2020 was a year most of us won’t forget. Through the challenges, however, it brought diversity into the forefront of conversations. Awareness about inequality grew, and the desire to create equal opportunity was a common conversation.
Why is diversity important?
Beyond the obvious benefits of diversity in society, it is also statistically good for business. Studies have found that when workplaces make inclusion and diversity a priority, they excel, plain and simple. These businesses see higher revenues, are more innovative and meet their goals, among many other measures.
Diversifying your workforce brings in new perspectives and experiences, which are necessary for true growth. Without these insights, you can have a good team, but you’re missing the chance to be great. Plus, a majority of job seekers are looking for employers with a diverse workforce.
It’s important to not let diversity just be a buzzword from 2020 that most of us forget by the end of 2021. Make it more than a buzzword and put actions into place with these tips:
Start with an inclusive culture
It’s challenging to build a diverse team if you don’t have the culture to accept them. Regardless of your current team makeup, your goal should be a workplace where each and every person feels like they belong. Look at your harassment policies and make sure it’s clear that discrimination isn’t acceptable. Look at any potential barriers to people with different physical needs. Sometimes these changes may cause you to lose current team members, but they just pave the way for the talent to help you grow.
Avoid the idea of quotas
You want diversity, sure, but it should never spiral into specific numbers for each race and gender. This can have a toxic effect on your current team and make job seekers wary of being a number to make you feel like you’ve diversified.
Write thoughtful job descriptions
More than explaining the position, you want to keep your language inclusive. This means focusing on your descriptors and pronouns to make sure you aren’t immediately making someone feel disqualified from your language.
Share your job posting in different places
If where you share your jobs now is only returning homogenous applicants, it might be time to think outside of the box. Try physical postings in libraries, gyms, daycares, etc., to reach a different audience.
Get rid of personal information
Avoiding bias is easy if you’re only considering applications based on education, skills, and experiences. Sometimes all it takes is a name for someone to form an opinion, so consider software that allows you to remove personally identifiable information to guarantee you aren’t being influenced by other factors.
Use a hiring panel
Bias can unfortunately slip in anywhere, so don’t leave the hiring to one person. A panel can keep each other in check to make sure you are not being influenced by prejudiced factors.
Improve applicant quality with Sterling Personnel
At Sterling Personnel, we specialize in attracting the most qualified talent and matching them with employers. When you’re looking for the best, we put our methods and referral programs to use for you. Connect with the Texas Gulf Coast’s premier staffing partner today!
