Everyone wants to see their business grow and become more inclusive. A diverse workforce can broaden your company’s perspectives and create a more constructive working environment. If you’re unsure how to approach creating a more diverse workforce, here are five inclusive hiring tips for your organization to start implementing.
Use Inclusive Language in Job Descriptions
When expanding your company’s team to feature more diverse members, it’s important to always use inclusive language in all your materials. This should be a goal throughout your company, but focus your attention on your job descriptions and hiring materials if you want to recruit a more diverse audience. Leave gendered terms and industry preferences out when drafting your job descriptions. This will not only help you attract a wider variety of applicants, but you’ll also receive more applications at a faster rate.
Review Your EEOC Statement
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission helps prevent discrimination in the workforce. This commission aims to provide equal employment opportunities for all, and companies can show their support for this goal through an EEOC statement. Refresh your job statements and mention that your company complies with EEOC guidelines to help form a diverse company. Use this statement in all your work materials, including job postings, employee handbook updates, and announcements.
Expand Your Recruiting & Job Boards
While the information in your job posting is valuable for spreading diversity, where you post that message is just as important. Not all candidates look to the same sources for job postings. Some equally qualified candidates may use print ads, social networking sites, and other means of job searching. Certain job hosting sites, such as Diversity.com, NAAAP, and Pink Jobs, encourage diverse hiring. Utilize a variety of job boards and other job description sharing services.
Start a Diverse Interview Panel
When conducting group interviews, select a diverse group of well-qualified individuals from your company. Conducting group interviews with a diverse panel of people has several benefits. A diverse panel will help reduce interview bias and provide different perspectives on the same candidate. This can also help your potential new hires feel more comfortable and positive about your company from the start.
Make Inclusion Part of Your Brand
While more inclusive hiring is a great place to start for diversifying your business, don’t stop there! Strive to make inclusion and diversity part of your brand. The more well-known that your brand becomes for fostering a comfortable and diverse environment, the more likely you will attract diverse candidates.
Remember these five inclusive hiring tips for your organization to implement through your HR team. Your HR department should track your company’s diversity and make sure you comply with EEOC guidelines and follow your company statement. Here at The Christopher Group, our HR agency can evaluate your company and highlight where you can take steps to improve inclusivity for all future employees.