An organization is not only based on how well you are doing with your numbers and how a company’s infrastructure is like. It includes the values you add to it. Values, here, are not just about the values of an individual towards their company but also towards society.
A business in the market represents itself through their social values and promises along with its profit. It is important for the organization to walk with the change to get a better talent pool and increased employee satisfaction.
This change could be related to anything, for example, technologizing or hiring Gen Z to the team or a better one, introducing diversity and inclusion to the organization.
Let’s set our focus to diversity and inclusion.
Diversity and inclusion have become an integral part of businesses today. But before getting this set of diversified employees we need to recruit them. Here, in this article we will focus on diversity and inclusion in recruitment.
What is Diversity and Inclusion?
Diversity and Inclusion, often abbreviated as D&I, is a way to empower people belonging to different race, caste, creed, color, ethnicity, educational backgrounds, culture, religion, region and gender to come together and work in an organization with a common goal.
It allows the employer to have a wider talent pool with different people and different points of views. The more the merrier, obviously.
Diversity and inclusion not only ensure a work environment filled with varied people belonging to different cultures and backgrounds, but it also allows the employees to understand and know better about diversification. It teaches them to work in a certain manner that leads to goal accomplishment with harmony and peace.
During the Covid-19, the need for diversification and inclusivity in the workforce was important more the ever. as said by a Gartner Report.
Why do we need to have a diversified workforce?
Let’s discover why do we need to have a diversified workforce:
- Enhances Employee loyalty: The imaginary law of human nature states that “you give what you get”.
When an employee sees that they are respected irrespective of the background they belong to or the varied perspective they have from others, a sense of trust and loyalty emerges within them. As a result, the employee becomes loyal and dedicated to their work.
- Brings harmony and peace: Having a diversified and inclusive work culture teaches the employees to work and respect various cultures or genders and perspectives.
Promoting the idea of diversification ensures that the employees respect their fellow employees, thus bringing peace and harmony to the organization.
- Increase profits: More diverse companies are likely to generate higher profits because they broaden their skill choices by allowing a diversified talent pool to choose from. A McKinsey & Co. report states that diversity correlates with better financial performance.
- Elevates creativity and innovation: The more, the merrier. Even a slightly different point of view can turn the tables for an organization. Encouraging diversification and inclusivity in the workforce can elevate creativity and innovation. It can completely change the way of looking at a problem and bring new ideas to solve them.
- Wider talent pool: The most significant reason to promote diversity and inclusion is to have a wider talent pool. When you remove the filters that unknowingly become the hindrance in your talent acquisition such as “Only men”, “regional candidates preferred”, you automatically have a wider and broader talent pool to select from.
Top 8 Practices to Ensure Equitable Hiring
We have talked a lot about diversity and inclusion. Now let’s see how we can encourage diversity and inclusion in recruitment.
- Set your goals: Be clear and concise in what you want. Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) to ensure that you are precise in what you want for the betterment of your organization.
- Represent your employer brand: Job seekers have a personal choice and willingness to join a company based on the reputation and branding of the company.
If an applicant knows that a particular company works towards some initiative especially for a social cause, they will become interested in joining the organization. It is a common case with the Gen-Zs that they promote social welfare along with their own growth.
- Allow flexibility: Don’t let difference become a barrier to having a skilled and qualified gem on the team. It happens most of the time that when an applicant sees a job opening and they are a perfect fit for it, long-distance ruins this beautiful commitment comes to an end, just like today’s relationships.
In such situations, you can provide flexibility such as hybrid or remote job opportunities to your potential employee.
- Advertise job openings everywhere: The most common problem is reach. What happens when you are not aware of things? You lose the opportunity.
Similarly, when a job opening opportunity is not reached to the destined applicant, they lose an opportunity. What if they are a perfect choice? To avoid such regrets, ensure that your job opening advertisement reaches everywhere possible.
- Build D&I strategies: Tell your applicant that we conduct mentorship programs, educational seminars, maximize opportunities, encourage cultural festivities and celebrations to ensure that diversification and inclusivity is embraced and promoted.
- Use “we” and not “I”: Always use “we” instead of “I” as it acknowledges the presence of the applicant. When they feel included, their interest in the companies’ goals and objectives increases. They willingly try to be a part of the organization.
- Enhance your employee referral program: What’s better than a word of mouth? Enhance your referral programs by allowing the employees to refer diversified candidates for the organization.
- Use technology: Use social media to showcase what your company values say. For example, you can create posts that show your way to respect differences by celebrating and embracing the varied culture and festivals of people.
Wrapping Up
Employees are like stems on which the fruit of a tree is reaped. To ensure these stems are strong and unbreakable, provide them with a sense of security, respect and equal treatment.
We know you can do it and you will.
I hope we enlightened you with some great knowledge. We’ll keep bringing in more for you. Till then Keep Reading, Keep Thinking and Keep HRing!