Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a key part of today's multicultural workforce. Born out of the outcry following the tragic death of George Floyd, DEI hiring best practices were implemented to give a fair, objective, and equal opportunity for all.

Inclusion (the third of the trio) is often overlooked yet, it's fundamental to building a successful organization long-term. Building an inclusive culture means creating a safe, welcoming space where everyone can thrive and contribute without fear of exclusion or discrimination.

What are Inclusive Hiring Strategies?

Inclusive hiring is the practice of actively seeking and recruiting diverse individuals, including those from ethnicities, religions, genders, and sexual orientations not well represented in your organization. This goes beyond just hiring a diverse workforce; it involves weaving a welcoming and culturally celebratory environment into the fundamental DNA of an organization. An environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported.

Inclusive recruitment strategies are the methods by which organizations attract and retain diverse talent. These can include creating an inclusive hiring checklist and sourcing candidates from various platforms and channels that support underrepresented people groups, it can mean implementing blind resume reviews, using standardized interview questions, or tools like interview intelligence software. In any case, these strategies are the mechanisms that support your mission to build a diverse team.

When it comes to building an inclusive hiring checklist, here are some primary factors to consider:

1. Job Description and Requirements: (we're going to talk about this at length in the next section.)
2. Sourcing and Outreach: Diversifying your sourcing channels is a great start. This will give you the relationships and network necessary to attract a wider range of candidates from educational institutions, job boards focused on diverse talent, and community organizations. You can also attend job fairs and networking events promoting workforce diversity to increase the chances of attracting qualified candidates from various backgrounds.
3. Bias-Free Selection Processes: Implementing practices to mitigate bias in the selection process is also critical for inclusive hiring. Blind resume reviews, standardized hiring criteria, and interview questions, structured interviews, implicit bias training, and interview intelligence tools are some examples of ways to reduce bias in the selection process.
4. Onboarding and Integration: An inclusive hiring checklist does not end when a candidate accepts an offer; effective onboarding and integration are equally important. Develop an onboarding program that welcomes new hires and makes them feel valued from day one. Provide resources and support for navigating the company culture and encourage participation in employee resource groups or mentorship programs. Continual feedback and support during the integration process can help new employees feel included and boost retention rates.

Crafting Inclusive Job Descriptions

The first time most candidates see a company's commitment to inclusion is when they read the job description. Inclusive job description examples are ones where biased language has been removed. Terms like "Rockstar" and "Ninja" have been replaced with gender-neutral language, "competent in (skill)," or "years of experience with (tool)."

Crafting inclusive job descriptions isn't hard once you get the hang of it, but it showcases your commitment to hiring from a diverse pool of candidates rather than adding a homogenous team. Let's look at two examples; the first will be a "gendered" job description and the second will be an inclusive one. We'll use the Account Executive position as our example role:

Exclusive Job Description:

Position: Rockstar Account Executive

We are on the hunt for a sales ninja to join our team of rockstars. If you're a driven, high-energy guy with a passion for closing deals and crushing quotas, this is the role for you.

Responsibilities:

• Lead client meetings and dominate presentations
• Develop and execute killer sales strategies
• Manage a portfolio of high-profile clients like a pro
• Negotiate contracts and close deals with precision
• Provide strategic insights to clients, becoming their go-to guy

Qualifications:

• Proven track record as a sales superstar
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to thrive under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field
• Must be a self-starter with a competitive edge

Perks:

• Competitive salary and aggressive commission structure
• Opportunities for rapid career growth and advancement
• Energetic and competitive work environment
• Regular team-building activities and high-energy outings

Application Process:
Think you have what it takes? Submit your resume and a cover letter showcasing your sales achievements and why you’re the next sales ninja we need.

Inclusive Job Description:

Position: Account Executive

We are seeking a talented and motivated Account Executive to join our diverse team. This role is essential for building and maintaining client relationships, driving sales, and ensuring client satisfaction.

Responsibilities:

• Facilitate client meetings and presentations with clarity
• Develop and implement effective sales strategies
• Manage a diverse portfolio of clients
• Negotiate contracts and finalize agreements
• Offer strategic insights to clients

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in sales with strong communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines
• Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment

Benefits:

• Competitive salary with commission opportunities
• Professional development and career growth
• Inclusive and supportive work culture
• Regular team-building activities and community events

Application Process:
We encourage all interested candidates to apply by submitting their resume and a cover letter that highlights their relevant experience and commitment to diversity and inclusion.

DEI job descriptions use gender-neutral language, free from jargon, and idiomatic expressions. The best way to create inclusive job descriptions is to focus on the must-haves for success in the role. Focus on essential qualifications, skills, and experience and avoid inflated requirements that could deter underrepresented groups from applying. Use clear and concise language to articulate the expectations and responsibilities, thus making the position accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

Inclusive Hiring Training

Once you have an inclusive hiring strategy, a solid job description, and a hiring checklist, the next step is getting trained to recognize when bias creeps into the hiring process so you can mitigate it. There are two vital steps to begin. The first is taking an implicit bias test so you're aware of your own biases and where they show up in the hiring process, the second is inclusive hiring training.

Inclusive hiring training includes various programs, workshops, and seminars designed to educate and raise awareness about diversity in the workplace. These training programs aim to equip HR personnel, interviewers, and hiring managers with the necessary skills and knowledge to identify unconscious bias, create more diverse candidate pools, and promote inclusivity throughout the entire hiring process.

One of the most common segments of an inclusive hiring workshop is building your diversity recruitment toolkit. This toolkit will have all of your strategies, tools, and best practices for building an inclusive organization all in one place. It should include resources for sourcing diverse candidates, creating inclusive job descriptions, conducting unbiased interviews, and implementing fair hiring practices.

Team diversity has been shown to have a direct impact on a company's bottom line. Inclusive teams outperform homogeneous ones by up to 39% according to Forbes. The same article digs deeper into a study by McKinsey that showed companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity were 35% more likely to have higher financial returns than their industry peers. With these statistics in mind, it's clear that inclusive hiring practices are not only morally right but also monetarily beneficial for a company's success.

Establishing a solid foundation with inclusive training and diversity hiring initiatives will not only lead to a more diverse and inclusive workplace like the one above, but it will also help you attract people from different backgrounds who can help you solve the challenges you face in more creative and interesting ways. As a result, your company will benefit from a diverse range of perspectives and experiences, leading to innovation, increased productivity, and ultimately, success.

In conclusion, diversity has become a buzzword- and as a buzzword, it's shallow and ineffective. If we truly want to see our organizations thrive, we have to weave inclusion into our DNA. Fundamentally, this means starting at the beginning- with our mission, culture, and hiring processes. By prioritizing diversity and inclusion from the start, we can create a strong foundation for success and build a workplace that celebrates and embraces differences.

Want to discover how structured interviews and interview insights can help you increase diversity hiring by up to 42% while also decreasing cost-per-hire and lowering attrition? Book a demo of Pillar today. We'd love to share how our AI-powered interview intelligence software can help drive meaningful change on your team. Happy Hiring!