Breaking Barriers: How Recruiters can Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce

Diversity in the workforce is increasingly recognized as not just a moral, but also a business imperative. In today’s globalized economy, companies need to be able to tap into the widest talent pools, and that means recruiting from a diverse group of candidates. However, achieving diversity in the workplace is a multifaceted and ongoing challenge, making recruiters play a key role in this effort.

Recruiters have the important task of finding, attracting, and hiring the most qualified candidates for open positions. However, if recruiters rely solely on traditional recruiting methods, they may end up with a pool of candidates that is not diverse. For example, relying on personal networks or targeting specific universities or job fairs can lead to recruiting candidates similar to recruiters or current employees, which can perpetuate homogeneity in the workplace.

Increasing Diversity In the Candidate Pool

To increase diversity and broaden the candidate pool, recruiters can adopt a number of strategies:

Broaden Recruiting Tactics

One strategy is to broaden the recruiting sources. This strategy could include posting job advertisements on various platforms, such as online job boards, social media, and specialized platforms that cater to underrepresented groups. Furthermore, going to career fairs and events that target underrepresented groups, and using online recruiting resources that focus on diversity help to widen the talent pool. 

For instance, a technology company could post a job opening on a platform that focuses on recruiting women in tech, or a company in the healthcare industry could attend a job fair targeted at people with disabilities. Expanding the recruiting sources can increase the chances of reaching a more diverse group of candidates.

Acknowledge Hidden Bias

Sometimes hard to admit, but you should be aware of unconscious bias in the recruitment process. This includes reviewing resumes and cover letters blindly in a way that personal identifying information is removed and using behavioral interviewing techniques that focus on a candidate’s qualifications and past experiences rather than their demographic characteristics. 

By using software that removes names and addresses or a separate team member to conduct initial resume screenings, recruiters can reduce bias from the beginning of the hiring process. And behavioral interviewing techniques that focus on candidates’ past experiences and qualifications will provide a more accurate assessment of candidates’ abilities.

Partner with Inclusion Groups

In addition, recruiters can partner with employee resource groups, community-based organizations, and non-profit groups dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. These organizations can help recruiters connect with diverse candidates and provide resources and support for creating an inclusive workplace. 

By joining a group in the industry and attending their organized events, recruiters can further establish a partnership with a non-profit organization that focuses on helping individuals with disabilities find employment. Not only could if benefit your company but your community and yourself.

Make it an Integral Part of Company Culture

It’s not only about finding diverse candidates; it’s also essential they have an inclusive environment where they can thrive. Thus, diversity should be part of the company’s culture, making it easier to attract candidates to your job openings and retain them long-term. 

Companies could ensure that their recruitment process and hiring decisions are transparent and that their employee evaluations and promotions are fair and merit-based. This will create a welcoming and comfortable environment for all employees regardless of their backgrounds, improving team dynamics, leading to innovation and ultimately resulting in an improved bottom line for the organization.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to note that increasing diversity in the workplace is not only the responsibility of recruiters but the entire organization. Everyone should be committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. By working together, recruiters and the organization can create an environment that values diversity and inclusivity and attract, retain and promote diverse talent.

Diversity and inclusivity is an ongoing journey that requires constant effort and commitment from everyone involved. As the workforce and society evolve, so must the recruitment process and the company culture. By taking steps to increase diversity, recruiters can not only help create a more inclusive and equitable workplace, but also help the company stay competitive and succeed in today’s globalized economy. Implementing a strategy built on diversity and inclusivity will shape the way your teams and company function for the better.

Authors

Rosie Quinn

Rosie is a content marketer at CiiVSOFT, a leading provider of recruitment and hiring application screening solutions. With plenty of experience in the industry, Rosie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the recruitment technology world.