There are four barriers to increasing diversity that need to be addressed in the hiring process.
Diversity in the Candidate Pool
The first step in increasing the diversity of one’s workforce is finding a diverse pool of candidates to consider for open positions. OrderBoard can assist in this process.
OrderBoard has the ability to estimate the ethnic and gender diversity in the supply of people who are qualified for any position. Positions are defined by the job requirements and “nice to haves” that a hiring company states in their Job Descriptions. Given a Job Description, OrderBoard can estimate gender and ethnic diversity in the candidate pool. OrderBoard allows a client to see how changes to the Job Description can change the diversity in the population of candidates. A change in the geographical focus of a search, the elimination of a requirement that it hard for some groups of people to meet, or the inclusion of a criteria that is widely held in one or another group can change the diversity of a candidate pool.
Eliminating Bias in Screening
OrderBoard selects candidates from the pool based on their fit with requirements. OrderBoard does not consider gender, ethnicity and other protected statuses in making selections. The candidates that OrderBoard presents are chosen in a fashion that treats all candidates equally.
When those candidates are presented to an OrderBoard user to pick candidates for outreach, the presentation does not include names or photographs, which could be obvious markers of gender or ethnicity. Candidates have to be chosen based on skills and experience which eliminates one possible source of bias
Eliminating Bias in Deciding Who Receives an Offer
Once people are chosen for outreach, OrderBoard displays information that will, in most cases, indicate gender, ethnicity and other protected statuses. Decisions to move screened candidates through the hiring process to the point where an offer is extended are subject to their potential biases. While OrderBoard cannot address this directly, we believe recruiting organizations should track candidates to determine if there are particular points in which the diversity of candidate pool declines. The points can be addressed.
Creating a Workplace That Is Attractive to Diverse Candidates
Anecdotal evidence suggests that qualified candidates in protected categories often have receive more than one offer during a job search. OrderBoard can help a client hire people to whom offers have been made. OrderBoard provides data on how attractive our clients are, compared to the other firms that are active in hiring comparable employees. This knowledge can help a client craft its messages to recruits to present their company in the best way.
Here are a few general suggestions that are not dependent on client specific OrderBoard data.
1. No one wants to be hired because they meet a diversity or inclusion goal. People want to be hired as a recognition of their individual ability. Messaging should emphasize that.
2. Candidates assess a firm in terms of their ability to succeed there. They will look the population of a firm’s senior and supervisory ranks. The fastest way to build a diverse culture is to create diversity and inclusion at positions above entry level. So, in particular, pay attention to the success of inclusion efforts in filling more senior positions. Demonstrated success there will make it much easier to recruit a diverse population for entry level positions.