Diversity in the workplace goes far beyond gender or race. When building your diverse team, remember to look at experience levels and backgrounds, too. Most importantly, look for people who are going to fit the role and within the team best. Malcolm Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine, had an interesting definition – “Diversity: the art of thinking independently together” – but how does that work for your business? Here are three ways to add diversity to your company.
Keep your job descriptions unbiased
Without realizing it, companies may be using keywords or phrases in job descriptions that seem dominant towards one group over another. For example, if a company uses the phrase “work hard, play hard,” some may feel as though that’s more directed to the millennial age group. Entry level individuals may be less likely to apply for a position that states “best of the best” in the description because they may feel this is more targeted toward experienced professionals. Be cognizant of how you are writing requirements and descriptions to better attract a diverse group of candidates.
Stay open-minded during the hiring process
From the hiring team to the questions asked, position the hiring process with an open mind and set your candidate up for success no matter his or her race, gender or skill level. When you build a diverse hiring team, you’re setting up for a successful, well-rounded interview experience. Allow your candidates to speak to all levels of the company, whether the male account representative or the female CEO. When your candidates have the opportunity to speak with a diverse group, they’re less likely to feel intimidated and more likely to speak freely about their experiences and what they can bring to the table, making this a win-win.
When the interview process is complete, compare your candidates in parallel. Examine how they answered the same question in comparison to each other instead of breaking up your evaluation with no strategic process. This will give all candidates a fair and equal opportunity to become the newest member of your team.
Add diversity to already established teams
If you have a team consisting of one specific demographic, hire one or two totally different individuals into the mix to build diversity within that group, using care not to add someone who will be disruptive just for the sake of diversity. Pair up entry level employees and executives to source ideas from different experience levels and perspectives, or pair two people with different industry experiences together. This not only builds diversity internally, but can also provide a diverse experience for your customers or clients. A recent study shows that companies with a racial and ethnically diverse team are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective competition, and who isn’t interested in being a step ahead of the competition?
These are just a few of the many ways to include diversity in your company. For more tips on hiring, check out the WorkSmart blog!
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