In recent decades, diversity has steadily become a priority for employers across most industries. Hiring a diverse team is now considered one of the most critical aspects of running a healthy, thriving business—and not just because it’s the right thing to do.
Employing a workforce of individuals from various backgrounds and abilities can give your company a competitive advantage. More and more consumers are looking to buy from brands that value diversity and inclusion; you stand to grow your customer base and boost your revenue by revisiting your hiring process. If you’re not sure where to start on fostering diversity in your organization, check out these practical tips from Leadership Phalanx:
Consider the Benefits
There are many other benefits to hiring and managing a diverse workforce. For example, working with team members from various backgrounds and with different abilities can increase innovation in your company. In other words, diversity of thought can be one of your most vital qualities! Learning how to attract and leverage a broader pool of talent will expose your business to many ideas that you would otherwise be missing.
Creating a diverse workforce can also help you to capture new markets. As new ideas begin to roll in, it will naturally open your company up to opportunities to expand your offerings and promotional efforts. Moreover, your reputation in the community and industry will benefit you. These advantages combined can ultimately result in higher revenue and help you grow.
Assess Your Hiring Process
Your first step to cultivating a diverse workforce will be to evaluate your current hiring process to see how you can make improvements. Look for any bottlenecks and discrepancies that could potentially limit your company. By analyzing your diverse hiring data, you will be better equipped to know what specific steps to take to boost your company’s success.
Adjust the Workplace
Diversity includes factors like race and ethnicity and the unique abilities and limitations that individuals bring to your team. You can accommodate most limitations by making sensible changes to your work environment.
Whether it’s incorporating accessibility tools and equipment for those who live with visual, auditory, or mobility impairments or training your hiring managers to adopt a more inclusive mindset, there are countless ways that your workplace can foster differently-abled individuals!
Invest in Mentorships and Internships
One of the best ways to transition potential employees into full-time employees is to provide an internship program to learn from firsthand experience on the job. Consider starting a program specifically designed to diversify your team. Launching a mentorship program could be an effective way to train your current employees to fulfill their roles so that it helps your company achieve its overall vision.
Embrace Blind Hiring
No matter how well-intentioned, every hiring manager is subject to unconscious or conscious bias about any job candidate that comes their way. That’s why blind hiring can prove so effective in helping your company to improve diversity among the team.
There are many different techniques for executing blind hiring. There is even software on the market that will anonymize resumes and pre-hire testing. In short, this philosophy applies to any strategy that hides or anonymizes a candidate’s personal information from the hiring manager. Not knowing a candidate’s name, school, or address reduces the likelihood that unconscious bias will factor into a hiring manager’s unconscious bias.
Today, diversity is one of the essential factors to consider for employers. There are many benefits to hiring a diverse team, and it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process. Consider the tips above as you look to boost diversity, and keep looking for other ways you can move your company in the right direction!
Would you like to read more helpful content about business leadership and team-building? Visit LeadershipPhalanx.com today!
About the author:
"Marissa Perez, a marketing guru, is a co-founder and head marketing writer at Business Pop. She has spent the last 10 years honing her marketing skills, and now she wants to share her knowledge with those who have decided to take on entrepreneurship.