“ It ’ s imperative for leaders to have an inclusive mindset , to ensure any preconceived bias is removed ”
RICHARD HUGHES SENIOR RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT , INTERVL
One of the first crucial steps is to become an Equal Opportunity Employer – and to boast about it . An Equal Opportunity Employer is one that has committed to a policy of treating its employees and job applicants fairly and equally , meaning they reject discrimination at every level .
Likewise , the way in which application forms are written and formatted is equally important . “ The application stage should be simple and easy to follow , while catering to all individuals ,” Macfadyen says . “ It should also only include the necessary information for that opportunity — to avoid overcomplications .
“ To add an extra layer of care , businesses should review blind CVs – a CV that doesn ’ t contain any form of identification – while also utilising a diverse interviewing panel , with different types of interviews , such as telephone interviews , skill-based assessments and face-to-face interviews .
“ Hiring managers should also be given a checklist of questions to ensure all of these factors have been taken into consideration , ensuring each candidate has an equal opportunity to showcase their skills and experience in an environment that best suits them . With this in mind , any reasonable adjustments relevant to that interview format should be considered . For example , whether candidates have any disability , meaning they require extra reading time or additional support to access the office .”
Retaining talent and communicating DEI achievements If everyone in a business looks the same , chances are , they will all think in the same , or very similar , ways . Investing in a diverse workforce welcomes new ideas , innovations and a different mindset , while boasting a variation of skills and life experiences to utilise , leading to better ideation and innovation . To achieve this , Hughes and Macfadyen list a number of approaches :
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