Diversity and inclusion initiatives are top of mind for nearly every business. While most organizations have publicly or internally declared a commitment to diversity and inclusion, very few have actually found ways to put their plans into place.
This humble blog post aims to equip your organization with a few tactical approaches to help build and improve diversity and inclusion initiatives at your office.
Build a Diversity and Inclusion Task Force
One of the best ways to officially kick-off and bring to life D&I initiatives is by formally appointing a task force or committee. Before forming this D&I team, it is essential to create a mission that is clear, meaningful, and actionable. For example:
“To put diversity and inclusion at the frontlines of everything we do.”
Once a mission is identified, it’s time to bring together individuals from each functional or geographic team who share that mission and have a passion for helping carry it out at your company. Next, create a variety of practical D&I goals and brainstorm ways in which to meet them – all on a realistic timeline. As time progresses and goals are achieved, the task force will genuinely make a difference in helping foster D&I initiatives.
Incorporate Strategic Tactics to Recruit Diverse Talent to Your Organization
At Kuhn Global Talent, we found in our own experience that helping clients hire diverse talent has given them a proven competitive edge. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering that racially diverse teams perform 35% better on average. It’s extremely important to ensure your organization is actively recruiting and attracting diverse candidates. Listed below are a few steps to help with your diversity recruiting efforts.
- Educate yourself on unconscious bias and take active steps to remove it from your recruiting process
- Open up your network to more diverse groups like Prospanica and the National Black MBA Association
- Sponsor events, webinars, and networking get-togethers that attract diverse communities
- Partner with a recruiting agency that specializes in hiring diverse talent
Take Active Steps to Build a More Inclusive Environment
With decades of research and results, highly inclusive companies see 1.4 times more revenue, which shouldn’t come as a shock, especially since nearly everyone yearns to work in an environment where they feel welcomed and included. While the term “inclusive environment” can have different meanings to different people, here’s a few general tips that can help make your office more inclusive.
- Offer a private space for breastfeeding mothers to pump
- Sponsor and attend events that benefit a wider spectrum of differences
- Offer flexible time off for non-traditional holidays
- Encourage an open-door policy for every manager and leader within your company
- Invest in diversity and inclusion training
- Send out surveys to employees asking how you can better provide a more inclusive environment
- Clearly define your company’s D&I goals to your employees and ensure they are being met
- Establish a mentorship program that promotes growth for every employee
- Reserve a wellness room for employees to recharge and relax
- Give back to the community by hosting volunteer events and donating money to nonprofits.
Offer Scholarships and Internships to Diverse Communities
Setting aside a budget for scholarships and internships is a fantastic way to benefit diverse communities. Look to career fairs and campus recruiting programs with a historically diverse student population to find intern candidates and scholarship partnerships. Providing education and employment opportunities to these communities signals your commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Our sincere hope is that this blog provided a few tangible steps your organization can take now for a more diverse and inclusive work environment in the future.
About Kuhn Global Talent
Kuhn Global Talent is a global search firm, and has effectively completed hundreds of searches since 2011 and provided clients with extraordinary recruiting investment value. Jim’s global business knowledge and cross-cultural agility are particularly valued by U.S.-based companies building leadership teams in the US and other countries, and by non-U.S. companies desiring a cross-culturally sensitive search approach to confidential searches in their home countries and in their U.S.-based affiliates. Jim served as EEO Officer at Alcon Laboratories and Cole National Corporation and has deep experience and credibility with EEO and OFCCP officials as well as with corporate executives on Diversity and Inclusion.
Contact us today to learn more about how we use innovative strategies to recruit and attract candidates who help organizations achieve their goals of becoming diverse and inclusive.
