exchange of opinions occurs, meaning the candidate will feel as comfortable as possible, allowing them to cope much better with the set list of tasks. After Intel established a requirement for at least two women or minority representatives on the hiring panel, within 2 years the number of women and employees from racial and ethnic minorities increased by 41%.
8. Offering remote work opportunities. This work format automatically opens doors to candidates from different countries. To begin with, one can experiment and assemble one team, monitoring work results.
9. Attracting people from lower social groups to leadership positions. When inviting people from low-income families to work, quite a lot of time may pass before they climb the career ladder to leadership positions. It is necessary to initially plan the process of inviting such people to leadership positions, thereby creating a board of directors taking into account ethnic diversity.

Attracting and hiring employees from different social groups is a confident step for most modern companies and organisations. However, one should not become fixated on this and stop there. For example, hiring people from different social groups does not at all mean that they will automatically feel confident and comfortable. After all, in the presence of a toxic atmosphere and without preparing other employees to work in a diverse workforce, one can face mass resignations of new employees.

Therefore, long before the procedure of inviting people from different social groups to work begins, it is necessary to discuss diversity issues with one’s workforce. By taking the first step towards hiring such employees, employers can create a more inclusive working environment.