How diverse is your company in this current business climate? Gone are the days when a business could get away with just talking about diversity. Now it’s about action and results. As times continue to change, the need for a more diverse workforce will increase. Even the U.S. Census Bureau reported that “Asian, Hispanic and multiracial groups” which are “traditionally underrepresented populations will hit majority status by 2044.” That puts the needs for a more diverse recruiting strategy into perspective doesn’t it? How does a business get there? Below are some tips to help employers be more diverse with their recruiting.
Assessment: The only way to assess how diverse your company is, is to conduct an assessment. We’ve discussed the need to assess and refine your hiring practices many times. Some employers may not want to review this data, but it’s essential to have a starting point when implementing a more diverse recruiting effort. With diversity, employers must first understand where they are at before they can plan where to go.
Revealing Your Numbers: Some companies have found much success in improving their diversity goals by revealing their diversity numbers. According to a recent article companies such as Google, and SendGrid, starting revealing their numbers in an effort to improve their workforce. SendGrid stated, “Since we began sharing these numbers, we’ve seen improvements in every area of focus. For example, women now make up 32% of SendGrid’s 349 employees, up from 24% in 2015 and 22% in 2014. Women also hold 29% of all leadership jobs, up from 27% in 2015 and 19% in 2014.”
Tips to Improve your Recruiting: Networking is one area that can enhance your diverse recruiting, according to some experts. Harvard published a paper on “Recruiting for Diversity,” featuring more detail on networking to include areas to target such as professional organizations, diverse MBA Associations, women and minority conferences, seminars, job fairs, and events, online professional social networking media, such as LinkedIn and Facebook and other online groups.
Learn What Other Companies Are Doing? A recent article featured several local Chicago companies and how they are making strides with their diversity goals and recruiting. Companies such as Enova have “partnerships with external organizations” to help them reach their diversity goals. Another company featured, Grainger, was mentioned for “establishing inclusive behaviors and language to further collaboration and camaraderie, increasing the diversity of board members, developing programs such as mentoring and reverse mentoring, and establishing strong business resource groups to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace.” For more information on what other local companies are doing click here.
Whatever recruiting plans your company implements moving forward, it’s best to include a strategy that finds diverse candidates. If you’re struggling with recruiting in a diverse business world, contact us for a free consultation. With over twenty years’ experience, placing top talent in Chicagoland, we know the right tactics to help your business meet your company’s diversity goals.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the President and Owner of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency with over 20+years’ experience located in Schaumburg, IL. Ingrid and her team assist employers with finding the right hire for their business. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
