10 Ways to Improve Diversity Recruiting Strategy

A growing number of organisations have come to acknowledge the significance of a diverse workforce in attracting and keeping top talent in recent years. Certain organisations have developed incredibly creative ideas to recruit and hire personnel from various cultural origins. Companies place a high value on diversity and inclusion for a variety of reasons, one of which is that teams with members from various backgrounds generate innovative ideas. It has been shown by McKinsey and other organisations that diverse leadership teams produce greater revenue. According to a McKinsey study, there is a widening difference between organisations that have not yet implemented diversity and I&D (inclusion and diversity) professionals. In the past five years, actual growth in diversity at the senior level has been achieved by one-third of the organisations that were assessed.

Strategies to Improve Diversity Hiring

1. Reconsider Job Details

Without the right characteristics, it’s impossible to find the right talent. When you search for candidates, you can find individuals who nobody else has found by looking for characteristics that aren’t just keywords. Find a sourcing tool that lets you look at diverse groups, like women looking for a second start, people with disabilities, and economically weaker sections. But you need to keep changing what you’re looking for in order to keep a diverse group of candidates. To ensure that all eligible people feel like they can apply, it’s essential to avoid any screening criteria that aren’t completely necessary to do the job. According to a Cloverpop study, diversity and inclusion in the workplace improve decision-making by 87%.

2. Achieve bias reduction via technology

It is an undeniable fact that human beings are liable for both error and bias. By performing a predetermined set of rules, technology can help in the reduction of bias in the methods you use by eliminating the necessity for human involvement in the screening procedure. Nevertheless, human error can introduce bias into even machine learning; therefore, expanding your talent pool by looking for diverse attributes rather than relying just on job titles or specific experience can be productive. According to a Boston Consultancy Group study, companies with diverse cultures generate 19% more innovation revenue than those that do not have a diverse workplace culture.

3. Use your old database

The hidden gem you’ve been seeking can be staring you in the face the whole time. Examine past applicants’ resumes and send them an invitation to participate in the hiring process. Many of the applicants might be seeking employment or a fresh start, and women in particular may be among them. McKinsey found that businesses with more than 30% women executives did better than businesses with 10% to 30% women executives. Then, these businesses were more likely to do well than ones with even fewer women in leadership positions or none at all. Hence, giving a chance to such women might prove beneficial for the company.

4. Use Blind job interviews

To reduce the likelihood of unintentional bias based on gender or ethnicity, it is recommended to remove a candidate’s name and face from resume screenings and interviews. To encourage a more unbiased selection procedure focused purely on the candidates’ talents and experience, companies can also eliminate where they lived, when they graduated, and where they went to school. You will probably require tools that can conceal resumes or collect questions for screening via text since blacking out interviews and resumes manually isn’t always an option.

5. Promote fairness and inclusivity in the company’s policy

Inclusive and equitable business policies promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging while also bringing in a more diverse pool of applicants and drawing their interest in working for your organisation. Flexibility is one of the most beneficial things that can be implemented in the company. People who care for sick or elderly relatives, or who are parents themselves, often appreciate a more flexible schedule. They will feel more involved in their job for your organisation if they know they can complete tasks at their own pace. Additionally, millennials are more likely to stay with a company that values a healthy work-life balance. According to an International Labour Organization survey, organizations with inclusive corporate cultures and practices are 57.8% more likely to improve their reputation

6. Boost training to promote inclusion and minimise bias

To become a more inclusive organisation, anti-bias and diversity training are essential. That should not be confused with monotonous online training. Include engaging, enjoyable activities and include your employees. Request departmental speeches from leaders in your company, or partner with an outside organisation to organise interesting training. Having an effective DEI training programme will assist your workers, interviewers, and recruiting managers in establishing a secure environment where new hires could prosper.

By tapping into our tech community, Geeks for Geeks can help you find the best answers for your needs, whether you’ve been searching for a single key hire or building a new team. We are committed to helping our clients reach their hiring goals, increase the diversity of their talent pool, and make their workplaces more efficient, creative, and active.

7. Use specialised internship programs

The significance of specialised internship programmes should not be overlooked. Design your training programmes to attract a wide range of candidates. Prioritise the recruitment of students from minority institutions and community organisations, ensure that interns receive payment, while offering a flexible timetable Internships are a fantastic way to show to diverse candidates the potential for them to join your organisation beyond their graduation year, provided you are able to attract suitable candidates.

8. Set Realistic Goals and Don’t Give Up

Finally, it’s important to remember that achieving greater diversity takes time. And there’s no doubt that it’s more difficult for some companies than others—particularly those with a very low level of diversity to begin with. If your organization operates in a very male dominated field, for example, it can take a huge culture shift for diverse hiring initiatives to attract significant numbers of female applicants.  After all, you can only recruit from the pool of people who have the skills and qualifications you’re looking for. If 90% of those people are men, then that’s hardly your fault. The key point here is to make sure that this isn’t used as an excuse for not trying. Too often, people who work in the context of a monolithic culture can find it difficult to embrace new ways of working. 

9. Ensure Best Practices for Diversity and Inclusion

Movements like Black Lives Matter continue to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of public awareness. A report by McKinsey states that the argument for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion is solid and becoming stronger. When you implement the diversity hiring best practices listed here and combine them with best practices in diversity and inclusion across other areas of your business,, your brand will have a positive Company Culture image. This makes it even easier for your recruiting efforts to impact your bottom line positively.

10. Flexible work hours

Flexible work policies attract various applicants with particular requirements and lifestyles. It’s a reality that the regular 9-to-5 grind is not for everyone. This is where flexible work arrangements come in useful. They recruit a more varied talent pool by meeting the requirements and lifestyles of prospective employees. Such hiring helps in widening the gap of hiring from different geographical locations.

Conclusion

Diverse workforces are a sign of stronger corporate ethics than just feel-good stories. Imagination, commitment, and innovation are the driving forces of modern economy. They admire strength, energy, and diversity—all of which come from a wide range of abilities possessed by people of different genders and backgrounds. By utilising our IT network, Geeks for Geeks can offer you best-in-class solutions that are customised to your needs, whether you’re searching for a single hire or building a new team. Our commitment lies in helping our clients accomplish their hiring goals, expand their talent pool, and enhance productivity, innovation, and engagement.

Check out these articles for more information:

• 10 Reasons Why Diversity Hiring Matters for Organizations
• Top 6 Companies With Diversity Hiring Initiatives
• Challenges Faced by Organizations during Diversity Hiring
• Diversity Hiring – Meaning, Importance and Measures
• Workplace Diversity : Meaning, Importance, and Ways to Promote
• Diversity Management – Meaning, Types, Characteristics and Challenges
• Ways to Create Diverse and Inclusive Workplaces
• Difference between Diversity Hiring and Diversity Hire