A diverse team is a better team. Such teams provide a diversity of perspectives, increased creativity and increased productivity.
Diverse organizations perform better, have higher employee satisfaction, have better financial returns and are more innovative compared to the worst performing diversity companies.
But to have a diverse workforce, one must first start by building a diverse candidate pool.
The term “diversity” should be properly understood
Diversity isn’t just about gender and race, which tend to be the most talked about categories in recruiting and HR. There are many types of diversity, and to build a truly diverse candidate pool, one must think beyond the obvious categories.
When seeking diversity, characteristics such as age, physical ability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation are primarily considered. People on the team of different nationalities, with different religious beliefs, socio-economic status and education also contribute to diversity. It is equally important that the people in the team have different experience and tenure in the organization, with different leadership styles or communication skills.
View job postings
In order to attract diverse candidates, it is important that the company creates a great first impression on potential candidates, which is done through job postings. When publishing the ad, it should be checked that the language used is inclusive. When the language is inclusive and neutral, candidates will not choose not to apply for the role because they will feel included.
Building and maintaining an inclusive employer brand
Companies should take a hard look at their employer branding and ask whether it demonstrates the company’s commitment to diversity. The values behind which the company stands must be communicated authentically. People will immediately know if there is a lack of sincerity, and this will damage the reputation.
One way to show commitment is by sharing information and data about diversity within the company and highlighting your progress to date. Emphasis should also be placed on the company’s commitment to diversity, as well as the benefits it offers to its employees.
