This blog is for Hiring managers, HR and business leaders who want to future-proof their workforce and improve workplace inclusivity.
Why Diversity in the Talent Pipeline Matters
With multi-cultural societies, and enhanced talent mobility due to changes in remote and hybrid working, it’s imperative organisations’ understand their potential talent pipeline. A proactive approach to ensuring your organisation’s talent pipeline is fit for purpose is strategically important in today’s hiring landscape.
The business case for diversity has key elements proven to enable businesses to outperform their competitors in areas that include:
- Innovation
- Enhanced performance
- Collaboration with broader ideas and perspectives
- Enhanced employer brand
McKinsey previously stated top quartile companies for gender diversity on executive teams were 39% more likely to outperform financially compared to those in the bottom. Additionally, those businesses with high racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to exceed National industry median financial returns. The Boston Consulting Group cite firms with diverse management teams generate 19% more revenue from innovation.
Common Challenges in Building Diverse Pipelines
- Over-reliance on the same networks/referrals limiting your pipeline.
- Biased job descriptions and adverts stopping diverse candidates from applying in the first place.
- Narrow definitions of what makes an individual qualified for a role. (E.G. a qualifying factor of a degree level qualification from a specific set of universities
- Lack of inclusive employer branding and no or limited examples of diversity advocacy or allyship.
How to overcome these challenges:
Broaden Your Sourcing Channels
Use a variety of sources to ensure your sourcing channels are widespread and engage the widest audience. Consider partnering with universities, community groups, and organisations focused on underrepresented talent. If using them, review the job boards you are engaging with. Could specialist job boards yield better results (e.g., women in STEM, veterans, or neurodiverse candidates) for example?
Consider the relationships with your chosen recruitment agencies. The talent pools they access and engage with on your behalf as a trusted partner. The strategic recruitment solutions they provide including RPO which supports long-term market intelligence and full process management.
Review & Refine Job Descriptions
When was the last time your job descriptions were reviewed? Are you using a library of job descriptions from historic hiring? Do they contain inclusive, gender-neutral language, focus on skills and potential rather than rigid requirements (if that is an option for the roles you are seeking to fill); highlight flexible working and inclusive policies? Working with an external partner to review and evaluate these alongside your EVP offering can give valuable insight and market intelligence enhancing your candidate attraction toolkit.
Leverage Technology & Data (Without Bias)
Are you tracking diversity metrics across sourcing, shortlisting, and hiring – are these metrics and the consideration of them based on measurable goals that you organisation can achieve? Look at the people and tools available internally or externally to support the achievement of your goals and the ability to interview without bias this diverse candidate pipeline.
Remember the tools and partners out there to help. HR systems, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), AI tools, and your chosen recruitment partners that help you reach your goals.
Using tools doesn’t have to be costly or time-consuming, but remember to use them sensibly and check for any bias in the way they have been set up (e.g. screening applications). Bias in algorithms can lead to an unnecessary filtering of candidates if the CV review parameters are not correct and you could miss out on talent.
Train both Hiring Managers & Recruiters
Don’t assume your team members have the ability to screen candidates without bias. Examine your recruitment methodology and provide the necessary training, including bias awareness training. Do you interview using competency questions or structured interview techniques? Also consider interview questions that check and evaluate transferable skills.
Nurture Long-Term Relationships
Be proactive and communicate – stay connected with diverse talent communities be that directly or via your agency recruitment partners. Your HR or CRM tools can provide excellent communication benefits here. You might even want to consider supporting career development initiatives – not just for your internal employees, but also for the wider candidate pool – this could be in the form of mentoring schemes or engagement with community groups who support diverse talent.
Build an Inclusive Candidate Experience
So you have considered your job descriptions, your technology and data and your team’s capabilities, but it is imperative to create an inclusive candidate experience for those considering applying to your organisation.
Be sure to communicate your commitment to diversity in your employer branding – be that in your job descriptions, your website, or your social media. Remember for some candidates’ reasonable adjustments will be a necessity for them to perform at their best – an accessible website to find out more and apply, flexible interview formats, interview location consideration to name but three. On top of that remember to highlight advocacy and allyship with real life examples of relatable employees and employee groups.
In conclusion, remember we build and nurture diverse pipelines through action and engagement, not by accident. If you cannot do everything all at once, consider smaller initial changes that can then build momentum or become part of a wider change in process or methodology.
To access wider talent pools and improve your diversity hiring, speak to ARM about your inclusive recruitment strategies and what we can do to help.
