Raina Writes: What can DE&I hiring look like for most companies?

Did you know diverse companies enjoy 2.5 times higher cash flow per employee?

Or 3 in 4 candidates consider a company's inclusivity before joining?

It's little wonder that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) has emerged as one of the most talked about topics in business today. Or why the vast majority of companies have invested in their hiring processes and cultures.

If you're on this journey as a business leader, it’s only natural to take inspiration from the companies in the spotlight. But most companies aren’t Google, Netflix or Patagonia – all of which have received praise for their DE&I initiatives. In fact, 99.9% of private UK companies are SMEs.

There’s always plenty to learn from those at the forefront of any movement. But it’s often hard to replicate what works in a world-famous, multi-billion turnover corporation in a smaller or lesser-known business.

The vast majority of us need to find our own, practical ways of committing to DE&I and apply it to our hiring processes. But where do we begin? What can we do to make DE&I more than just a footnote in a board pack?

Here are 5 practical steps that can help you build DE&I into your hiring process.

Self awareness over opportunism

DE&I is about more than finding leverage in the hiring market. It’s about doing the right thing. Creating a fair and equitable culture. Auditing and understanding what DE&I looks like in your company can help you identify the need for change. It’s also a great platform on which to help your team recognise and eradicate bias.

Inclusive JDs over the same old

Copying, pasting and tweaking the same job description that everyone uses is easy but it won’t make your hiring process more DE&I focused. It requires you to review and remove language and unconscious biases that could alienate different groups of people from feeling wanted and valued.

Diverse panels over group-think

I covered the benefits of representation in last week’s IWD post. But it runs deeper than that. A diverse interview panel means hearing different perspectives on the candidates you interview. Each panelist should add a unique voice to the process, leading to smarter, more inclusive hiring.

Shout about diversity over fearing the conversation

A lot of companies get nervous talking about people’s different backgrounds, ethnicities, abilities and other topics perceived to be sensitive so as not to offend. But the playing field isn’t level. Celebrating the diversity of your team and sharing the journeys of people from different minority groups who are succeeding sends a powerful message.

Celebrate individuality over familiarity

When we talk about culture-led hiring at ReCulture, we don’t mean finding carbon copies. It’s about people whose values align with the company’s, have the right core attributes, but who can also bring something different to the culture to make it even better than it was before.

Hopefully this helps you on your DE&I journey. And if you’ve made changes already, get in touch. I’d love to know how you’re getting on!

Raina