By Dr. Fawzia Reza
In our globally connected world, developing inclusive practices allows us to work collaboratively and effectively with diverse stakeholders. Although many organizations understand the benefits of a diverse workforce, they often fall short in attracting and then retaining diverse employees. A checklist identifying the best inclusive practices for recruiting can be a valuable resource for organizations that want to hire and retain diversity within their organization.
As the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) manager at an asynchronous remote educational institution, I recently shared some steps below that might foster a sense of belonging and promote hiring retention of diverse employees:
The Rooney Rule
This was initiated by the NFL’s policy and is named after the former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dan Rooney. The hiring team is required to interview at least one minority candidate for senior level or coaching positions. Many organizations that follow this rule have extended it to all positions to include and promote gender and racial diversity. This simple step might resolve affinity biases and create opportunities for marginalized people to be accepted, welcomed, and recruited.
Inclusive Job Descriptions
Job descriptions should promote inclusive language to encourage applications from diverse candidates. For example, if an organization wants to hire a faculty member, then claiming that they are affiliated with a certain religion might discourage potential candidates who do not adhere to that faith from applying.
Time Zones
It is always a good idea to make appropriate adjustments for remote team members. For example, be cognizant of different time zones. Not everyone is available when the hiring team wants to meet. Sometimes candidates might be working different jobs and therefore might not be available at the time the hiring team has selected. This is especially true when hiring people for a remote position since the time zone of the interviewers might be very different from the interviewee.
Cultural Fit to Cultural Add
Organizations must move from considering whether a prospective employee is a cultural fit to determining if they might be a cultural add. A successful organization might prefer to hire an individual who fits with the existing culture, but this approach may be too limiting and promotes a cookie-cutter approach which may hurt in the long run, especially as the world is becoming more globalized.
Posting Job Vacancies on Different Recruiting Websites
While internal hiring is convenient, if an employee was asked to recommend someone, they might only select a friend or a relative. Therefore, whenever possible, it is best to place job opportunities on different recruiting websites. These include (but are not limited to) LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Craigslist and should also include sites that cater to special interest groups for people of certain cultures or interests. This simple step will allow for a more diverse candidate pool.
Offer Inclusive Perks
Some companies in the United States and the United Kingdom give a day off from work on their employee’s birthdays. If their birthday falls on an official holiday (for example, 4th of July or Christmas), then they can take a day on another day. Many religious and cultural holidays are not based on the Gregorian calendar and can vary from year to year. Organizations that offer floating holidays allow their employees to enjoy festivities with friends and families.
Strong and Welcoming On-Boarding Process
Starting a new position can be intimidating. This can be even more difficult if the organization utilizes a one-size-fits-all on-boarding process. Each of us are different, with diverse talents and needs, and not recognizing individual strengths, perspectives and needs can make some new employees feel stressed and isolated. My younger daughter recently started a new job and in her welcome packet, she received a puzzle that was complete except for one loose piece, which could fit right into the puzzle. This simple gesture, indicating that the organization felt the new hire would immediately fit into the team, makes new employees feel welcomed and included.
Promotions and Recognitions
Traditionally, white males have dominated C-suite positions. With the recent push towards promoting gender equality, a greater number of females are being promoted into senior executive roles. However, those who belong to the LGBTQ+ community continue to be underrepresented. If organizations want to retain a diverse workforce, there should be equal opportunities for growth and career advancement for everyone. For example, a 5-Minute Drill (Thomas & Khanji, 2004), wherein senior executives explain and defend their selection and promotion process and discuss why diverse individuals have not been appointed to leadership positions, might open up a dialogue to create greater opportunities for underrepresented minorities and allow the organization to demonstrate how they implement diversity and inclusion practices. Organizations must also recognize the accomplishments of their diverse employees. When employees are appreciated and recognized, they are more likely to remain on board and stay motivated.
Listen and Act
If one dominant group makes all the important and strategic decisions and are not transparent about their choices, this can create a toxic environment. While many organizations have hired a DEI director, manager or coordinator who develops workshops for employees, senior management are rarely expected to take this training or make efforts to address unconscious biases. As a result, they fail to understand the needs of their diverse employees, fostering a distrusting relationship with them.
Move Beyond the Check Box
While the number of DEI positions has increased, these individuals often do not have any real power and are only hired to check the diversity box. A superficial approach is counterproductive, because diverse employees lose motivation and trust because they realize that there are no meaningful changes to address their concerns. This ultimately causes higher turnover rates—defeating the purpose of hiring and retaining diverse employees.
Dr. Reza serves as the DEI manager at American College of Education. She is an author, researcher, educator and a passionate advocate for social justice. She leverages her qualifications and expertise in DEI to create awareness of inclusive practices.
