Diversity and inclusion are an essential requirement of recruitment program around the globe. They are the pillars of a great workplace, which is the need of every organization.

To be able to build a diverse workforce, and reap the benefits of the same, organizations must include strategies of D&I in their recruitment program.

We answer here the what’s and why’s associated with this topic to clearly put the idea into perspective.

What is Diversity and Inclusion?

Diversity and inclusion are two interconnected aspects; however, they are not interchangeable. Diversity is the bringing together of people from different culture, race, religion, color, gender. Inclusion is all about how these different people are integrated and included into a system such that each one of them is different yet same. They must be able to voice their opinions and represent their individualities, and at the same time associate themselves with the group they are a part of.

Andrés Tapia says: “Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work.”

Why do organizations need a D&I Recruitment Plan?

It is a people first world. These people are unique, they are intricate, complex, and skilled in their own distinct ways. Each one of them has something to offer to an organization and by building a diverse workforce, organization open paths to the varied opinions, perspectives and innovations.

In the world that we live in, professionals have begun valuing employee experience, workplace environment and company culture above everything else including salary.

Yes, you read that right.

A diverse and inclusive work environment makes brainstorming wider and allows entering untapped areas.

Advantages of a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

According to a 2018 McKinsey Study, it is beneficial for organizations to have diverse employees and management for significantly higher profits.

Some specific advantages of having a D&I workforce are mentioned below.

• Greater scope of innovation
• Attract top talents from around the globe
• Higher productivity and performance
• Engaged workforce
• Diverse and better decision-making
• Strong business results and profits
• Alignment of personal goals with company goals
• Higher scope of expansion
• Great company culture

The benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace mentioned above are some, among many. The advantages an organization can access from such a recruitment strategy are innumerable.

5 strategies for your next D&I recruitment program

A 2016 Harvard Business Review study found women were 79 times more likely to get the job when there were at least two females on the short list, while given the same scenario, nonwhite candidates were nearly 194 times more likely to get hired.

Given below are the top 5 strategies that organizations must incorporate in their recruitment program to make it diverse and inclusive.

1. Watch out your hiring posts: Break stereotyping in job roles as this is a great barrier in building diversity and inclusion at workplace. Whenever hiring managers create a job post they must keep a check on the tonality of their language. The job opening must be appealing to people of all kinds (unless specifications are necessary).
2. Collaborative approach: Even when an organization is building strategies for diversity and inclusion, they need to ensure that diverse people join in and share their opinions on this plan. It is imperative to consider their approach, and it is also the first step towards achieving D&I.
3. Target groups: Define target groups for strengthening diversity at workplace. Hiring managers should analyze their current workforce and check for areas where they are lagging. Based on this analysis they should source talents from target groups.
4. Company Culture on social media: It is essential for organizations to display their diverse company culture on their social media handles to attract top talents. This initiative appeals people from different communities and backgrounds to join in an organization.
5. An inclusive interview process: An interview process that reflects a company’s diverse work culture is essential for the organization’s branding. When interviewing candidates hiring managers must also consider their diversity requirements and prioritize such candidates.

It is widely believed that employees of an organization are the first promoters in the outside world. It is only when people within the organization feel inclusivity, they spread word-of-mouth. Branding an organization in a manner that everybody speaks of your culture is essential.