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DEI Focus on Four: TEAM

Let’s talk about your team. Many companies right now are thinking about ways to diversify their teams. We know diverse teams make better decisions, and in an environment where decisions are being made at warp speed, good decisions are essential to success.

YOUR WORDS

Finding an employee right now is challenging for anyone; several of our clients are tasking us with a multitude of recruitment requests. Focusing on recruiting a diverse workforce when anyone with a pulse is needed may seem overwhelming. We understand. Using the “write” words when crafting your employment advertisements will widen your field or potential employees.

While you may want a Rockstar and a ninja, refrain from adding that jargon to your ads. Sure, some companies have added ninja, unicorn, rockstars to their teams. However, titles like these bring very specific visuals and stereotypes. In her article, “Ninja, Unicorn, Rockstar”- Okay on a Beer Can, Not in a Job Posting,” Edie Stringfellow also advises against using words like “expert,” “superior,” or “world-class.”

Figuring out if your job listing uses too much jargon is easy when you run it through a Jargon Decoder. Gender-biased language can also negatively impact your hiring process. A Gender Decoder will help you determine if the tone is swaying to one gender or another.

For more on how to recruit diverse teams, check out our article, “Recruiting A Diverse Team Starts With You,” written for the South Bend Elkhart Regional Partnership.

YOUR POOL

Isn’t it exciting when resumes start rolling in? If your focus is on increasing the diversity of your workforce, be sure you have “Two in the Pool.” No, this is not some summer safety suggestion (while it’s a good idea when swimming, too). Research shows that if your hiring pool contains only one diverse candidate, there is no chance they will actually be hired. However, if you add just one more diverse candidate to your pool, the odds increase 79.4 times!

Many companies struggle with this. What do they do if they only have one diverse candidate in their pool? We suggest looking at… YOUR WORDS. Screen your job listing for jargon and bias and repost it. See if you get more candidates who are diverse. Then proceed in your process.

YOUR OPTICS

These days, a candidate that doesn’t google you shouldn’t be a candidate. That being said, if your intent is to diversify your workforce, be sure your company is projecting a diverse image. What do the images on your website and social media indicate? Does your company’s social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Insta) show a corporation that is diverse in employees, customers/consumers, and interests?

A study by Monster and YouGov found 59% of millennials browsed a company’s website when looking for a new job. We’ve harped for years for job seekers to clean up their social media; it appears the road goes both ways.

YOUR OUTCOMES

Finally, measure your success. Don’t be afraid to A/B test a job description to see if you attract a different demographic. Measure your workforce turnover, longevity, and advancement for both diverse employees and non-diverse ones. This information can lead you to better decision-making.

 

Write Connections | strategy + design, LLC. works with employers who wish to diversify their workforce and improve retention. 

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