Not only is diversity and inclusion in hiring the right thing to do, but it’s also the smart thing to do. There are numerous examples of companies with a diverse workforce that deliver higher revenue, generate faster innovation, and attract a better talent community.
The evidence is clear: companies that make diversity and inclusion a priority and can effectively recruit and manage a diverse workforce have an absolute competitive advantage.
But how?
There has been a clear shift in recent years in the way companies treat diversity and inclusion in hiring. Instead of simply “checking a box” and using diversity and inclusion goals for marketing purposes, organizations genuinely realize the value of these initiatives and fully incorporating them into their core values.
The definition of diversity is changing due to the growing presence of millennials in the workplace.
Deloitte’s study found that when millennials define diversity, they are more likely to focus on ideas and perspectives, and unique experiences and background, than older generations.
Rather than downplay differences, millennials tend to respect diverse identities and believe variations are valuable to a business. As organizations pursue greater diversity and inclusion, TA leaders’ perspectives are expanding as well.
One vital strategy for achieving greater diversity and inclusion in hiring is the reduction of unconscious bias. Unconscious bias is not the only barrier to diversity and inclusion in hiring, but it is not easy to overcome. Unconscious bias creeps into hiring in the form of quick judgments we all make, influenced by our environment, culture, personal experiences, and background.
TA professionals need to carefully determine what specific parts of their process are causing a lack of diversity and inclusion in hiring.
Modern hiring technologies have been developed to reduce bias and increase diversity and inclusion, including:
- Sourcing: Applications can revise job descriptions and postings to eliminate racial, and gender bias as recruiters build their candidate pool.
- Screening and assessments: Some video interviewing solutions embed valid, proven assessments into their interviewing, and enable blind auditions via skills-based tests.
- Interviewing: Purpose-built video interviewing platforms support diversity recruitment by creating consistency and transparency in the hiring process. Some even feature AI-driven applications that enable blind interview reviews.
Download the white paper “Diversity and Inclusion in Hiring: How Will You Lead?” to learn the top three organizational priorities in 2018, what’s behind the push for greater diversity and inclusion in hiring, and what you need to know to create a more fair and equitable workplace.