At this point in the 21st century, businesses know it’s important to have diverse talent, regardless of the industry they serve. First of all, discrimination is illegal. Second, diverse workforces are inductive to creativity, innovation and success. Unfortunately, many managers hire and promote people who look like themselves, whether they mean to or not. This could be physically, as well as sharing the same personal traits and skillsets. This method hinders diversity, but is hard to put a stop on.
Having a recruiter search for your talent is one way to stop the cycle of copy-and-paste workers. A recruiter is experienced in finding what you need, rather than finding your carbon copy. Having a diverse workforce not only means hiring both genders and a variety of races, but also looking at the background and skillset a person has to offer. Looking for talent with only a certain college degree or previous job experience drastically narrows the search for diverse talent.
The proof is in the research
Global management and consulting firm McKinsey&Company did a study on company diversity. It found that gender diverse companies alone are 15 percent more likely to outperform those that are not gender diverse, and ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform those that are not. These statistics are for gender and ethnicity, and don’t even account for diverse backgrounds and perspectives among same-gender and same-race. These stats show just how important it is for teams to be diverse throughout a company.
Looking for the same people
There is a problem with “stealing” your competition’s workers. They are probably doing the same things, the same way. While this is a way to reduce training and onboarding costs, in the long-run they aren’t really bringing anything new to the table. If you have a great training program in place, this won’t be a problem and you will have a bigger net of candidates to consider for your position. Efficient training will also reduce overall turnover within your company. Another benefit of using a professional recruiter is that they are able to help onboard your new worker, creating a smoother transition.
Beyond the resume
When searching for talent, look at their background and life experiences, as well as their previous work experience. Check their resume for interests, a summary statement about themselves or volunteer work they did on their own merit. A worker’s resume may not include much about their interests outside of work, but this is where you can use a quick Google search for their LinkedIn or even Facebook pages. Recruiters have a great deal of expertise in recognizing ideal workers and finding out more about them before recruiting the perfect fit.
This kind of insight should let you know how similar they are to your existing workers, or if they bring a unique background with them. What kinds of experiences have they had, and will these experiences challenge your team to think outside the box? A worker with a fresh perspective is important for companies to grow – but only if you are willing to truly listen to them. Hiring diversity just to have diversity won’t actually benefit your company.
What you can offer
Not only can you search for more diverse workers, but you can offer a flexible work environment once they are on the job. Create collaboration and inclusion by allowing workers to do team projects or give input on things that aren’t typically within their realm. They may turn out to be really great at designing a new logo or coming up with a campaign catch phrase, even if you hired them as an accountant.
Flexibility can also apply to hours, sick days, remote work and other ways to accommodate your workers. Offering this kind of flexibility is quickly becoming the best way to recruit and retain happy and hard-working teams in your business.
Creating a welcoming and encouraging workplace is your best bet at recruiting diverse talent. A recruiter can find you the best worker in the world, but your workplace environment decides if they stay or go. As an employer, encourage teams to collaborate, think outside the box and challenge preconceived notions. Don’t punish for failure, but reward creativity. Allowing diversity in its fullest will help your company grow and move in directions you never thought it could. Let a recruiter help you find the diversity your company needs, not only to get the job done, but to redefine the role.