Diversity matters in your organization for all kinds of reasons, beyond the obvious: it’s the right thing to do. Studies show that diverse companies bring in 19% more revenue than other companies. Gender diversity makes companies more productive. Diversity and inclusion matters to your candidates, with the latest data showing millennials and Gen Z candidates use diversity as a criterion when considering companies.
If you’re hiring, you may have a standard process that brings in candidates, but not the ones to really meet your diversity and inclusion goals. Here are five ways to shift your approach to diversify your workforce.
5 Ways to Find More Diverse Candidates
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Diversify your candidate networks. The studies show that we tend to build networks of people that look like us. One research publication stated 75% of white people tend to have no people of color in their personal social networks. While building a social network across color, gender, or other demographic lines takes more of a deliberate effort.
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Change where you post job openings. Posting on a variety of job sites will get you noticed by a diverse array of candidates. From Google to Glassdoor, LinkedIn to Indeed, there are a handful of sites out there that you should use. You can also look for sites with specific niches, such as those relevant to older workers, graduating college seniors, or remote workers. Expand your reach to conferences and industry associations for Latino or African American audiences. Look for college student interns that can come in for a summer and then after graduation, stay full-time. Think outside the box.
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Use employee referrals to diversify a candidate pool. Think about the types of employees you have currently and see if they can help you build new candidates from underrepresented groups in your company. Encourage everyone to dig deep in their social networks to find great employees. Make sure you offer a referral bonus to sweeten the deal.
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Increase your visibility with your target audience. For example, say you have a woman in a leadership role in your company. Are there industry-specific events where she could speak and represent your business to a female population? It helps to visualize yourself in a role within a company when your demographic is already represented.
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Set diversity KPIs but understand this is a process. Make diversity a part of the very fabric of your organization. Every manager should be aware of the demographic and socioeconomic makeup of their teams. Each team member should know that diversity is the goal. Every candidate should get the picture that diversity matters to your organization.
While you may have a goal of increasing the number of people of color or women or older people in your company (or some other demographic), getting there can take some time. But striving for diversity and inclusion in your company is worth it—no matter how long it takes you to get there.
People Plus is committed to diverse hiring practices. Find out how our networks can help you reach your goals. Contact us.