Antiquated acquisition practices have been perpetuating challenges for DEI in TA and HR, and the ripple effects are being seen all the way down the talent pipeline. In fact, a recent study by the Harvard Business Review shed light on the lack of accountability in TA, with only a third of U.S. companies monitoring the effectiveness of their hiring procedures.
If an organization doesn’t evaluate where it has been, including both successes and failures, how can it know where it is going?
In today’s “Great Transformation”, employee retention seems to be a constantly moving target. As organizations try to “fit a square peg in a round hole” with obsolete methods—they can’t seem to keep people let alone incorporate any kind of diversity in the talent pool. Let’s take a look at how DEI and employee satisfaction are connected and the major considerations that organizations should be taking to deploy a holistic DEI hiring stratagem.
Recognizing the Link between DEI and Workforce Satisfaction
It was found that more than a third of employees report feeling dissatisfied with their workplaces, pointing to DEI as the key factor affecting workforce engagement and longevity. To address these concerns, organizations need to cultivate a comprehensive approach to hiring that embeds inclusivity from the very beginning.
Starting from the early stages of hiring, TA leaders need to redefine their processes and transform hiring into a DEI engine that powers initiatives throughout their entire talent ecosystem. This creates an inclusive culture that makes employees feel both comfortable and productive and will lead to long-term tenure.
A shift can begin with reevaluating job descriptions and requirements, ensuring they are free from biased language and unnecessary barriers that might deter underrepresented candidates—attracting a more diverse applicant pool and setting the foundation for more equitable evaluation. Next, organizations must establish clear goals and metrics for assessing their progress in DEI. By monitoring the effectiveness of hiring practices, companies can identify gaps and areas for improvement. Finally, by promoting transparency in the recruitment process, such as sharing diversity statistics and disclosing steps taken to address any shortcomings, companies can foster trust and demonstrate commitment to DEI the whole organization over.
Now, we recognize that all of this is easier said than done. Depending on the size of a company, the number of people in HR, and the industry in which the organization exists—among a myriad of other factors—these types of changes can be overwhelming to approach. Nobody said that shifting a paradigm was easy. DEI strategy is just a nice sentiment until a method to truly derive objective metrics is created. This is where data comes in and can propel DEI goals from start to finish.
Leveraging Data to Foster a Culture of Inclusivity
Organizations will miss talent that could drive their business to the next level while qualified workers continue to be stuck in an inequitable career cycle if companies do not change their TA methodology. Technology plays a crucial role in enabling inclusive hiring practices and by leveraging systems and software that employ people-centric data, companies can reduce bias in their selection processes.
Creating a standardization of relevant, yet demographic-blind, metrics in the workplace can help evaluations uncover areas of prejudice in employment. Assessments based on human capabilities rather than the rigid and demographically-skewed factors of yesteryear can help organizations level the playing field—wielding data that implements DEI into both recruiting and retention. We have outlined three practical ways companies can find these metrics for their unique business:
- Implement inclusive evaluation tactics: Gamified assessments, like Almas Insight’s approach, can help provide a holistic and objective view of candidates’ capabilities and potential. By focusing on skills and experience rather than discriminatory factors, organizations can identify and support talent that may have been overlooked.
- Offer clear career advancement paths: Organizations should proactively create opportunities for employees to professionally develop through skill training programs, mentorship initiatives, and growth opportunities. When organizations have the data they need to incorporate these benefits into their organization effectively, they demonstrate commitment to supporting employees—by proxy increasing their chances of retaining them.
- Transition to a skills-based business model: Organizations should shift away from rigid job descriptions and focus on assessing the human capabilities needed to fulfill roles successfully. Evolving from traditional job requirements, a skills-based model can identify and leverage the diverse talents of underrepresented individuals and help DEI permeate throughout an organization.
True transformation requires more than just revising hiring processes; it necessitates creating an inclusive culture. Leveraging data analytics that focuses on human capabilities can help build fair talent evaluations based solely on qualifications, competencies, and hard-earned merit. When companies are putting the right people into the right positions at the right time, more diverse workforces, increased productivity, and long-term retention are sure to follow.
