When you're doing DEI right, it's a quiet endeavor. There are no big announcements, no finger-pointy change initiatives, and no awkward training. I'll outline below why I'm not worried about DEI bans, and if you'd like to talk to me about your DEI program, get in touch, or check out the Apprenticeship Ready Checklist I talk about below.
I've never been a fan of roles specifically titled for DEI. Good people practitioners should already be bringing you a diverse group of candidates, looking at the makeup of leadership teams and benches, and ensuring your employees reflect your customers - it's just good business. Here's how I do it:
Address root causes.
If you're not seeing much diversity in your organizations, there's usually a reason why. Identifying the root cause reasons for why you only seem to be speaking to a homogenous group of potential employees is the first step in designing impactful people policies. For example, take a look at where you post open roles. If you're only hiring from one job board, you're only going to get applications from that segment of the population. Increasing your posting visibility is simple, and there is no shortage of places, both online and off, to do it.
Check your job requirements.
Education is a great thing, but if you're setting requirements that you don't really need, not only are you narrowing your candidate pool dramatically, but you're also probably overpaying people to get the work done. Keep an eye out for job descriptions that require a degree, but no indication of what kind. Would you hire someone with a degree in astrophysics? What about philosophy? If there's no specific qualification you're looking for, you probably don't need it. You'll find when you do this you'll also see a dramatic uptick in the diversity of your applicants.
Look at your customer base.
Who are the people that are buying from you? Where do they get information about your company? Where do they apply for jobs? Be where your customers are for more than just marketing. The people who believe in your product or service might not only make great staff, but will also demonstrate exactly how to find the kind of people that will serve those customers in a way that meets their expectations.
Train hiring managers to interview.
Interviewing is a skill, but not an exclusive one. When considering applicants for promotions or hiring decisions, there are some important pitfalls to avoid to ensure legal compliance. Additionally, however, there are some easy steps to take to take your process from box-checking to strategically-aligned. What questions are your hiring managers asking? Are they getting to the actual qualifications of the job? Are they setting interviewees up for success? Look around their teams and see who they've hired - and what perspectives aren't represented.
Consider apprenticeship.
One of the most overlooked opportunities for companies to find greater diversity is with apprenticeship programs. These programs, often tax-advantaged, give you the opportunity to hire people who train alongside your team, learn the role inside and out, and begin to deliver value faster than a street hire. As a bonus, apprentices are more likely to be engaged, stay longer, and cost less. Why isn't everyone doing this?
In fact, I'm such a big believer in apprenticeship that the New York Department of Labor asked me to come and speak to employers across the state on how they can do it themselves. If you'd like to get started, I've created an Apprenticeship Ready Checklist to help determine if the roles you'd like to fill could be done by an apprentice.
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