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Joe Winston

How to Foster an Inclusive Workforce: 5 Key Strategies

Updated: Dec 4, 2023


Building an Inclusive Workforce: 5 Crucial Tactics to Follow
Building an Inclusive Workforce: 5 Crucial Tactics to Follow

In today's job market, candidates prioritize finding a workplace that aligns with their values and is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). PeopleManagement reported that a culture lacking support for diversity would cause 62% of employees to decline a job offer.


DEI is Key to Company Success

Organizations that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace experience greater employee commitment and engagement, leading to higher performance levels. Organizations that adopt variety in various aspects, such as employees' abilities, gender identity, ethnicity, neurodiversity, familial status, and personal beliefs, have higher chances of thriving in their respective industries than those that do not prioritize diversity.


The greater diversity of representation across the organization drives innovation, fosters a sense of belonging, boosts employee happiness, and positively impacts the bottom line. DEI has become a critical metric for success and is now included as an evaluation category for the Fortune 500 list.


Strategies for Enhancing DEI in Your Organization


Making DEI a top priority for your organization may seem daunting at first. Still, with the right resources, any talent team can improve the diversity of its candidate pool and create a more inclusive workplace. Here are five strategies that can assist you in accomplishing this aim:


#1: Prioritize DEI throughout the Company Hierarchy

To foster an inclusive workplace, company leaders and recruiting teams must work together to prioritize DEI across all levels of the organization. Your recruiting strategies should align with this priority and incorporate diverse employee and community voices.


#2: Evaluate and Enhance DEI Effectiveness

To avoid making hasty decisions, begin by collecting data and examining DEI in your organization. Discover where your recruiting practices effectively attract diverse candidates and where they need to be improved. To understand your talent pool, track key recruiting metrics such as candidate source, conversion rates, and engagement. Metrics make it simple to identify areas for improvement and establish concrete DEI objectives for the company.


#3: Craft Inclusive Job Descriptions

Employers and recruiters need to do more to create inclusive job descriptions. Sometimes, job postings contain language that is offensive or excludes diverse candidates. Ensure that you prioritize crafting more inclusive job descriptions that eliminate discriminatory language. Take advantage of job description grading tools that analyze your job postings and assist you in overcoming recruitment challenges to attract the best candidates.


#4: Source with DEI in Mind

To increase diversity:

  1. Prioritize sourcing candidates from diverse backgrounds.

  2. Use intelligent sourcing tools to eliminate bias and identify qualified candidates from various sources.

  3. Focus on finding candidates from specific groups like veterans, recent college graduates, and underrepresented communities.

  4. Broadcasting your job openings to various job boards and channels will also help ensure a broader range of applicants.

#5: Showcase Inclusive Content

Employers should prioritize showcasing inclusivity in their recruitment marketing messages on various platforms like career sites, social media, and other outreach channels. By sharing stories of diverse employees, communities, and experiences, they can demonstrate their commitment to DEI and attract candidates who prioritize inclusivity. Ensuring that the content presented to candidates highlights the organization's diversity and inclusivity values is essential.


Make DEI a Continuous Priority for Your Organization

It's crucial to remember that DEI is a continuous journey and not a one-time destination, whether your organization already has a robust DEI program or is just beginning to prioritize it as part of recruitment initiatives. To progress in your DEI efforts, invest in the appropriate people, processes, and technologies, and show candidates and current employees that you are dedicated to establishing a more inclusive and equitable workplace.




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