There’s a bitter irony to it.
Diversity, equity and inclusion, brings people together – yet within business, it continues to divide.
Many love it, others loathe it.
When it comes to your recruitment though, employers should embrace it with open arms – and not just to remain legally compliant or because it is a ‘buzz’ word.
Inclusive recruitment leads to high performing teams.
Since launching Talentheads four years ago, we’ve helped hundreds of growing North East businesses build high performing teams, whilst assisting them with their recruitment and talent development needs using a unique approach that has not only disrupted the sector but saved clients over £1m in recruitment agency fees.
I’ve seen first-hand the enormous benefits embracing inclusive recruitment can bring to your business.
A diverse workforce fuels innovation, creativity and growth.
If you hire an army of clones, expect none of that.
What you’ll likely get is a company that’s an echo chamber, where opinions – and life experiences – rarely differ.
A diverse workforce means diverse thinking.
Yes, it means you may be challenged. Yes, there’s a greater risk of friction if there are two wildly contrasting viewpoints.
But as business leaders surely you want to hear every side of the debate to make the best-informed decision. Surely you want sets of eyes that are from all generations and groups, from various genders, ethnicities and backgrounds, with shared values and purpose
That diverse pool of opinions should really be every CEO’s dream. Yet the stats still suggest that there’s substantial work to be done.
Polling as recently as 2022 by Druthers found that the modern workplace is still painfully un-diverse – from the top down.
Less than a fifth of board positions are filled by women, who are also less likely to be promoted.
Under five per cent of the most powerful jobs are held by minorities, while over half of LGBTQ+ staff aren’t open about their sexuality to their supervisors – with more than two-thirds having experienced workplace slurs.
These stats go on and on and all tell the same story that, while the law should give everyone the same platform to succeed, the reality on the ground is that society is still well off where it needs to be.
One stat that jumped off the page to me was that hiring managers are still far more likely to recruit someone based on their own cultural fit, such as their social class.
At Talentheads, one of our core strengths is that we recruit based on how well the applicant will fit within the workplace culture. That has nothing to do with where they were schooled, their net worth or their parents’ jobs.
Instead, it looks at the individual, based on values and purpose which includes those from different backgrounds and life experiences.
Our approach helps ensure that the people you recruit stick around, as they gel perfectly within your team. And that’s another reason why inclusion shouldn’t just be an afterthought.
Creating an inclusive atmosphere doesn’t have to mean asking staff to put preferred pronouns in their email signature.
An inclusive culture ultimately means creating a business where people are not scared of speaking up and voicing opinions, a workplace where they are fairly remunerated for the hard work they do – and where promotion is never out of reach for those who earn it.
Inclusivity can simply be about creating aspiration at work. And when that exists, why would good staff ever want to look elsewhere?
Inclusivity and diversity are about more than just retention, however. These things help businesses to grow.
A recent YouGov poll revealed that two-thirds of Brits said workplace diversity and inclusion was important to them.
Analysis of that data also suggests that the younger you are, the more important it is. Among adults aged 18-24, an eye-grabbing 78 per cent of those polled said it mattered.
If you think differently, then consider your firm’s future.
These people are the next generation of talented workers your company will need to attract if it is to have a future.
Every business wants the best staff. To attract them, you need to give them a reason to come.
In a competitive market, big wages aren’t always enough of a magnet. Increasingly, younger graduates want to work with employers aligned with their values around equality and fairness.
By prioritising inclusive recruitment, you can stand-out to socially conscious candidates. But if that isn’t enough to open your eyes to the power of inclusivity and diversity, there are two other reasons that should make every entrepreneur, CEO and MD stand-up.
YouGov also found that companies that embrace diversity are not only far more productive – they also enjoy a higher cashflow.
In fact, per employee, cash flow is on average 2.5 times higher, while firms with above-average diversity had innovation revenues that were on average 19 per cent higher.
So, far from being a buzzword, there’s cold, hard, objective data which shows that embracing diversity and inclusion fuels growth.
Yes, it is great for your brand. Yes, it can keep you on the right side of employment law.
But to many employees and also – quite crucially - customers, this really matters.
It is driving decision-making, be it where they spend their money or where they choose to work.
Having recently expanded into a second office with a branch in County Durham, at Talentheads, we are dealing with an increasing number of clients who realise that this needs to be a priority and that having a more level playing field – where candidates are successful due to their talent and qualifications – is what will ultimately grow their businesses.
Not a room of nodding clones.