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Diversity and inclusion in recruitment is a priority for all organisations committed having an impact on inclusion. We know that new talent values inclusion, and employers who are genuinely committed to it.
Research, including the McKinsey ‘Diversity wins: How Inclusion matters’ report, continues to evidence that workforces that are most diverse are more likely to outperform less diverse teams, when it comes to profitability.
This highlights just how important it is to practice inclusive recruitment.
Diversity and inclusion training for hiring managers
It is important that your hiring managers and HR teams understand why diversity and inclusion in recruitment is so valuable. As an employer it is your responsibility to make sure they are equipped for success.
In 2022, the CIPD’s Resourcing and talent planning report highlighted that just 28% of employers train their interviewers on the legal obligations and the objective interview practices that are vital for diversity and inclusion in recruitment.
They also found that less than a fifth make efforts to remove bias by testing the wording they use in job adverts or check that their testing methods used during recruitment are actually “valid, reliable and objective.”
With this in mind, how can we begin to focus diversity and inclusion in recruitment and make sure our line managers and HR teams are set up to attract and retain diverse talent?
Design job roles with an inclusion lens
Have you ever been dazzled by what reads like a wonderful job opportunity, only to get three lines into the job advert and immediately remove yourselves from the race? Yes? Read on…
The widely quoted statistic: “men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them” may not come as a surprise, but what the Hewlett Packard Internal Report found was that it was “not a mistaken perception about themselves, but a mistaken perception about the hiring process” that held people back from applying for roles.
The impact of unconscious bias on the hiring process
Exclusion can occur even before a job is advertised, which is why diversity and inclusion in recruitment is so important.
Job design is often based on who has done the job before, who the manager imagines doing the job, or what “fits the current status quo.” Because of these factors, unconscious bias begins to creep into the way the role profile and advert are created.
This means that unconscious bias can prevent the progress of diversity and inclusion in recruitment before the hiring process really gets started.
“It is important that your hiring managers and HR teams understand why diversity and inclusion in recruitment is so valuable.”
Find out how our CMI Inclusive Recruitment can support your people
Three key considerations for inclusive job design
The case for diversity and inclusion in recruitment is clear. Now, let’s look at key considerations for creating job designs with an inclusion lens.
1) How much experience does your new recruit really need?
Think about who you need to attract? Does your new hire really need 10 years’ experience?
In certain areas of the organisation this might be a genuine ‘yes’. Some skill sets require that level of experience and therefore it might be a legitimate prerequisite for the role. But always consciously ask yourself: is it really necessary? or is it ‘just what we’ve always done’? What benefits might less tenure bring to this role and our team?
Instead of specifying a certain number of years:
- Focus on specific skills and expertise
- Consider what transferable skills could be carried across
- Where possible, offer training and development opportunities.
2) Can you consider working flexibly?
A study for Timewise UK found that 87% of people want to work flexibly, but only 11% of roles are advertised as such.
Can you improve diversity and inclusion recruitment by offering more flexible working? Consider the potential, if this is an option for you and your organisation, to make your business as adaptable and efficient as it can be (operational needs permitting.) You could achieve a lot by considering the following options for your next potential hire:
- Working from home
- Working from various locations
- Starting work earlier or finishing later
- Working condensed hours i.e. some longer days and some days off
- Fluidly moving working hours around life commitments whilst maintaining contracted hours
- Job share
3) The importance of inclusive language in job designs
It is crucial to not underestimate the impact our language has in job postings. Biased language runs rife in our hiring efforts and can be a barrier to diversity and inclusion in recruitment; but it runs much deeper than just the genders we attract.
A team of linguistic experts from the University of Nottingham suggest that “huge numbers of people from under-represented groups are being put off applying for jobs and career progression because of outdated job specs and cursory references to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).”
Using gender neutral, unbiased and inclusive language is a simple yet effective way to attracting a wider range of applicants. It highlights your authentic commitment to inclusion and diversity.
Inclusive Employers can support you to progress diversity and inclusion in recruitment
For more expert advice and top tips read our blog on the diversity and inclusion recruitment process.
Inclusive Employers have developed a two-day Inclusive Recruitment course, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute. It’s designed to support employees actively involved with the recruitment process and build on the themes raised in this blog in more detail.
Learn more about the benefits of CMI Inclusive Recruitment and how to sign up