You’re a hiring manager looking to improve diversity and inclusion. What’s the first step you should take?

D&I is a crucial goal for any organization. Below are steps I would take as a hiring manager: first, I should analyse the D&I percentage of the current workforce, set a clear target, create a culture, expand recruitment efforts, seek feedback, and adapt.

Don't tokenize candidates. In the context of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), tokenizing candidates refers to hiring individuals primarily to fulfill diversity quotas or to give the appearance of diversity without genuinely valuing their contributions or perspectives. First focus on creating an inclusive environment inside the company. Then promote it to candidates using diverse channels. This should help create a diverse and vast pool of candidates out of which you'll choose the best candidates, based on their skills, values, experience and ambitions.

Review job descriptions and job adverts. Currently both are creating huge barriers to recruitment for many people, many organisations would be surprised just how limiting many job adverts and job descriptions are. This is just one step though, more important is job design. How can the job be flexible enough to suit the majority of people - can it be done remotely, are the hours flexible, can the job be built around family commitments. If the job is office based and strict 9-5 then diversity will be impacted no matter what other initiatives are created. We need more human-centred jobs.

Do your best to make the communication clear and simple. If you have doubts apply "explain it like I'm 5 approach". Don't over-jargonize the job description - neither with market used jargon nor your company jargon. There may be candidates who are new to the field so be inclusive. Do your best to make your job description bias-free. You can find lists of biased words easily online. There are also dedicated tools. Ideally have a few of your teammates (possibly a diverse group) read your draft and give you feedback.

A good practise is to list your options is talking to your teammates. Ask what platforms, networks, events, LinkedIn groups, etc. are they using / they know. The more diverse group of teammates you ask the better.

A compulsory training on bias in recruitment is a must for everyone who is engaged in the hiring process. If accompanied with a workshop or a collaborative brainstrorming to analyze examples of cases in a safe enviroment that would be ideal.

Monitor the facts: by tracking the numbers, organized events, new collaborations, % of completed training, etc. But also monitor the mood of the team: launch optional and anonymous surveys - to understand how your teammates perceive the inclusion and sense of belonging in your company. Depending on a country and its legal regulations, a DEI survey can also allow you to collect self-identifying data from employees that cannot be shared otherwise.

Don't just train your hiring / TA team, train everyone! You need to be creating and equitable and inclusive workplace which will help form your EVP. More and more candidates are looking at Gender pay gap reports, ESG and sustainability reports / strategies.