Fill Your Roster With Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Analysts predict that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) will be top of mind in 2023 for most HR Leaders. As for other company departments, there couldn’t be a better time to embrace the push for diversity. Companies are haughtily seeking qualified workers to fill roles that are essential for them to succeed in an uncertain marketplace. Hiring will still be hard in 2023. Where 10 million jobs exist currently in the U.S., there are only 6 million workers to fill them. 

Managers can maximize their team’s depth of talent, not to mention their performance, by making their departments attractive to a wide audience of individuals. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it’s also good business. 

Practice Inclusive Hiring

The teams tasked with innovation, revenue-generating, and fulfillment can access a rich and robust pool of talent when they cast a wider hiring net that includes people from different backgrounds and perspectives. Diverse teams offer more angles to solve problems given the employees’ varied experiences and specialty skills. They operate efficiently with a flair for innovation and the courage to execute. That’s why diverse companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders in their market segments. 85% of CEOs credit their diverse teams for improved profits. Who doesn’t want to manage a team with these strengths?!  

Traditional talent sourcing practices may cause employers to miss qualified workers if those workers have different characteristics than the majority of their employees. Managers can make sure they don’t unintentionally limit their talent sources by examining the way they recruit and develop talent. 

Re-evaluate Recruiting Methods

Changing up recruitment tactics can bring marvelous results. Managers can vary the way they promote open positions instead of using a one-draft-fits-all approach. For example, they can post their open roles on job boards where underrepresented audiences congregate and tailor it to them specifically. Before promoting an open position, managers should take time to understand their target recipients and what they’re looking for in their employer. They’ll likely get more diverse candidates to apply if they sharpen the way they ask.

Related Reading: Power Up Your DEIB Initiatives

It’s a good time to review general recruitment verbiage online and in literature to make sure the language speaks to a wide range of demographics and audiences. 76% of job seekers say diversity is a critical factor in selecting an employer. They’ll notice company verbiage as a key indicator in this area.  

Managers can make a point of proactively meeting candidates where they hang out. There are many trade organizations and industry groups where hiring managers can proactively meet underrepresented groups. Business groups for women in technology exist all over the country as well as many culturally specific chambers of commerce. They can also ask their existing workforce to refer qualified candidates they know who could fill underrepresented roles. A manager that makes a strategic goal of finding diverse workers will succeed.

Double Down On Employee Development

Often the representation declines as the level of job increases. Mercer’s survey found that while diverse employees make up 36% of entry-level jobs, only 15% move on to higher ranks of management. To ensure diversity exists evenly at each rank, managers can proactively involve diverse team members in development opportunities. Make sure they’re put on a growth path that offers more responsibility and higher pay as time and experience increase. If they’re not participating, a manager should find out why.

Development opportunities including private coaching and professional training should happen during normal work hours to make sure everyone can participate. Black women in America make up the majority of single-parent households. As employees, they will join and progress in companies that offer accessible professional development along with flexibility. Other historically underrepresented groups have specific needs that make hiring them a proactive process.

Watch On-Demand: Woman in the workplace: A global perspective ->

The point is, in order to prepare underrepresented individuals for higher-level work, managers must understand their needs and structure growth paths to equally include them, even though individual circumstances may differ. 

In Closing 

Diverse teams have the power to beef up the culture, brand, and bottom line of the organizations they serve. TaskHuman is helping managers grow the presence of underrepresented employees in entry-level positions, mid-level, and senior roles. TaskHuman offers a wide variety of expert coaching to support individuals when and where they need it, through a mobile platform that employees access on demand. TaskHuman’s coaching and development platform lifts employees of all backgrounds to reach their highest potential while respecting their schedule of personal demands. Managers work with experienced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion coaches to make rapid progress toward a more inclusive culture that attracts top talent.

Want to empower your Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives? You can start with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).