Within numerous areas of business human resources, particularly recruitment and hiring, diversity is a vital theme. Workplace diversity includes varying ethnicities, genders, socioeconomic states and other variables, with research showing repeatedly that diverse teams foster innovation and productivity across numerous industries.
At WTA, Inc., we’ve assisted numerous clients with recruitment and hiring solutions along with our other human resource services, which include payroll, worker’s compensation claims and many other areas. In this two-part blog series, we’ll take a deep look into several of the themes we often recommend to recruiters and hiring managers when it comes to promoting and increasing diversity in the workplace.
Sourcing Processes
The first major step here for many recruiters or hiring managers involves increasing the diversity potential in the pools from which job candidates are drawn. There are several ways to do this, and one of the top methods involves evaluating the language being used in job postings – and the places they’re posted in.
For instance, you want to use welcoming words like “join” or “collaborate” rather than “lead” or other forceful terms. You should also be sure jobs are posted in several different forums, including those you know feature the sorts of candidates you’re looking to attract. Proactivity is never a bad thing here.
Job Requirement Alterations
Most businesses have long been including statements regarding equal employment opportunity in their job postings, often required by law, but it’s important not to stop there. While writing such postings, it’s also vital to think about the requirements and other variables being listed, and how these will impact those who read them.
Take a requirement like years of experience, for instance, which many companies have begun to minimize on job postings for several reasons. One is the way it may impact different groups in varying ways: Research has shown that women are more likely to only apply for a job if they meet 100% of the posted requirements, whereas men will apply more often even if they only meet a majority of the criteria. Leaving out these kinds of arbitrary benchmarks in several areas will help you attract a more diverse range of applicants.
Current Employee Networking
One excellent source of diverse talent for your business will often be current employees. Many of the best hiring managers and recruiters set up easy-to-use employee referral programs that offer incentives to employees who recommend friends, family or others who end up hired.
If you create such a program, or simply canvass employees for suggestions regularly, be sure to emphasize that the company desires employees from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Promote diversity here, and the results will speak for themselves.
For more on increasing diversity in recruiting and hiring, or to learn about any of our human resource services, speak to the staff at WTA, Inc. today.