What is the impact of non-diverse hiring?

What is the impact of non-diverse hiring?

One of the most divisive issues in terms of approach for HR, people teams, and recruiting professionals is diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

In the tech market, diversity statistics illustrate that there is significant improvement required. According to techUK, less than a tenth (8.5%) of senior leaders in UK tech are from ethnic minority groups, only a sixth (16%) of IT professionals are female, and a tenth (9%) of all IT specialists have a disability (with 22% of the general public who have disabilities).

At Talent Point, we work hard to improve diversity statistics both within our own company and with our client partners. To illustrate this, we have asked Talent Pointers at different levels of the business to provide their insights on Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging that have been cultivated throughout their years of experience in the tech hiring space.

We have also created a handy D&I guide that will provide you with a seven-step guide to a diversity audit, three things you can do today to improve D&I in your company and a free exclusion survey template. You’ll also be provided with all of the tools and knowledge to create and understand D&I hiring strategy.

What is diversity to you and why is it important?

“It’s about ensuring that you are open minded. We should be able to respect and explore a range of opinions and thought regardless of who you are or where you’re from.” - Nitya Shridhar (Talent Partner)

“To me, it is about bringing people together from all different places, experiences and walks of life. It's important because people from every culture and nationality may see the world in a different way and when it all works together - amazing things can happen (i.e., innovation, growth, enrichment and added educational value etc)” – Jade Mill (Senior Talent Partner)

“It's important for a vast number of reasons, I feel a workforce should be a true representation of the world we live in. It should also be a place where everyone can learn and develop from each other. It should be a place to enrich yourself both professionally and personally and a place where everyone feels comfortable being themselves.” – Rob S. (Delivery Director)

What’s the impact of non-diverse hiring to a company?

“Non-diverse hiring creates a lack of individuality within a business. It is important to encourage diversity within a company to help the business succeed across a variety of avenues.” - Nitya Shridhar (Talent Partner)

“Firstly, it does not look good - people would question why there's lack of diversity and as result some people will not want to work there, for example, those who want to work for an employer who's workforce has allies, a mix of experience and people from varied backgrounds). Secondly, it can have limitations on the business when it comes to better understanding a broad range of customers.” – Jade Mill (Senior Talent Partner)

“In my opinion, I think the nature of a workforce that is non-diverse is that everyone within that company is the same, from the same backgrounds and with broadly similar experiences.

I firmly believe that as humans, the best way we learn and develop is from our own and each other's experiences, and without exposure to others with different experiences there is a danger we just stand still.

I also feel that if you have a company of similar, like-minded people, it leaves no room for people to break that mould. It shouldn't take bravery for people to think differently, it should be the norm that everybody does to create innovation.

The world is a phenomenal, ever evolving place, and if you let that evolution stop at the door to your business, then you will absolutely get left behind.” – Rob S. (Delivery Director)

How do YOU support diverse hiring?

“Recently, I’ve worked towards ensuring that my job adverts have inclusive language and attract a diverse range of individuals. I also put in certain key words in my sourcing to ensure that I’m covering a diverse pool of candidates.” - Nitya Shridhar (Talent Partner)

“Ensuring the customer has a solid diversity plan in place for hiring (not just we need X people to tick a box), if not, give them guidance on how to put one together. Using a variety of different sourcing platforms (there are groups for black women in tech, women in tech, neurodiverse hiring and more that can be utilised as potential solutions to broadening the available talent pool). Also making sure job ads are 'friendly' - avoiding loads of jargon, using inclusive terminology and listing perks and benefits that cater to a wide range of people etc can ensure a more diverse talent pool” – Jade Mill (Senior Talent Partner)

“I believe you must accept that there is no "one size fits all" solution. It is important to reach out to those who know better than you for support, and to be willing to recognise when you are the blocker to diversity.

Educating myself into why I might not be attracting, hiring or retaining a diverse workforce is the first step to making necessary changes.

Making an attractive place to work, where everybody feels comfortable being themselves is hugely important, and this starts at the top.

Every hire should add to your culture positively, and that will breed positivity.
I understand my place in that process and try to do everything I can to create an accepting and importantly happy atmosphere.  

I also think it's important that I genuinely do think a diverse workforce is important. I know that it is on many businesses agendas to hit various targets etc, but if you and the rest of the business don't actually believe in it and invest in it, it will quickly be exposed as a sham and have the opposite effect.

If diversity is a priority for your business and/or you are struggling to create a strategy to improve D&I in your business, we can help! Book in for a quick chat here.