Every company should prioritize having a diverse workforce. This increases innovation, productivity, and the bottom line.
However, many companies still lack a diverse workforce. One reason is that most organizations moved to a remote or hybrid environment when the coronavirus pandemic began. In many cases, this led to discriminatory hiring practices that would have been more noticeable while working onsite.
Another reason is that millions of female employees had to quit their jobs to handle virtual schooling, childcare, elder care, or other family responsibilities during the pandemic. Many of these employees are struggling to reenter the workforce.
This imbalance of gender and racial representation has adverse long-term impacts on companies. Examples include less cash flow per employee, reduced revenue, lower industry average financial returns, and decreased attraction for job seekers.
These are reasons why companies need to focus on increasing diversity in their workforces. The following tips can help.
Use these strategies to increase diversity in your workforce.
Develop Inclusive Job Postings
Along with the job requirements, communicate in your job ads the inclusivity of your culture. This helps attract diverse candidates to your organization.
For instance, use gender-neutral language to attract more female candidates. Also, list only the top three job requirements to encourage women and people of color to apply.
Avoid language such as “work hard, play hard,” which may discourage older candidates from applying. Plus, share whether reasonable accommodations can be made for special-needs candidates.
Implement Inclusion Training
Train employees at all levels to minimize their biases. Include the benefits of collaborating with diverse colleagues and coworkers.
You may want to use video training programs or presentations by employees who are women or people of color. Also, include online training and group discussions so employees can practice their learning.
Create a Mentorship Program
To help women and people of color to advance to leadership positions, create a mentorship program. Match a company leader with a female employee or employee of color.
Each pair can work and grow together. They can expand their knowledge, learn to look at circumstances differently, and approach situations from different angles.
As a result, leaders can discover the challenges minority employees face and help resolve the issues. Also, women and people of color gain support to move to leadership roles.
Establish Employee Resource Groups
Develop support groups run by employees and for employees. Aim to develop connections and provide support for the targeted groups. Include activities that help these employees move up in the organization.
Partner with Corps Team
Corps Team began as a firm dedicated to helping women return to the workforce after taking time off to start families. Since then, it has expanded to offer a range of recruitment solutions with a nationwide reach.
Corps Team is a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and certified by the Women’s Business National Enterprise Council (WBENC). The firm focuses on matching companies with diverse, highly skilled candidates.
Contact the diversity staffing experts at Corps Team to learn more today.
