The lack of diversity and inclusion in the workplace is an issue that is being addressed more frequently within the past few decades. However, there are still common issues that impede the complete implementation of successful diversity and inclusion initiatives throughout all sectors and firms. This is often due to a number of biases such as racial, gender, or unconscious biases. The aforementioned issues can cause discrimination as early as the initial job posting through the interview and even after hiring. However, a number of strategies exist that can combat these particular biases as well as other obstructions that limit diversity and inclusion in the workplace. These include a company’s presence at career fairs focused on minority candidates, the use of strategic hiring processes that prioritize communication, online presence and available resources, addressing recruitment biases and burnout, and appropriate metrics for diversity and inclusion.
Diversity and inclusion are integral to the development of any company, and are first introduced during the recruitment process. The role of recruitment regarding the development of a diverse workforce promotes a number of active approaches to the inclusion of candidates that may have otherwise been overlooked. The hiring process must mitigate and limit any occurring or potential discrimination or unconscious bias. The formulation and adherence to policies and practices that focus on equality and inclusion are vital, especially for the improvement of the company. Recruitment may also introduce a formal diversity and inclusion program for potential, new, and prior employees in order to stay updated with issues revolving around discrimination in the workplace. Similarly, specialized hiring initiatives are also instrumental in improving the diversity of a company’s workforce. Continued focus on team cohesion past the recruitment is an often overlooked but equally essential component of the hiring process.
One of the most harmful factors that impede workplace diversity includes racial biases. Though both larger and smaller firms have made efforts to decrease the presence of racial bias in recruitment, it continues to impede employment opportunities for marginalized groups. Workplace candidates can be discriminated against on a number of levels including appearance, accent, names, background, and other characteristics. A 2004 labor market discrimination experiment by the American Economic Association revealed that discrimination based on race begins as early as the first screening of candidates (Lamb, 2021). Within the study, individuals with White-associated names garnered twice as many hires as candidates with African American-associated names. Similarly, potential employees have also been noted to be disregarded during screening, interviews, or even after hiring in regards to things like cultural expression through appearance, criminal backgrounds, and speech.
Gender biases play a similar role as racial discrimination, by obstructing the ways in which certain candidates can be considered for positions that they are otherwise suited for. Gender biases can begin as early as the job description through the use of gendered language. Through either the description of the position or a potential candidate, gendered language may impede certain candidates from applying to such openings. Studies of interview processes have shown that male candidates are favored over their female counterparts which possess identical resumes, work experience, and workplace performance. Similarly, potential female employees have a much higher likelihood to be asked questions regarding family, children, and childcare. A lack of diversity among the recruitment team is another factor that can impose gender bias during the hiring process. As such, female candidates are usually at a disadvantage at a number of levels during the recruitment procedure.
Unconscious bias is not strictly limited to recruitment in the workplace but is a process that reflects a natural behavior that is present in most social interactions. The term can be defined as an immediate or near-immediate assessment of others in order to preserve one’s own well-being or interests. As such, it exists in order to differentiate between individuals that are hostile or approachable, trustworthy or suspicious, and a myriad of other qualities. While it has its benefits within certain instances, it is largely crippling for the hiring process and impedes diversity. This is often due to the fact that unconscious bias causes individuals to associate qualities that they possess with positive meanings. Unconsciously, people may be drawn to those who share their background, accent, ideals, appearance, and more. As such, a non-diverse recruitment team may struggle to overcome an unconscious bias and make hiring decisions based on limited or incorrect perceptions. Unconscious bias also works to associate seemingly unrelated traits with certain aspects of people, such as candidates wearing particular clothing being more workplace-ready.
In order to not only combat biases but to form and operate a work setting which facilitates diversity and inclusion, it is vital to implement recruitment strategies that adhere to these values. The first strategy is directly focused on approaching potential employees through regular or virtual career fairs that focus on minority groups (Winfield et al., 2020). These populations may be underrepresented in regular fairs, and as such, recruitment would benefit from adding specialized events to their sources for potential employees. Virtual career fairs have the advantage of being less time-consuming and less costly while providing recruitment with the necessary pool of candidates. With further engagement, a firm may co-host or even run their own career fair that acknowledges diversity and inclusion as one of the primary components of their company.
The second strategy includes the formulation of a hiring process that prioritizes efficiency, elimination of biases, and clarity. With modern technology, the process of scanning, screening, and other tasks which do not require communication between employers and candidates can be done prior to interviews. Similarly, technology allows for features that eliminate biases such as the hiding of names, genders, and some other distinguishing characteristics (Foley & Williamson, 2018). By employing a strategic and advanced approach to the initial aspects of recruitment, this allows employers and candidates to engage in more meaningful communication in the interview. This becomes especially useful in settings such as career fairs or other large-scale events in which communication between employers and individual candidates can be constrained by time.
Currently, the presence of a company’s identity on social media or other online platforms is common and requires continuous management. This provides recruitment teams with an opportunity to form and operate the company’s diverse brand and employment opportunities in a way that is easily accessible. Certain individuals may not have the opportunity to be present in career fairs but have access to a company’s social media. As such, the third strategy allows them to engage with the recruitment team and their resources and values. This would require the company to not only create the appearance of diversity and inclusion, but the construction of a database that informs potential candidates of resources, the hiring process, and the company’s operations. This approach’s advantages include the accessibility, ease, and no cost with which it can be utilized.
Within the hiring process itself it is vital to limit the role of biases in recruitment decisions. Though they cannot be eliminated entirely, the fourth strategy can be implemented to use the recruitment team’s skills while not ignoring the need for diversity and inclusion. Individuals involved within recruitment are prone to burnout as some of the position’s tasks are highly competitive, repetitive, and potentially draining which can cause them to be less aware of poor decision-making. The fourth strategy proposes either the use of digital tools to solve repetitive and initial tasks, such as scanning and screening whether candidates meet the set requirements of a job opening. It is also important to create an environment in which recruitment teams may have breaks and varied tasks in order to not stagnate. Employees should also be aware of whether their recruitment team is diverse and representative of often marginalized individuals within the labor market.
The fifth and final strategy includes the use of accurate and correct metrics in order to evaluate the diversity and inclusion within the workplace. While a company may seem diverse, it is vital to assess the wellbeing and cohesion of employees in order to fully understand whether diversity and inclusion is present. Such measures should be transparent and focus on aspects such as the percentage of individuals from groups that are usually marginalized within the hiring process at each recruitment stage. Following this, the company should also be aware of the diversity among varying levels of hierarchy throughout the firm. Employee satisfaction, retention, and awards and recognitions are also vital and should be observed for better metrics. This will allow companies to analyze both their strengths and weaknesses in terms of previously implemented strategies.
References
Foley, M. & Williamson, S. (2018). Does anonymising job applications reduce gender bias? Understanding managers’ perspectives. Gender in Management, 33(8), 623-635. Web.
Lamb, A. (2021). The importance of diversity & inclusion in recruiting. Blue Signal. Web.
Winfield, A., Schindlbeck, M., & Smith, L. (2020). Additional Strategies for Underrepresented Minority Recruitment. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 75(2), 313-314. Web.