Recruitment Practices for Diversity and Inclusion

Introduction 

Most companies hold the unanimous belief that diverse recruitment contributes to innovation, creativity, and better performance in the workplace. Numerous statistics ascertain this assertion and further noting that better performance at work hugely relies on miscellaneous recruitment. The topic of diversity in hiring is becoming prevalent amongst many recruiters and managers. It might seem an easy and a direct move, but it is instead proving laborious to move the needle. In contemporary society, many companies develop a list of tick boxes that underline the requirements for an applicant. These requirements tend to undermine certain groups of people in society. It means that as much as recruiting agencies strive to create diversity in the workplace, they seem to downplay equality. The LGBTQ people, for instance, have stood out as the major victims of this inequality. These recruiting managers fail to understand that people possess profound talent beyond their preset sum of identifiers. Additionally, black people, as well as older people, have been denied opportunities to express their abilities in the workplace. 

In the United States currently, there is no constitutional law that protects individuals from employment discrimination based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. Twenty-nine of the fifty US states also lack this provision for their citizens. Race has been and still is the pole conversation in American discussions. Disconcertingly, resumes with white names received fifty percent callbacks than resumes with black names. Numerous black people out here possess incredible work talents and only need the opportunity to showcase that. But historical and modern societies are depriving them of that chance. Congress enacted the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in the US to help protect older workers from recruitment discrimination. However, four decades down the line, around two-thirds of individuals aged between fifty-five to sixty-four report their age as a significant detriment to employment. As much as these unjustifiable acts tend to demoralize the victims, they go as far as depriving an organization of manifold ground. In the last ten years, hundreds of studies emerged underscoring the importance of building teams that don’t look or think the same way, and executive leadership is taking note. A report by research conducted by PwC notes that eighty-seven percent of global businesses anticipate the necessity of diversity and inclusion in organizational operations (Edgley et al., 2016). Every organization should, therefore, strive to incorporate this important tool in their operations for immense success. 

Historical Workforce Overview 

Racial discrimination and inequality in the United States are still highly pervasive as it was in the past. In the past, which is still similar to the present, black men are twice unlikely as their white counterparts to get a job in the US (Reich, 2017). And they experience these bouts of joblessness for quite a long time. The discrimination not only stops at recruitment as many black men report inequalities in wages and income. Most black men are exposed to jobs that require lower credentials and training, or racialized jobs, which are intended to offer service to the majority groups. These jobs hinder human capital from developing and often provide little assistance in terms of upward mobility. 

Workplace discrimination has primarily focused on statistical discrimination and hiring. Statistical discrimination is a discriminative technique that uses parameters such as gender and race to determine the productivity of prospective employees. This technique was mostly used in the past by employers to deny black males job opportunities, in which most blacks were less likely to get recruitment. Resumes with black-sounding names were also less likely to receive callbacks as opposed to those with white-sounding names (2017). Discrimination against black men would delve as much as to those who had already been employed. Reports indicated that black males usually received lower job appraisals than white males. The employers would then use vague attributes to award promotions. These attributes were mostly used to kick black males out of the lucrative opportunities to take hold of managerial positions. 

Workplace discrimination became so prevalent that employers who did not have previous experiences with black males developed a negative perception about them. Most of them were described as overly sensitive, defensive, difficult to control, and violent. With such tags to their reputations, a black man would be pretty sure they wouldn’t get employed. Many black men were henceforth denied a chance to make a positive impact in the workplace. Some of these black men could have provided novel ideas in problem-solving to their respective organizations. But with such discrimination, organizations continued to operate with the same old ideas. 

Historical Integration Overview 

When compared to whites, blacks had a lower-level health insurance coverage. For instance, where blacks were employed or looking for employment, a private employer was less likely to issue them with adequate health cover. However, public health insurance covers were offered adequately to all blacks with no discrimination at all (Rimmer, 2020). In some cases, black males were more likely to receive health insurance covers compared to their white counterparts. In nonoptimal organizations such as emergency rooms, blacks were more likely to receive health covers than whites. The healthcare gap between black and white males is not a huge one but has not yet narrowed down over time. 

Offering healthcare benefits is one sure way of attracting talents to an organization. Such benefits associated with providing quality health covers include boosting morale, developing a positive company culture, and increasing productivity. The primary purpose stands out as supporting the wellbeing of employees to ensure they remain productive and active at work. Employers who deny their employees such benefits are only looking to discourage prospective employees from applying with them. 

Current Link between Diversity and Employment 

Workplace diversity has been noted to provide massive benefits to both the employees and the company. This assertion improves the basic notion of workplace diversity, being just an inclusion fad. Companies that incorporate this diverse technique in their operations are known to outperform their competitors by significant margins. In the current workplace, diversity implies the employment of an extension of various individuals by companies. This move suggests employing individuals who not only look but think differently. Such a workplace should incorporate individuals of varying ages, religions, gender, cultural background, ethnicity, languages, sexual orientation, abilities, and education (Halvorsen & Hvinden, 2018). Companies that are currently utilizing this technique are recording an improvement in innovation, faster problem-solving, increased profits, better decision-making, reduced employee turnover, better company reputation, improved hiring results, and a variety of different perspectives. 

Disney is an example of a company fully exercising diversity and inclusion. Most people claim that Disney is the most exciting place on earth, but is also ranks as one of the most diverse workplaces. Disney set up the Global Workplace and Women’s Initiative (GWWI) program that provides women with more opportunities. A minority group of Latinos also received numerous promotions in Disney, which was more than 75.6% of other companies that qualified for the DiversityInc top-fifty list. Other companies at the forefront of preaching diversity and inclusivity include Coca-Cola, Novartis, Marriott International, EY, Kaiser Permanente, Accenture, Mastercard, Johnson & Johnson, and Sodexo, among many others. 

Definition of Inclusivity and Diversity 

Diversity and inclusivity are terms that are often used together but have different meanings. It is, however, important to note that the efforts of one rely on that of the other to succeed. Diversity in the workplace implies employing a wide range of individuals who reflect the core values of the society in which the organization operates. These are individuals with differing backgrounds and skills that together fill the arsenal of an organization’s staff. The term diversity might seem direct and legible, but it is not an easy concept to decipher at the workplace. Diversity includes all the elements that make humans different from each other. And though there might be an infinite number of elements to go by, many employ only a few social categories to define diversity, which includes race, gender, age, transgender talents, people with disabilities, and individuals who represent global, cultural, and social diversity and so on. 

Gender diversity simply implies having an equal number of men and women in the place. Despite pleas and movements to uphold gender diversity, there are still numerous cases of male dominance. These cases are prevalent in fields such as engineering, computing, science, and medicine. Gender diversity further demands the existence of a uniform rate in hiring both men and women, equal pay, and equal promotional and working opportunities. Age diversity means employing people of all ages in the workplace. Studies indicate that the number of older people is on the rise, with an expectation of seventy million older people by 2030 (Coltman et al., 2019). This study implies that there would be many qualified and experienced individuals who will lack the ability to work due to their age. For companies to maintain a competitive performance, they will have to find a way of incorporating older people into their workplace. Consequently, younger people and older people will have to find a way of working side by side to produce impressive results. 

Despite working towards achieving diversity, many companies are still experiencing difficulties in terms of racial and ethnic diversity. According to data from the EEOC, about $112.7 million is siphoned from employers due to cases of racial discrimination (2019). There is, however, a wide range of benefits that comes with hiring diverse employees from different ethnic backgrounds and races. Such benefits include increased innovation, higher productivity, increased revenue, reduced turnover costs, improved social cohesion, developed company reputation (specifically in the US), enhancement of accessibility to diverse customer markets, fewer internal disputes, etc. LGBTQ people are also another set of individuals who are constantly being discriminated in the workplace. Most of these individuals possess numerous talents that are useful in enhancing work performance. They are, however, denied the opportunity to showcase their abilities due to the negative societal perception about them. The few who have been employed are also constantly being discriminated against. Relative to the general definition of diversity, according to these individuals, an equal opportunity will help an organization attain its full potential. 

Inclusion, though used hand in hand with diversity, is separate from it. A definition by SHRM terms inclusion as the development of a workplace that accords everyone an equal opportunity, and every individual is treated fairly and equally (Martinez-Acosta & Favero, 2018). This definition means that every individual is given a pristine atmosphere to contribute to the success of an organization positively. Cases such as discrimination in the workplace will be abhorred, which will cushion every worker whose rights had been previously violated. 

When hiring, recruiters should uphold diversity and inclusivity, which is time-tested to help an organization remain on top of the competitive market. Advantages such an improved company reputation has a direct impact on boosting the sales and profits of a business. People, be it customers or job-seekers, want to associate themselves with a company that is admired for upholding the rights and needs of everyone. Diversity and inclusivity provide a wide range of ideas in the workplace, which improves general performance. 

Searching for Candidates in Diverse Origins 

Ignoring diversity in the workplace only disparages a company’s reputation and overall performance. There might be no massive legal payouts and fines for organizations that discriminate against a particular group, but companies risk missing out on the numerous advantages that come with diversifying. Diversity is meant to help a company introduce new sets of skills to the company at the same time retaining the present ones. At times, it is a difficult task to adopt diversity and keep every member of the company satisfied and appreciated. However, such challenges can only be considered trivial and could be easily solved by managers within. It is instead retrogressive for a company to downplay diversifying as it looks to expand completely. Going for the same type of employees only means filling your base with existing skills, which proves to add no significant value. If you consider the number of profits a company is missing out by going for the same talents, it is much more than they could ever pay as fines for discrimination. 

Rather than just looking for someone who could the same job as the previous employee, companies should consider going for individuals who are talented and could do the job smarter and more effectively than their predecessors (Jones-Berry). It is a matter of getting individuals who are not looking to fit into the routine but to aim for a remarkable achievement. While trying to get new talents, recruiters should consider several factors in the talent pool they are sourcing from. A shy worker might lack leadership skills, but their conscientious nature could make them thrive in a programming job. Recruiters should also perceive the hiring process as an opening for corporate growth. They should hire to improve their abilities rather than just replace the previous employee. Above all, they should employ individuals who are the epitome of their company’s vision and goals. 

Representation of Diversity by Interviewing Teams 

The key to a diverse workplace could also lie in the hands of the interviewing panel and teams. For instance, having an interviewing panel that is composed of both blacks and whites sends the message that a company is serious about diversity and inclusivity. If a black man or woman attends an interview with only white interviewers, they are going to lack that sense of belonging. They might feel that they don’t fit into that particular organization and might not do their best to get the job (Jones-Berry). Winning the best talents could rely on having the best structure of the interviewing team. According to a 2018 report by the Global Recruiting Trends, thirty-five percent of companies are using this technique to attract prodigious talents (Aultman & Pathmathasan, 2020). 

The report further records a significant increase in gender representation in the interviewing panels. For every interviewing panel in major companies, there are at least two women and members of the overlooked communities, such as the LGBTQ. Diversity in the boards also reduces biases, which is a massive impediment to diversity. A panel looking to rule against an LGBTQ person unjustly might exercise restraint due to the presence of an LGBTQ person on the board (Jones-Berry). An excellent example of a company applying this form of diversity is Cisco. By an impressive 70%, Cisco has improved the chance of a black woman making it past the interview. Diverse panels are continuing to grow and would be an imperative trend a few years down the line. Discrimination from the initial stage of recruitment cripples the entire process, and people end up losing faith with a company. 

Eliminating Application Information that may Promote Bias 

The recruitment process could be a lengthy one with numerous steps, therefore, providing room for error. At times, the interviewer might discriminate against a job candidate without knowing anything about it. In looking for the best candidate for a job, employers usually draft a list of critical requirements that they will use in analyzing every interviewee. Biases could creep in through this method. The last person to be successful in that position will be used in assessing other applicants. If by chance, that person was a white man, it becomes increasingly difficult for black applicants to succeed in the application. Many organizations employ this method in an attempt to avoid risk. Employers find it safer just to find a recruit who is similar to the previous one. 

Certain questions asked during interviews might be culturally-biased. Questions about an individual’s place of origin, ethnicity, or religion might be irrelevant in assessing a person’s skills and abilities. Certain interviewers have used such questions to form their basis for hiring. A Christian might decide against hiring a Muslim and vice-versa. Any hiring process should involve an interviewer getting over their stereotypes, judgments, and first impressions of the candidates to have an unbiased view of their skills and abilities (Conley, 2016). Interviewers should, therefore, try to forego the traditional interview questions that have no relation at all to job performance. Instead, they focus on formulating a set of standard questions that are fair and only focus on the candidates’ qualifications. 

Conclusion 

With the growing, dynamic nature of the business world, diversity and inclusivity are soon becoming necessities for business to remain in operation. This concept of proactiveness is one that has been supported by different stakeholders in the business field. Employees get the feeling of belongingness with a burning urge to improve and grow. If all employees keep doing the same things every day, boredom creeps in which hinders creativity and innovation. However, a diverse team of employees means every member could be doing different things differently. The effect of this action every employee is looking to learn from the other with a will to develop new ideas and skills. Summarily, employee happiness is assured. When employees are creative and innovative, the business looks to grow massively from improving sales and profits. Therefore, diversity and inclusivity are concepts that fully benefit both employers and employees. Relative to the PwC research and numerous other reports, very soon, diversity and inclusivity will become an organizational priority. 

Recommendations 

For an organizational manager, having a wide range of employees provides a diverse spectrum of ideas, which are time-tested to promote business success. It is, therefore, the role of organizations to combat discrimination and enhance diversity and inclusivity. While taking this advantageous step, they must ensure that they uphold diversity and inclusivity in both the pre-employment and post-employment stages. The first recommendation to achieve this objective is to have an expertly-structured interviewing process (Buijsrogge & Duyck, 2016). This process should contain elements of job analysis, limited prompting, same questions, multiple interviewers, more extended interviews, control of ancillary information, detailed notes, and statistical prediction. 

There should be an existence of diverse mentoring relationships where the mentor and the mentee vary in status within the organization. These relationships are beneficial and equip both the mentor and mentee with empathy, skills, and knowledge to interact with various people (Pathmathasan & Aultman, 2020). Organizations can also offer training to managers to help in managing their diverse relationships. Organizations should develop a fully-inclusive environment by utilizing skillful leadership. The leader should keep every employee in check and ensure they uphold the rights of other employees. 

References 

Reich, Michael. Racial inequality: A political-economic analysis. Princeton University Press, 2017. 

Rimmer, A. (2020). Covid-19: Disproportionate impact on ethnic minority healthcare workers will be explored by government. 

Halvorsen, R., & Hvinden, B. (Eds.). (2018). Youth, Diversity and Employment: Comparative Perspectives on Labour Market Policies. Edward Elgar Publishing. 

Coltman, J. E., Jones, D., & Rosen, P. (2019, June). Diversity and inclusivity at AWE. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2109, No. 1, p. 130002). AIP Publishing LLC. 

Martinez-Acosta, V. G., & Favero, C. B. (2018). A Discussion of Diversity and Inclusivity at the Institutional Level: The Need for a Strategic Plan. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 16(3), A252. 

Jones-Berry, S. Black History Month. 

Conley Tyler, M. (2016). Diversity and diplomacy. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 70(6), 695-709. 

Buijsrogge, A., Derous, E., & Duyck, W. (2016). Often biased but rarely in doubt: How initial reactions to stigmatized applicants affect interviewer confidence. Human Performance, 29(4), 275-290. 

Aultman, J., & Pathmathasan, C. (2020). A Call for Diversity and Inclusivity in the HEC-C Program. The American Journal of Bioethics, 20(3), 46-50. 

Edgley, C., Sharma, N., & Anderson-Gough, F. (2016). Diversity and professionalism in the Big Four firms: Expectation, celebration and weapon in the battle for talent. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 35, 13-34.