Exploring the Next Phase of DEI in Hiring

In the ever-evolving landscape of DEI, the focus on creating inclusive workplaces continues to shape the future of organizations worldwide. As we stand on the threshold of a new phase in DEI, one crucial aspect that demands attention is the hiring process.

We honestly couldn’t think of 3 better people to join us to discuss the strategies, challenges, and opportunities that lie ahead in the realm of diverse and equitable hiring practices. 

• Torin Ellis, Principal at The Torin Ellis Brand
• Rocki Howard, Chief Equity & Impact Officer at The Mom Project
• Israel Gutierrez, Former TA Leader at Axios & The New York Times

And trust us, you don’t want to miss the conversation that was had amongst this panel and Edisa Rodriguez, Pillar’s Head of Growth and DEI.

Check out the full 1-hour webinar below or read on for a brief synopsis of the 3 topics that were covered.

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1.) How the DEI Landscape Has Evolved

Edisa kicked this topic off by asking the panelists how they think the DEI landscape has transformed in recent years.

Back in 2020 when the topic of DEI was exploding, Rocki mentioned that she questioned whether it was a moment, a movement, or something that could be sustained. Over the past year, she believes we’ve seen a subtle erosion on some of the progress that was made during that time. However, this time has allowed for bolder conversations and for candidates to be more clear on their expectations of how organizations prioritize inclusivity. Unless organizations are looking at DEI from both a business imperative and a human imperative, their DEI efforts will not be sustainable.

Torin believes that to fight back on this recent DEI erosion, there simply needs to be a fundamental shift in positioning DEI efforts as strategic support and as a source of business intelligence. When Torin says business intelligence, it’s not just a social media post or changing your logo during Pride Month, but strategies that are woven throughout the fabric of the organization. And if you don’t have a strategy, your leadership will continue to push back. It’s imperative to be creative and stretch the boundaries of what we’ve seen DEI to be over the last 10 years so that the next 10 are remarkably different.

Israel has been closely monitoring organizations that publicly committed in 2020 to achieve specific DEI goals. These are the organizations worth observing because, fast forward to now, we can now assess their progress toward these objectives and whether they are making any modifications to their original plans.

2.) How TA, HR, & DEI Practitioners Are Working Together

The majority of the audience believes that the relationship between TA, HR, and DEI within their organization is good, but Torin mentioned that it needs to be better. There are far too many people that are afraid of letting go of being good so they can be even better.

For Rocki, it’s all about shared accountability and shared values. There’s no one function that can solve the issues that exist within the realm of DEI if they’re not working together.

3.) Future of DEI in Hiring

What innovative best practices have emerged over the last few years that are making an impact in DEI?

Rocki is very happy to see that we’re breaking the paper ceiling and focusing on skills-based hiring while Israel believes compensation-based transparency is another win. For Torin, it’s how background check and drug screening processes have changed.

Thanks to Torin, Rocki, and Israel for joining us! Their insight is always second to none. Don't forget to check out the entire webinar linked above to uncover more valuable insights from this outstanding group!

And see you on October 25th for our next monthly webinar: 100 Hires in 90 Days (How the People Team at Crunchyroll Achieved This).