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Simple Hiring Practices to Increase Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Diversity and inclusion have become top priorities for many organizations over the past few years. Companies find that when they place a premium on a diverse work culture, they’re more likely to have happy employees who stick around for the long term.

Consider these tips if you’re trying to promote diversity and inclusion in your organization.

Change Up Your Job Postings

Organizations that embrace diversity and inclusion don’t wake up one morning with a fully diverse workforce and an inclusive environment. Like most things, it takes time and dedication to create the atmosphere you’re looking for.

Diversity and inclusion have their roots in the recruiting process. Take a close look at your job ads and find where you can update your language to appeal to more diverse candidates. Many companies are moving to gender-neutral language by using “they” or “them” instead of “he” or “she.”

Another way to encourage diversity is by reducing skills-based ads in favor of highlighting the expectations for the position. A study by Harvard Business Review found that women are less likely to apply for a job if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements, while men will apply even if they have only 60% of the necessary skills.

Concentrating on the impact the candidate can make removes barriers to entry, which can increase the number of qualified female applicants you have.

Use Structured Interviews for All Candidates

When you’re interviewing candidates, it can be tempting to veer off into personal questions that highlight a person’s personality but not necessarily their capabilities. Avoid formulating unintentional biases by sticking with a script of questions you ask every candidate.

It’s also useful to involve multiple people in the interview process. Include different managers and potential colleagues of the applicant. Getting everyone’s input following the interview can alert you to things you didn’t notice and reduce any ingrained biases you don’t know you have.

Implement a Skills Assessment as Part of Your Hiring Strategy

A skills assessment allows human resources to analyze an applicant’s skills rather than how well they perform in an interview.

Evaluating abilities ensures that you hire applicants who can do the job. You’ll be able to understand who is the most qualified for handling the tasks the position entails instead of relying on their résumé or answers to interview questions.

You can design your own skills test that’s appropriate for the position or purchase a solution from a company that offers a variety of skills tests. Tests can measure aptitude levels for attributes like sales ability or work style. You can also find tests that evaluate a candidate’s technical capabilities and communication skills.

Promote Diversity Training in Your Existing Workforce

Diversity training programs are available from numerous corporate trainers and resource firms. You can introduce your existing workforce to the importance of diversity and inclusion by requiring them to attend classes that improve their knowledge of such initiatives.

Most diversity training programs are short and provide managers and employees with helpful tips on implementing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Get Help Hiring a Diverse Workforce with Smart Staffing Solutions

Homebuilding companies often need help finding suitable talent that matches their needs. Smart Staffing Solutions offers people management solutions that can bring diverse candidates to support your new home sales. Learn more about our talent options today.

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