When someone asks me what's wrong with the current state of diversity recruitment focused on future employees, I have a quick answer: almost everything. This finding is the opening of a new article by John Sullivan on ERE.net. The HR expert focuses on the question of why even the most successful worldwide companies, including Google which has recently published not entirely satisfactory figures on the diversity of its staff, have failed to meet their objectives in the field of diversity.
1. Missing or weak business case
The starting point for all your diversity efforts must be a strong business case showing a clear correlation between an increase in diversity and team performance. You must also be able to show that diversity recruitment provides your company with the highest quality employees. Show ROI and express it in terms of money.
2. Missing data
Most current diversity initiatives are based on established practices in companies. They are based either on emotions or on a currently popular policy. However, if you want to find out what specifically helps you to hire effectively based on diversity, you need hard data. All your decisions should be based on this data. Simply speaking, replace emotions with data.
3. Insufficient segmentation
If you want to achieve employee diversity, you cannot use a one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment. Focus specifically on each ethnic to social group of potential employees. You can't, for example, assume that the same process will work for Europeans and Asians. Each segment also requires a different approach to active and passive candidates.
4. Poor referral management
Recommendations from your existing employees represent one of the most effective sources for recruiting new employees. Most employee referral programs are, however, not specifically targeted at diversity. Companies also often do not reward employee referrals in a way that helps them reach their diversity goals.
5. Lacking management accountability
Individual managers should be accountable for attracting new people and maintaining the diversity of their teams. Diversity-related results should represent a major item in their performance appraisals and compensation. This, of course, involves careful measurement and reporting.
6. Poor recruitment tools
Diversity recruitment tools and mechanisms should be selected on the basis of the above-mentioned measurements. The most effective ones generally include referrals from current employees, re-recruitment of former employees, revisiting the best candidates and recruitment within various events held by industry organizations and associations.
7. Ignoring the applicants' fear
Candidates of diverse backgrounds often feel afraid they can not fit into your business culture. They know very well that they are "different", which often prevents them from applying at all. That is why you need a detailed market analysis to detect the different types of fear in the individual segments. Then, focus on how you can reduce these fears.
8. Inability to chose the best recruiters
Belonging to a certain ethnic or social minority does not automatically make them the best diversity recruiters for your company. Decide strictly on the basis of their recruitment skills and achievement record, i.e. measurement again. If diversity recruitment really is your priority, reflect it in recruiters compensation.
9. Fear to headhunt the best people from the competition
The most effective recruitment strategy is the ability to identify and obtain the best performing individuals regardless of who they are currently working for. This is also true in the area of diversity recruitment.
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