When inclusion is part of a company’s culture and goals, efforts go beyond offering job opportunities to minority groups – inclusion implies not just acceptance, but integration. In this article, we will explore what does an inclusive hiring process entails, why inclusion matters and how it can impact your company.
Inclusion must be valued
For inclusion to be successful in a company, just having a program or campaign isn’t enough. All employees must embrace the value of inclusion in order for it to be truly implemented in the workplace.
To build a healthy, open and harmonious workplace – in which differences are respected and valued – the company’s culture must value inclusion, and leaders must have that in mind everyday.
The importance of inclusion
Chances of hiring top talent increase when your company is known as a place where everyone is respected, and more importantly, included.
There is also a higher chance that your employees will speak of your company in positive terms if they feel everyone is respected, regardless of their unique characteristics.
An inclusive company tends to not only retain top talent, but also promote more creativity and obtain better financial results than less diverse companies.
Culture and diversity
As mentioned before, inclusion initiatives will only work if the company culture changes as well. And in order to do that, the business strategy and KPIs must also reflect inclusion goals.
The most important step is involving leaders, so that they are committed to these goals and can set an example to all employees.
According to Gallup, a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion needs 3 pillars: respect, differences, and leaders as role models.
Respect
Everyone in the organization must be treated with respect regardless of their gender, ethnic background, sexual preferences, age, and any other personal characteristic.
Differences
When there is a safe and inclusive work environment, people are more likely to feel comfortable just being themselves and to display their unique abilities. Leaders can also encourage employees to explore and hone these skills further.
Leaders as role models
Decisions and behaviors adopted by leaders must serve as examples for other employees, which is why leaders must embrace diversity and inclusion initiatives for them to be successful within the company.
Inclusion in the hiring process
Here are five ways to make your hiring process more inclusive:
Challenge discriminatory biases
Organizations must make an effort to mitigate discriminatory biases in decision making processes. In order to do so, data from past decisions must be evaluated and confronted throughly. From there, the company can determine which actions are necessary in order to make more balanced decisions.
Use technology
Implementing technologies such as artificial intelligence in your hiring process can help make the decisions more objective and fair. There are algorithms that can help the company identify any hidden discriminatory biases and mitigate them in future decisions.
Train the leadership
Everyone has behaviors and beliefs that were shaped by their life experience, and some individuals might uphold postures that replicate discriminatory biases without their full understanding or knowledge. This is why offering information on best practices and challenging these biases is necessary, especially for those in leadership positions. Once leaders understand the importance and value of inclusion, it becomes much easier to integrate this concept throughout the company.
Rethink hiring processes
Go over each step of the process, from defining the job description, to the final interview, and try to identify any biases that might be hidden in the hiring process. Is the language inclusive, or does the wording in the job description imply certain traits such as gender, age or ethnic background are preferred? Is your process accessible to those with special needs?
Encourage collaboration and interaction
Inclusion cannot be forced, but collaboration and interaction between co-workers can speed up the process. In the end, inclusion is about feeling like you are part of something bigger, and that you are respected within that space.