CLIENTS
Being Inclusive
Recruitment Advice
Over the last 10 years, Diversity and inclusion (D&I) has become an increasingly important factor for businesses when considering their working environment. We’ve certainly seen an increase in conversations with clients surrounding D&I, and there has been a real drive amongst many businesses to increase the number of women in leadership positions from Management level through to Board level. It’s important to consider that D&I is a much broader subject and there are so many benefits to be gained from a diverse working environment.
Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)
D&I and your Recruitment Process
Diversity and inclusion is about creating an inclusive working environment where all individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability or sexual orientation, should be given equal opportunities, should be valued for their difference and be supported to work at their best.
We have seen it first hand on so many occasions that business who champion a diverse and inclusive working environment typically have a strong staff retention rate, make better decisions and find it easier to attract the best talent in the market. It’s really important to consider both the internal and external perception of how your business approaches D&I.
Things as simple as job descriptions are unfortunately often written with an unconscious bias and considering this is typically the first stage of the recruitment process, it means you will miss out on a wider candidate pool, which is essential in a market which is so short of candidates. It’s also important to ensure you promote a D&I culture throughout the interview process, for example, getting both a male and female member of staff to conduct interviews can have a huge impact.
As you build your D&I culture it’s important to set clear and measurable targets; and once you have established your strategy, it’s important to continue to review it.
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Unconscious Bias – invest in internal or external training to ensure those responsible for recruitment are aware of unconscious bias and promote a thorough D&I recruitment process.
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No names CVS – why not remove names, qualifications and addresses from CVs; this means you will solely be making your decision based on the candidates ability to do the job, minimising any unconscious bias.
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External Perception – review how your business is perceived, from staff profiles on the website to the culture and working environment internally.
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There’s more to just Gender and culture – D&I also covers sexual orientation, generation, physical ability, and education.
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Promote your results and success - be sure to actively share your wins with your organisations. D&I has to be at the top of everybody's agenda.
