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, the company needs to address why diversity is important for the particular mission of the company, department or team - and how they will ensure a working environment where diversity is seen as a strength and essential to support the company's mission and vision.
Tip 2: Identify biases and barriers
Whether we like it or not, we have unconscious biases that create conscious or unconscious obstacles in recruitment processes.
Examples of unconscious biases in recruitment processes:
- The ideal employee: we have an idea of who 'fits in' (qualities, skills, background, attitudes, interests, etc.). We therefore unconsciously look for a 'culture-fit', instead of looking for a 'culture-add'
- Rip-rap gang: we tend to subconsciously favour and reward people who are similar to ourselves (qualities, skills, background, attitudes, interests, etc.).
- Performance: we unconsciously 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 ad that attracts diversity
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?
- 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.
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.