Inclusive hiring strategies and practices are no longer optional. The are essential to fostering a dynamic, forward-thinking workplace that values diversity at its core. When organisations limit their hiring to familiar profiles or candidates that “fit the mould,” they risk perpetuating a cycle of homogeneity. It leaves little room for innovative perspectives and new ideas.
When hiring, people often favour candidates who remind them of themselves or fit a familiar profile. This tendency is a comfortable habit as it feels easier and safer to choose people we relate to or recognise. However, this “like-me” bias can lead to a lack of diversity, as it keeps us hiring the same types of people over and over instead of bringing fresh perspectives into the workplace.
To truly thrive, organisations must actively embrace inclusive hiring practices. Furthermore, they must create opportunities for diverse candidates across various backgrounds, abilities, and experiences. By prioritising inclusive hiring practices, companies unlock the potential of a rich, multi-dimensional workforce. They create a workforce that reflects the real world, inspires progress, and elevates organisational culture.
7 inclusive hiring strategies for your organisation
Inclusive hiring goes beyond just focusing on gender, sexuality, or race. It is about genuinely valuing a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to create fair opportunities for everyone. Moreover, your organisation has plenty of ways to build lasting, inclusive hiring practices that benefit everyone.
Organisations seeking to build a more inclusive workforce can implement various strategies. Each strategy should aim to overcome common barriers and open doors for diverse talent. Here are seven impactful inclusive hiring practices to help companies foster a more equitable recruitment process.
1. Inclusive job descriptions
When writing job descriptions, language choice has a significant impact on who applies. Gendered pronouns, like “he” or “him,” can subtly suggest that a role is aimed at men while switching to “they” keeps it open to everyone. Beyond pronouns, certain words carry gendered connotations. Terms like “competitive” or “driven” often appeal more to men, whereas words like “supportive,” “collaborative,” and “community” may resonate more with women.
Organisations must adopt gender-neutral language and highlight a variety of qualities to appeal to all applicants. Using “they” as a pronoun or focusing on skills and responsibilities rather than personality traits encourages a wider range of applicants. For example, instead of saying, “We are seeking a strong, driven individual,” try “We are looking for someone who is collaborative and results-oriented.” This subtle shift broadens your appeal and allows candidates to see themselves in the role.
2. Make an inclusive career website
A company’s careers page often serves as a first impression. Still, many are inaccessible or lack diversity in representation. It deters candidates with disabilities or from underrepresented groups.
Creating a career website that is accessible to all candidates is essential for inclusive hiring. Accessibility also involves considering different needs when designing your website. Use dyslexia-friendly fonts to make reading easier for those with learning difficulties. Incorporating a variety of content formats, like videos and downloadable information sheets, can engage a wider audience.
When emphasising important information, opt for larger, bold fonts instead of italics or underlining. Italics and underlining the fonts can be challenging for those with visual impairments or dyslexia to read. More importantly, stop relying on generic stock photos or AI photos that often reduce diversity to a checkbox. Use authentic images of your actual team members (with their permission).
Real faces tell a more authentic story. This approach adds credibility and helps candidates connect with your company culture.
3. A diverse interview panel
When all members of an interview panel share similar backgrounds, candidates from diverse groups may feel misunderstood or judged by narrow criteria.
Create a diverse interview panel to bring in multiple perspectives. A varied panel demonstrates the company’s commitment to inclusivity. It also reassures candidates that the organisation values diversity across all levels. Additionally, panel diversity can reduce bias in evaluations by highlighting different viewpoints and approaches.
IBM has set an interesting example. The company employs diverse interview panels for many roles, ensuring that interviewers bring various experiences and perspectives to the table. This practice has proven effective in assessing candidates fairly and transparently. It also increases diversity and retention rates among new hires.
4. Avoid algorithm bias in recruitment as important inclusive hiring strategies
Recruitment algorithms may unintentionally replicate biases embedded in historical data or reflect biases from their designers, limiting equitable hiring.
Be cautious of algorithm bias in recruitment technology. When using tech tools in candidate assessments, it is crucial to understand how the algorithms work and what measures are in place to reduce bias. Sometimes, these algorithms can reflect the subtle preferences of those who designed them, reintroducing human bias into hiring decisions.
A well-known example is a recruitment tool created by Amazon, which had to be abandoned due to its sexist bias. The algorithm was trained on data from resumes predominantly submitted by men, which led it to unfairly rate candidates. It even penalised resumes that included the word “women.” Although the company attempted to adjust the system to make it more neutral, it ultimately proved unreliable. Therefore, you should thoroughly evaluate recruitment algorithms to avoid similar mistakes.
5. Utilise internships effectively
Internships often cater to privileged candidates who have the resources and support to work in temporary roles. Consequently, candidates from underrepresented communities miss out on valuable opportunities.
Develop internship programs aimed explicitly at diverse talent. Provide exposure to the company’s culture and potential career paths. When interns experience a supportive and inclusive environment, they are more likely to consider full-time opportunities with the company after graduation. Additionally, specialised internship programs allow companies to actively target and recruit diverse candidates, which can lead to a more inclusive workforce in the long run.
6. Improve diversity on shortlists
Shortlists that include only one candidate from an underrepresented group often foster tokenism and inadvertently reduce the chance of selection for these individuals.
Ensure shortlists include multiple candidates from diverse backgrounds. This practice reduces tokenism and presents diverse candidates as an integral part of the talent pool. For example, aiming to have at least three candidates from underrepresented groups on each shortlist significantly improves the chances of hiring a diverse team.
Let us consider a tech company hiring a software engineer. If the shortlist includes only one woman and five men, her chances of getting the job are low. But if it consists of three women and two men, the situation changes.
7. Prioritise inclusive onboarding experiences
Even with inclusive hiring, a lack of support during onboarding can hinder the integration of diverse candidates.
Design onboarding programs that cater to diverse backgrounds and experiences. Provide mentorship programs, assign onboarding buddies, and offer resources that consider various needs. A supportive onboarding experience ensures that new hires feel included and valued from the start, boosting long-term retention.
Let’s consider Adobe’s example. Adobe has an inclusive onboarding program where each new hire is paired with a “culture buddy” who helps them navigate the company’s culture and practices. This approach creates an immediate sense of belonging and fosters an inclusive workplace from day one.
Inclusive hiring strategies for your organisation: The final thoughts
In today’s world, having just one woman or one person with disabilities or changing the brand logo during Pride Month is not enough. That is not progress; that is tokenism. While recruitment is only the first point of the hiring process, it plays a crucial role in enhancing inclusion within an organisation. If you want to improve diversity, you must focus on how you attract and engage candidates right from the start. Then comes retention. Also, gender is just one lens; one should look beyond that.
Opting for inclusive hiring strategies and creating an inclusive hiring process is essential to building a resilient, innovative workforce that reflects the real world and the communities an organisation serves. By implementing these strategies, companies can dismantle barriers, attract diverse talent, and cultivate an environment that values equity, accessibility, and representation at every level.
At Changeincontent.com, we believe that inclusive hiring is the cornerstone of any diversity and inclusion initiative. Organisations that genuinely commit to equitable hiring not only enhance their talent pool but also foster cultures of acceptance and mutual respect. By addressing systemic biases, we can create workplaces where every individual has the chance to thrive.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content, which we define broadly to include media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and gender-queer individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
