“As well as underpinning our organisation's performance, inclusive hiring helps us ensure we're reaching the broadest pools of great talent, makes it easy to avoid discrimination and improves the reputation of our brand among both customers and employees.”
Global Chief People Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
Lisa Chang.
What is inclusive recruitment, and why is it important?
Inclusive recruitment is not hiring for diversity.
It is the process of designing and implementing recruitment policies and processes that are impartial and equitable that set up all job seekers who engage with them up for success.
Inclusive recruitment is important because it creates better processes and experiences for everyone. It also helps reduce skills gaps, improve ROI and boost workforce retention.
The missing piece of the inclusive hiring puzzle
You might have dozens of diversity partners and an accessible candidate experience, but over 80% of hiring processes still fail on the most important element of inclusive hiring: consistency.
In our research, we found that over 96% of almost 800 hiring managers couldn't articulate the skills they were hiring for. Without a solid understanding of what you're hiring for, recruitment processes are left open to significant perception, confirmation and unconscious bias.
Skills-based hiring is not just a more accurate way of hiring; it is also by far the most inclusive.
What is the benefit of inclusive recruitment?
Your recruitment process is the first interaction most employees have with an organisation. There are many benefits to inclusive recruitment, which is a practice that impacts the culture of your organisation at every level:
Reduced skills gaps
Skills-based hiring levels the playing field for job seekers by focusing primarily on the potential to excel in a role rather than leaning on factors like education or work history. Inclusive hiring focuses on what people do best, helping you build higher-performing teams.
Reduced employee turnover
Inclusive hiring results in reduced employee turnover. Employees hired through an inclusive, skills-based process are up to 5x more happy in their role, and retain up to 3x longer.
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Superior innovation
Studies have shown that more inclusive organisations are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders, helping them stay competitive in challenging markets.
Different perspectives
By unlocking a more diverse workforce through skills-based hiring, you ensure diverse perspectives and insights are central to each team, boosting engagement, productivity and motivation.
Positive branding
Organisations that practise inclusive hiring are viewed more positively by both employees and consumers and, therefore, appeal to more diverse audiences.
“We have a skills-based talent strategy, focusing on four areas: sales, service and support, operations and software development. We have jobs in every single one of those categories that do not require degrees”
Bank of America SVP of Talent Acquisition
Christie Gragnani-Woods.
How do I avoid bias in my recruitment process?
Training will not mitigate bias and risk in your hiring process and name-blind recruitment doesn't make your processes accessible.
Recruitment processes need to be redesigned to reduce the influence of all biases. Standardised, and transparent processes are fairer for candidates, support more equal outcomes, and increase the likelihood of hiring the best available candidates.
How is Inclusive Hiring different from
Diversity Hiring?
Diversity hiring primarily focuses on increasing the representation of diverse groups within an organisation.
While it is a crucial first step, it often limits talent pools by focusing on specific metrics instead of holistic experience.
Inclusive recruitment not only seeks diversity but also creates an environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, can fully participate and feel valued.
How can I be more inclusive when hiring?
Your recruitment process is the first interaction most employees have with an organisation. There are many benefits to inclusive recruitment, which is a practice that impacts the culture of your organisation at every level:
Embrace continuous learning
Commit to staying well-informed about the latest developments and best practices in inclusive recruitment. Regularly attend The Clu'd Up Employers Club to deepen your understanding of inclusive hiring.
Revamp candidate experience
There is no end game with inclusion. Conduct regular audits of your hiring process to identify areas for improvement with Clu'd Up.
Invest in purpose-built inclusion technology
Explore and invest in inclusive hiring technology, such as Clu that has built-in bias mitigation features, AI tools that promote fair evaluation, and accessibility enhancements for your application process.
Implement strong metrics and reporting
You should be able to track your progress towards inclusive recruitment goals easily. Analysing data to identify areas that require further improvement and adjust your strategies accordingly is central to inclusive hiring.
Ensure leadership commitment
Secure commitment from senior leadership to champion inclusive hiring practices. This includes allocating resources, setting clear diversity and inclusion goals, and leading by example to foster a culture of inclusion throughout the organisation.
