How do we increase diversity through recruitment?

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Recruitment is essential for companies that want to boost diversity and create inclusive working environments. In many workplaces, the recruitment process is often static and unchanged over many years: the same job postings, sourcing platforms, candidate tests, interview guides, interviewees, rejection criteria, etc.

If we want to attract diversity, the recruitment process must be reviewed with a D&I view, to ensure that we do not reproduce the same kind of employee as 'we used to' over and over again.

Advice 1: Why diversity?

Diversity consists of all the elements that make us unique from each other as human beings, and although there are infinite differences among people, diversity is most often defined in terms of a few social categories, such as; neurodiversity, gender, race, age, sexuality and disability.

In Denmark, the Discrimination Act enforces that there must be no direct or indirect discrimination in the labour market on grounds of race, colour, religion or belief, political opinion, sexual orientation, age, disability or national, social or ethnic origin.

Read more about the concept of diversity here:

Diversity is more than gender binaries

Is the company geared to diversity?

The question is first and foremost whether the company is geared to diversity. If there is no inclusive working environment or a plan for how diverse people will thrive in the organisation, we will not get any benefits from having diversity.

Therefore, you need to consider why diversity is important for the particular task the company, department or team is performing - and how they will ensure a work environment where diversity is seen as a strength and essential to support the company's mission and vision.

Tip 2: Identify biases and barriers to diversity recruitment

Whether we like it or not, we have unconscious biases that create conscious or unconscious obstacles in recruitment processes. Here are three examples that can be a barrier in the recruitment process:

The ideal employee

We have an idea of who 'fits in' (qualities, skills, background, attitudes, interests, etc.). We unconsciously look for a 'culture-fit' instead of seeking a 'culture-add'

Rip-rap-rup

We tend to unconsciously favor and reward people who are similar to ourselves (qualities, skills, background, attitudes, interests, etc.).

Performance

We subconsciously expect higher performance from women and minorities, who therefore have to work harder to be considered as potential employees.

Read more about unconscious bias here:

What is unconscious bias - and how do you get them to life?

Tip 3: A job posting that attracts diversity in recruitment

We see it again and again - a job posting that gets copy-paste with few corrections.

Attracting diversity requires us to address bias, language use, concepts and terminology.

Ask yourself the following questions when making a job posting:

Is there a balance between masculine and feminine words and expressions (see image below)?
What criteria are used to describe a desired candidate? Do you hire for attitude or qualifications?
Is the working environment, development opportunities, support and other employee benefits described?
Is there a clear description of the recruitment process (and how the company works to reduce unconscious biases e.g. through blind recruitment or the involvement of a broad selection panel)?

Learn how to be more inclusive in your job postings:

How do you promote inclusive communication?

Want to attract diversity or work to reduce unconscious bias in your job postings? Then contact us below.

Nikoline Nybo
Consultant

BA Anthropology and Chaos Pilot.


Experience in cultural analysis and anthropological methodology, project management and process design, organizational development and facilitation.

Contact directly

Louise Marie Genefke
Consultant

Cand. mag. Marketing & Communication, MA Management and External Lecturer AU.

Experience with management, talent and organizational development, facilitation and Employer Branding.

Contact directly