Society has pushed for increased diversity in all fields and sectors, from the media we consume to the workforce. However, a diverse workforce is not merely a statement or a façade to hide behind. In reality, diversity can benefit companies and economies, which is why organizations today make an effort to hire a diverse workforce.
Before looking into building a diverse workforce, it is important to look at what a diverse workforce is. Gender and ethnicity are the two key categories we think of when talking about diversity. However, diversity is so much more than gender and ethnicity. Culture, religion, sexual orientation, body types, and disabilities can all be considered vital components of diversity.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in a 2020 article titled ‘Diversity and inclusion in the workplace’ state, “While UK legislation – covering age, disability, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation among others – sets minimum standards, an effective diversity and inclusion strategy goes beyond legal compliance and seeks to add value to an organization, contributing to employee wellbeing and engagement.”
This is something human resource management services like LeadHRM focus on in their target training and employee development programs. Organizations are encouraged to not merely work within set standards but go beyond them for effective inclusivity.
From executive development services to management development and HR training, LeadHRM Services and similar companies push organizations to create a more diverse workforce.
There are several ways of doing this.
Building an inclusive culture is one of the first steps to be taken when building a diverse workforce. If your company culture is intolerant or biased, diversity during the recruitment process will not be of any use.
Instead of merely recruiting a diverse workforce, you need to ensure an inclusive workplace will encourage your staff instead of alienating them.
Changes to the recruitment process can also play a key role in a diverse workforce. When putting together the requirements for a job posting, leave out any exclusive educational qualifications or experience. Academic qualifications from a prestigious school, for instance, may prevent many people from applying for the job.
HR functions management services like LeadHRM offer recruitment services that will take care of the process starting from preparing job descriptions and vacancy posting to CV filtering and interview scheduling. LeadHRM services can help you make this process inclusive and transparent.
You must also remember that you cannot demand diversity in the workplace. You need to nurture it over time. This process may take longer than you desire, but it is important to build a diverse workforce that can contribute to the success of your organization instead of merely being a token of inclusivity.
