How to attract and hire diverse candidates

Workplace equality, diversity and inclusion is an increasing area of focus for many organisations, including Aspire Recruitment. Studies have shown that a diverse workforce can improve a businesses’ bottom line, lead to happier and more productive teams and drive innovation in the workplace.

To gain the benefits of a diverse workforce, employers need to make sure that their recruitment strategies are reaching a wide range of candidates from different backgrounds. More than 85% of employers (Robert Walters Diversity and Inclusion in Recruitment Whitepaper, 2017) say that increasing diversity in their teams is a priority, but less than half have programmes in place to attract an inclusive workforce.

Below are some ideas for ways to proactively widen your talent pool by making your hiring process more inclusive and diverse.

Advertise your roles on diverse channels

One way to ensure your talent pool is full of diverse candidates is to advertise your roles in a variety of places. Focussing on the same sources every time you hire means you’ll get similar applicants and a lack of diversity.

Consider advertising your roles on job boards designed to increase diversity and target underrepresented groups. Examples include BME Jobs, the Black Young Professionals Network or Evenbreak.

Offer alternative routes to employment

You can build diversity in your workforce by offering alternative routes which may not need the same level of experience as your current roles. Consider widening your talent pool by hiring apprentices or taking part in government schemes like Kickstart. You will open doors for young people and career changers, and may even be able to claim incentive payments depending on the terms of the scheme.

Use inclusive language in your job descriptions

It’s important that your job descriptions and role profiles promote equality, diversity and inclusivity. If your business is committed to inclusive recruiting, make sure you say so. Consider auditing your past recruitment adverts and make changes to appeal to a more diverse range of candidates.   

Introduce a diverse interview panel

Is your interview panel representative of the diversity of your team? Consider asking members of underrepresented groups to sit on interview panels, either from within your organisation or from outside stakeholders.

Encourage commitment to EDI

Encourage your team to get involved with EDI activities, and offer time for them to fulfil these commitments. Neesha Patel, NCS Recruitment Manager at Aspire, has recently taken on the role of leader at the Growth Company’s Religion Network, helping to foster an inclusive organisational culture for existing and potential employees, where people feel valued and respected regardless of backgrounds, experiences and identities.

If you are an employer looking to recruit, we offer a 360-degree consultative process, enabling us to provide you with the candidates that truly match your needs.

Contact us to arrange a consultation