Putting DEI into Practice: Hiring and Recruitment

Now that there is an increased impetus for change in the wake of the demand for social justice reform, companies are giving a more thoughtful assessment of their diversity efforts. But what can companies do to implement effective systems for change? Wherever your organization is in terms of diversity, you can start the work of building a better workplace as it is never too early to begin the work of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

Most companies start putting DEI into practice by trying to improve their representation-it is foundational work to improving DEI. Unfortunately, the mistake that most organizations make is doing this in isolation. The efforts to hire and recruit more underrepresented talent aren’t mutually exclusive from efforts to build a more inclusive culture. In fact, if you only recruit underrepresented talent and put no effort into improving your organizational culture, you will unwittingly create a revolving door: where diverse talent enters, and then leaves when they discover an unwelcoming or toxic work environment where they don’t feel that they can be successful. Inclusive cultures attract more diverse talent, so organizations are better off paralleling their efforts in building an inclusive culture and improving their numbers of underrepresented, because both are long-term projects requiring time and commitment. With that in mind, here are some things to consider as you integrate DEI into your hiring and recruitment process:

Examine Biased Systems That Affect Hiring & Recruiting

Many organizations, both small and large, have hiring practices that operate based on an affinity bias. This means, they tend to hire people from their close networks, and unless their networks are diverse, what usually happens is that people hire people who are like themselves. Research shows that people are more likely to hire and promote people who are similar to themselves in some way. Being aware of this bias and being very intentional in your processes, is the first step to being able to counteract it.

Lack of diversity in hiring often creates the situation where everyone not only looks the same but, comes from the same background, operates on the same assumptions and reference points, and often possesses the same skill sets. When hiring decisions are made because candidates have similar backgrounds and skills, the result often serves to inhibit innovation, and that is just not business smart.

Innovation thrives in psychologically safe environments where there are multiple perspectives, where questions can be asked and basic assumptions can be freely challenged-that is where outside-the-box ideas are born. We should look to hiring candidates who have complementary skills, and different perspectives. Diversity in hiring ‘raises the bar’ for everyone. When people come from different backgrounds, this not only introduces new ideas but also makes people work harder to prepare because the ideas are more rigorously reviewed-increasing team performance and innovation.

Recruiting

There needs to be a shift in focus when it comes to the objective of recruiting. Organizations often suffer from expediency bias, meaning that they prefer to act fast and rush to a decision rather than take the time to get a wider array of candidates. Remember that recruiters often are measured on the time it takes to fill a position. Companies too often want to bring someone on board quickly, instead of taking the time to consider the unique qualities that someone will add to the team. Looking for diverse talent can be a longer process because of the need to expand both how and where you look for talent. Being intentional in recruiting also requires a break from familiar, coded language that evaluates a candidate based on their ‘fit’ to the company, which is covertly asking ‘Are you like me?’ or ‘Are you like us?’ It is more essential to seek a qualified candidate who aligns with your company’s values, and brings a varied perspective.

Here are some aspects to assess regarding increasing the recruitment of diverse individuals into your organization:

• Diversify your network — Expand your circle. Instead of continually going to your same job fairs to find employees, partner with local or national organizations that support underrepresented professionals. (Association of Latino Professionals for America, Executive Leadership Council, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, American Indian Science and Engineering Society to name a few).
• Consider non-traditional talent pools — Conventional places where companies source employees often lack diverse representation. Consider other talent streams at community colleges, state colleges, and HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
• Evaluate job descriptions for bias — Examine the language used in job postings. Certain words/phrasings can tend to attract or repel people. Utilize free resources that are available to check for bias language like Gender Decoder.
• Have diverse recruiters and hiring teams-Recruiters and interviewers strongly influence what impression your company makes on potential candidates, speaking volumes to job seekers who value diversity. Also by making sure that the hiring teams are diverse you can counter some of the natural affinity bias that happens in the interview process.
• Blind Résumés-It has been shown in countless research experiments that Emily and Greg are more readily hired than Lakisha and Jamal; ethnic names on résumés get up to 50% fewer callbacks, compared to the exact same résumés using common, white-sounding names. Therefore, removing identifiers such as names, ethnicity and gender references from résumés ensures that the unconscious biases of the reviewers don’t exclude diverse talent before they even approach the door!
• Review compensation & build a pipeline — Ensure that pay rates are equitable. Also, recognize that unpaid internships are often not feasible for historically marginalized groups for whom a base income is a concern. Consider cultivating a diverse pipeline that includes opportunities — such as paid internships — so that diverse talent can equally access those initial career experiences that are crucial for getting a foot in the door, and on the ladder.

For organizations that are serious about improving their DEI, Eskalera can support you — helping to develop skills across your entire organization, and driving systemic and sustainable change. Contact us today to learn how Eskalera can help you move culture forward!

And if you want to stay in the conversation, tune in to the next episode of The Remote Show Live [podcast] Monday, September 21 where I will discuss:

* How do Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Remote Work actually intersect?

* Can remote work culture disrupt power dynamics?

* How can managers best support their underrepresented employees — especially during this time? and more!

Learn more & Register! Can’t attend? Register anyway and the recording will be emailed to registrants approximately one day after.

Originally published at https://eskalera.com on September 17, 2020.