At this year's annual Glassdoor Recruit - a can't-miss conference for talent acquisition professionals - Glassdoor Content Marketing Director Amy Elisa Jackson leveled with the audience during the "Beyond the ROI Argument for Diversity and Inclusion" panel discussion: We all understand the importance of diversity when it comes to its return on investment, she said. "Diversity equals dollars," Jackson explained, then added, "and it makes the workplace that much more encouraging and inspiring."
But Jackson and the panelists - Melissa Thomas Hunt, head of global diversity and belonging for Airbnb; Nicole Jagoe, vice president of global acquisition for DocuSign; and Patty Dingle, senior director of diversity and inclusion for Visa - were there to discuss so much more: How diversity, inclusion and a sense of belonging can elevate your business and strengthen your workforce.
Read on to learn four ways to take your diversity, inclusion and belonging program to the next level - and watch the full video, Beyond the ROI Argument for Diversity and Inclusion, for more tips on creating a truly diverse team!
1. Define What Diversity & Inclusion Means to Your Company
How you create diversity and inclusion in your company should not be by chance. Instead, the best diversity programs are those that tie into a company's business strategy, match up to its values and have measurable, achievable goals. That takes planning, of course - but the time and effort you put into your vision for you company's diversity and inclusion will pay off tenfold.
RELATED: How to Use Glassdoor to Recruit Diverse Candidates
2. Get Your Leaders Behind That Definition
Your company's leaders are the most visible spokespeople for diversity and inclusion at your company, so make sure they support your diversity and inclusion efforts. That means they give those efforts appropriate attention, funding and monitoring. They should also be an example for other employees by exhibiting inclusive behaviors and refraining from showing any kind of bias.
3. Create Benchmarks to Measure Diversity & Inclusion
Like any program, your diversity and inclusion efforts should have benchmarks - ways for you to analyze where you are and how you can grow it. To get started, assess your company's current level of diversity and inclusion, then consider the employee lifecyle, including the candidate pool, hiring, employee performance reviews, promotions, compensation and turnover. This way, you can easily see where your company would benefit from additional training or more aggressive recruiting goals.
RELATED: How to Show Candidates You're Diverse
4. Designate a Diversity Advocate
At many large organizations, there is a person who heads that company's diversity programs - one person who is responsible for the company's inclusion efforts. If you're serious about diversity and inclusion at your company, you might consider hiring a diversity advocate. That person should have experience in diversity programming, and a passion for creating an inclusive team. The best diversity advocates will also be skilled at relationship building and goal setting.
