Diverse and inclusive hiring

Ah, the corporate world—a place where coffee cups overflow, buzzwords abound, and team photos look like stock images. But how many companies can claim (with a clear conscience) to have diversity and inclusion-conscious recruitment processes?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) aren’t – or shouldn’t be – just trendy hashtags or things you sprinkle into annual reports. They’re no longer optional strategies for modern workplaces but game-changer components for organizational success. Fostering these values within your workplace is not only ethically right but also drives better business outcomes – Inclusive teams are over 35% more productive!¹

As recruiters, we have a golden opportunity to shake things up and build teams that aren’t just skilled, but also reflect the real world. If you’re not on the DEI train(ing) yet, consider this your wake-up call. Let’s dive in and transform your hiring process into a diversity-driven journey.

I hope everyone here knows what DEI means, but a refresher never hurts. As DEI is a field where our (often unconscious) decision-making and judgement biases run rampant, reflecting on the meaning of the words is important.

• Diversity
  This isn’t just about hitting a quota for people of different backgrounds, genders, or experiences. It’s about embracing what makes people unique and seeing that diversity as a strength. It encompasses characteristics such as race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, culture and more.
• Equity
  This focuses on fairness. Equity isn’t about treating everyone the same – this is equality, which is not always a good thing – but it means levelling the playing field and giving everyone the tools they need to thrive. Given their differences and uniqueness!
• Inclusion
  Picture a workplace where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. That’s inclusion. It’s the secret sauce that makes diversity and equity stick.

Combine these three, and you unlock the magical fourth dimension: belonging in the workplace. This is the goal. This is the warm, fuzzy feeling where employees know they’re more than a number. And guess what? Happy employees stick around, are more productive, and earn you a good reputation. But these aren’t the only benefit in pursuing a diversity and inclusion recruitment approach.

Here’s the no-brainer: when people feel like they belong, they perform better.

A workplace that prioritizes DEI isn’t just a moral ideal; it’s a practical necessity for businesses seeking to remain competitive.

But let’s put on our pragmatic hats and talk numbers because boardrooms love stats.

Teams that are highly diverse are 39% more likely to outperform² their non-diverse counterparts. Moreover, companies who excel in ethnic diversity show an average 27%³ advantage over others. In addition to these financial metrics, as recruiters we know (damn well) what destroys marginality and performance, while driving up HR costs: a high turnover rate. That is why it is good to know that organizations that prioritize DEI are more likely to attract and retain top talent, reduce turnover, and enhance their employer brand.

A diverse workforce brings together individuals with unique experiences and viewpoints, fostering creativity and problem-solving. When people from different backgrounds collaborate, they challenge each other’s assumptions and propose solutions that might not have emerged in a homogenous group.

Your Millennials and Gen Z employees are watching and judging your approach to diverse and inclusive hiring processes. Consumers, investors, and employees increasingly expect companies to reflect their values. Organizations that visibly prioritize DEI are more likely to gain trust and loyalty from stakeholders. On the flip side, companies that fail to address diversity risks losing relevance and damaging their reputation.

Who wants to work (and give their best) in a place where they feel discriminated against and where they perceive themselves to be at a distinct disadvantage compared to privileged colleagues? No-one.

An inclusive workplace, where diversity becomes an asset and where everyone has equal tools to put the ball in the hole, increases overall satisfaction, reduces turnover and improves team performance.

All of this boosts belonging, the secret ingredient for long term success.

Here’s the kicker: diversity doesn’t happen by accident. A survey⁴ found that 69% of companies increased their investments in DEI training and DEI software in 2023. If your hiring process currently involves a room full of people saying, “I just go with my gut,” it’s time to overhaul the system and get yourself a training on DEI.

Here’s how to build a bulletproof diversity recruitment strategy.

1. Audit your current hiring practices.
   Ask yourself: Are job descriptions inclusive? Are interview panels diverse? Are biases creeping in? Spoiler alert: they probably are.
2. Train your team.
   Recruiters and hiring managers need unconscious bias training like plants need sunlight. Don’t skip this step.
3. Source talent from diverse channels.
   If you’re fishing in the same pond, you’ll catch the same fish. Explore job boards, networks, and communities that prioritize underrepresented groups.
4. Leverage technology.
   Use AI tools to screen candidates fairly (but double-check that the AI isn’t biased—it happens, we discussed that in our article about AI based recruitment).
5. Evaluate and refine. This is not a set-it-and-forget-it situation. Regularly review your diversity recruitment strategy and tweak what isn’t working.

Let’s dive deep into the two most immediate DEI hiring strategies you can quite-easily implement to make your recruitment more inclusive right away.

Words matter. Swap out corporate jargon and macho phrases for language that invites everyone to the table. The language used in job descriptions can either attract or alienate potential candidates. An example? Gender-coded terms like “rockstar” or “ninja” might deter women or individuals from traditional backgrounds or older generations. Inclusive postings clearly communicate that candidates from all backgrounds are welcome and emphasize the organization’s commitment to DEI.

Moreover, many job descriptions include qualifications or criteria that are not essential for the role. For example, requiring advanced degrees for positions that don’t necessarily need them can disproportionately exclude candidates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Be realistic, do you really need someone with a PhD, or do you just want someone who can do the job well? Think about it. Similarly, emphasizing years of experience over demonstrated skills can disadvantage younger candidates or those transitioning careers.

Every interaction a candidate has with an organization—whether it’s reading a job posting, attending an interview, or receiving feedback—shapes their perception of the company’s culture.

The candidate should perceive a special attention to DEI in each of its touchpoints with the company.

In particular, equity means ensuring that every candidate has the tools they need to succeed. This might involve offering accommodations during the application or interview process, such as providing sign language interpreters, accessible interview platforms, or flexible scheduling. In addition, as recruiters we should address that interviews can be a source of anxiety, especially for candidates from marginalized groups who may already face systemic disadvantage. Simple gestures, such as introducing the interview panel, explaining the process upfront, and offering opportunities for candidates to ask questions, can go a long way in making them feel valued.

Need inspiration? Salesforce and Google are crushing the diversity game.

Salesforce has nailed equality in the workplace with robust mentorship programs for underrepresented employees. They also have ambitious goals for 2030 which are clearly exposed on their website⁵. Many of the goals – as 45% of employees globally identify as women or non-binary or 20% of U.S. employees identify as underrepresented minorities – imply a DEI recruiting approach. Publicly sharing DEI goals and progress fosters accountability and builds trust with employees and stakeholders.

Google is known too for its commitment to inclusive recruitment. They’ve invested millions in unconscious bias training⁶ since 2013. Google states its organization is on an unbiasing journey. They measure where they are in this journey by monitoring metrics like hiring, performance, promotion, and pay. If you like an in-depth dive into this topic, we discussed the recruitment bias here.

If these companies are succeeding in DEI recruiting it is because the top management understood the importance of this topic. When leadership isn’t walking the DEI walk, the rest of the company won’t either.

Leaders can champion diversity allyship by setting clear diversity hiring goals, being transparent about progress (and setbacks) and, more important, actively listening to employees and acting on their feedback.

To sum up, what can we learn from these (delicious) examples of diversity, equity and inclusion recruitment approaches?

• Mentorship for underrepresented employees is a good idea
• Publicly sharing DEI goals and results build accountability and boost brand reputation
• Unconscious bias can influence even the best recruiters: train specifically against hiring bias is critical
• Top management need to be fully onboard
• Actively listen employees via surveys and focus group help to track DEI metrics

Long story short: diversity and equity don’t end at hiring—they extend to HR and career progression. Organizations should implement mentorship and sponsorship programs to help employees from underrepresented backgrounds advance. Regularly soliciting feedback through surveys or focus groups ensures that employees feel heard and that the organization can address any issues proactively. Leadership development initiatives that specifically target these groups can also address imbalances in representation at senior levels – keep in mind, only 37% of managers are women in CEE⁷!

Diversity is only the starting point. Equity levels the playing field. Inclusion ensures everyone has a voice. Belonging is the goal.

Creating a workplace where people feel valued, respected, and part of something bigger than themselves doesn’t just boost revenue—it makes your company a place people want to stay and grow. A good place.

Diversity recruitment and inclusive hiring aren’t just about doing the right thing—they’re about doing the smart thing. From boosting creativity to skyrocketing revenue, the advantages of a diverse workforce are too good to ignore.

So, roll up your sleeves, audit your hiring process, and start building a team that doesn’t just check boxes but changes the game. Because in this fast-paced world, the companies that win aren’t the ones who follow tradition—they’re the ones who dare to be different.

Got questions? Need a pep talk? We are here, recruiter-to-recruiter. Let’s get this diversity party started.