Inclusive Recruitment: How to encourage a diverse workforce

EDI. Three letters with a lot of meaning.

Of course, we’re talking about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. It’s a topic relevant to all industries, and just about everyone. Because, ultimately, we all want to be treated equally and fairly.

But how should we approach EDI in recruitment? Inclusive recruitment is now more important than ever, with many organisations implementing EDI strategies in order to attract a wider pool of talent, and ensure there is representation from a variety of minority groups across their business.

While EDI most definitely benefits the candidate, giving those from different backgrounds or minority groups an opportunity to succeed, it absolutely adds value to the client too. Here are a few ways inclusive recruitment can be beneficial to businesses.

It’s appealing to candidates

A focus on inclusive recruitment immediately makes your company more attractive to candidates. It can often be the deciding factor when choosing a new role. Data from CIPD says that 69% of people believe that the ability to work remotely is essential. This could be for a number of reasons – those with care-giving responsibilities may find remote working allows them to be on hand to collect children from school or provide care to elderly family members, while those with a neurodivergent condition may be more comfortable working in a remote environment.

It provides your organisation with diverse viewpoints and ideas

If we were all the same, the world would be a pretty boring place, right? Research from Deloitte suggests that diversity of thought enhances innovation by 20%, meaning employing a diverse workforce could help your business thrive. Innovation equals growth, after all. A diverse workforce means diverse experiences, which ultimately means different ideas. So, instead of employees offering up the same or very similar solutions to business problems, you’ll likely have access to lots of new ideas.

It can support staff retention

We know recruitment inside out, and we know that it can be a time-consuming, sometimes costly process for companies. With that in mind, staff retention is very important. The last thing you want is for your dream candidate to quit a few months into the role and have to start the process all over again.

A report by CIPD found that people want to work with businesses that demonstrate good employment practices. This includes EDI. So, ensure your organisation takes EDI seriously, and that you present values that align with your desired candidate. This will help increase staff retention.

On the subject of staff retention, a recent survey conducted by CIPD found that women and people in the LGBTQ+ community are more likely than others to be disproportionately subject to discrimination, exclusion and barriers at work.

During LGBT History Month in February, we polled our LinkedIn followers to see if their employers foster an inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ colleagues. While 55% of those surveyed said their employer did work to create an inclusive environment, 26% said their workplace could do more, while 20% said their employer didn’t at all.

With 1 in 5 of those polled admitting that their workplace did not foster an inclusive environment for the LGBTQIA+ environment, this suggests that there is work to be done when it comes to inclusivity in the workplace.

How can companies employ an inclusive workforce?

There are a number of ways companies can encourage a diverse workforce. Inclusive recruitment strategies, including diverse shortlisting, can help. Organising diversity training for your team can help reduce unconscious bias – this is essential for key decision makers and hiring managers, helping them to recruit in an inclusive way.

 To further support an inclusive workforce, companies should aim to accommodate people who may need flexibility or adjustments due to care-giving responsibilities, health conditions or other special needs.

Gleeson Recruitment Group HR and Operations Director Suzie Hughes, who has ADHD, believes that companies should offer reasonable adjustments for candidates with neurodivergent conditions.

Want more insights on diversity and inclusivity in the recruitment sector? Head over to our blog to discover how you can embrace neurodiversity during the hiring process, or learn why older employees may just be your biggest asset.

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