Recruiting and hiring a diverse team is one of the most important elements of an effective company in today's world. Diversity-focused hiring allows us to draw from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives – all essential qualities for any successful business.

If you've looked at the fast-growing, most innovative companies over the last decade, they have one thing in common – highly diverse teams. A team with diverse members can approach a problem from multiple viewpoints, providing a larger number of data points and angles. As a result, such teams are better equipped to arrive at more effective solutions.

But having a comprehensive strategy in place requires more than just understanding why diversity matters. To really succeed at making your organization a thriving hub of varied ideas and talent, you must build an actionable plan that will effectively boost your recruitment efforts and increase your necessary metrics! In this blog post, we’re hashing out tips for HR professionals, hiring managers, and recruiters on how to implement an impactful diversity recruitment process.

In this article, we're going to talk about diversity, the tools to make it happen, the strategies that fuel it, and the how-to's that will make you an expert at attracting diverse talent. We'll discuss what is diversity recruitment, why diversity hiring is important, and how to recruit diverse candidates. Additionally, we’ll provide a few specific examples of diversity tools, interview intelligence solutions, and resources that can help you achieve your diversity hiring goals.

Picture this: you've got a business and it's thriving. You've got a great team, but you notice that they all share the same background, the same experiences, and the same viewpoints. Don't get me wrong; there's nothing wrong with having things in common with the rest of your team... in fact, that's a great way to build interpersonal professional relationships. But it can lead to tunnel vision.

Suddenly, you're not seeing the bigger picture, and you're missing out on ideas that could take your business to the next level. That's where a diversity recruitment strategy comes in. By actively seeking out candidates from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, you'll be inviting fresh perspectives to the table. And with fresh perspectives come new ideas, new approaches, and new ways of thinking. In short, diversity can give your business a competitive edge. So, don't be afraid to mix it up. Shake things up. Hire some different people than usual... you might just be surprised at where it takes you.

Inclusive Recruitment Strategies

Let’s talk about inclusive recruitment strategies because frankly, a diverse and dynamic team is a dream team. But, we’re not just talking about ticking boxes, we’re talking about creating a workplace that is welcoming and representative of all. When we commit to inclusive recruitment strategies, we commit to the notion that everyone has something unique to bring to the table.

Companies like Google have pioneered this idea not only in their hiring strategies but also in the way their team spends time working on products within the brand. Diversity hiring keeps teams interesting and agile, diversity of time use keeps employees interested in the projects that they're working on, and diversity of input (the creative ideas that fuel those projects) creates a company that is constantly pushing the boundaries of creativity.

Recruiting people from all walks of life and backgrounds is a surefire way to inject fresh ideas and perspectives into our workplace. Plus, if you’re like us, you want to work with people who inspire you and challenge you in equal measure. So, let’s put aside any preconceptions we might have and make a concerted effort to embrace inclusivity in our recruitment. After all, variety is the spice of life.

Inclusive recruitment strategies require not only the realization that diversity is a key factor but the tools to support hiring diverse candidates. Interview intelligence software by Pillar was built for this purpose. With interviewer coaching tools, video analytics powered by Ai, and a suite of resources to help companies eliminate bias from their hiring process, Pillar will help you reach your diversity goals.

One of the most incredible teams that I've worked with in my career had a culture that was unmatched. We were extremely diverse, and every member of the team had a unique perspective. We were constantly challenging each other, bouncing ideas off each other, and pushing our own boundaries.

One of our favorite bonding exercises as a team was Thursday's happy hour. We'd get together and play hilarious games, like Quiplash, voting on one another's answers to see who was the most outlandish and funny.  It was a great way to break up the monotony and really let our personalities shine - and bond over shared experiences that created inside jokes and a culture that everyone enjoyed.

At the end of the day, that's what diversity recruitment is all about—it's about creating an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and has something unique to offer. Whether it’s through recruiting for different backgrounds or creating bonding experiences like Thursday’s happy hour, employers need to keep in mind that diversity recruitment is a key part of creating an inclusive and dynamic workplace.

Diversity In Recruitment And Selection

In today's globalized world, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of diversity in recruitment and selection. It's about creating a workforce that reflects the wider community, realizing that different perspectives and experiences can bring new ideas and approaches to problem-solving.

Not only is diversity the right thing to do, but it also makes good business sense, as it has been shown to increase innovation, creativity, and profits - as we mentioned in the Google analogy in the previous section. Employers need to think critically about equality and diversity in recruitment and selection processes and make conscious efforts to attract a diverse pool of candidates. This begins with a commitment to do better. You can start by taking a look around your office or Zoom tiles, and see who you've "invited" to the proverbial "table."

At their core, diversity recruitment strategy examples begin with a commitment to implicit bias training, targeted outreach efforts, and ensuring that diverse candidates feel welcome and valued throughout the hiring process. Create a diversity hiring checklist that includes a roadmap based on this question:

What are the five main things you would do to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce?

If your answer is:
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1. Implement implicit bias training for managers and recruiters -
2. Design job postings and ads that are more inclusive -
3. Launch targeted outreach efforts to diverse talent pools and job boards that host diverse communities -
4. Engage with the community to source candidates from underrepresented backgrounds -
5. Review your hiring process for areas of potential bias or discrimination -

Make sure this is the place you begin next time you're looking for a new candidate to fill an open role.

What Is Diversity Recruitment

Diversity recruitment is about seeking out individuals who bring unique experiences, ideas, and perspectives to the table. We're talking about a melting pot, not a cookie cutter. By actively seeking out a diverse pool of candidates, companies can foster a more inclusive workplace culture that values everyone's differences. So let's break down those hiring barriers and celebrate the wonderful mix of people that make up our world.

Diversity recruiting strategy examples all point to a common theme. Google, Facebook, Tesla, Goldman Sachs, and many others didn't start with the goal to hit a metric. They began with the idea that unique people from unique backgrounds brought unique and different solutions to problems. This is why diversity hiring is important.

Maybe this is why they redefined the question, what is diversity recruitment? It wasn't about looking different, it was about the value that every unique and "different" person brought to a team- and that made teams more interesting and diverse at the same time.

How To Recruit Diverse Candidates

We asked a question two sections ago, "What are the five main things you would do to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce?" I'm going to add a modifier to this question- today. What are the five things that you would do today to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce?

Your answer to this question will create the next steps in your hiring roadmap and your diversity sourcing strategy (where you go to find qualified candidates). This is how you recruit diverse candidates.

Are you tired of recruiting the same type of candidates for your company? Maybe it seems like your candidates all look the same, and have the same resumes, the same experiences, and similar credibility. If you want to spice up your workforce, it's time to embrace diversity recruiting strategy examples and rethink your goals.

We're not just talking about age, race, and gender- diversity also includes a range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. To start recruiting a more diverse pool of candidates, you'll need to broaden your outreach efforts. Attend job fairs and networking events aimed at underrepresented communities, post job openings on websites with diverse audiences, and don't be afraid to reach out to organizations and groups that align with your company's values. Remember, the more diverse your team, the more unique perspectives you'll have within the workplace.

If you've noticed gaps in your diversity hiring strategy and would like help building and implementing a new strategy, book your demo of Pillar - we'd love to show you how we've been able to make our customer's teams 30% more diverse while also lowering employee turnover by 50%. Chat with our team to see how today.