Attracting, Retaining and Developing Young Black and Minority Ethnic Talent

By Rachel Farley and Helen Dingwall

Key Takeaways from Heidrick & Struggles’ Human Resources Roundtable Discussion

Despite their best intentions, many companies have had mixed success attracting and retaining Black talent. To explore some common challenges and some simple solutions, our Heidrick & Struggles’ Human Resource team recently hosted a roundtable discussion on this topic. Our specific objective was to explore how we can attract, retain, and develop young Black talent through a candid discussion with young Black professionals.

Panelists Samuel Okusaga, Kirstie-Anne Woodman, and Walyd Abdallah shared their personal journeys, offering insight into the challenges young Black professionals face, as well as their perspectives on how companies can create an environment where young diverse talent can be themselves and add value to a business.

Mr. Okusaga and Mr. Abdallah co-founded Worth of Mouth, a Gen-Z solutions agency that helps businesses authentically understand & recruit diverse young people. Their intention is to bridge the gap between business opportunities less privileged communities. Okusaga's TEDx talk on The Advantages of Being 'Disadvantaged' shares the power of perspective, and the unconventional transferable skills that people from less privileged backgrounds are forced to develop.

As well as co-founding Worth of Mouth, Abdallah, hailing from an event-management background, is a Business Analyst at Accenture and represented Accenture on LBC & BBC London in August 2018, speaking on his decision to enroll as an apprentice at Accenture, rather than go to university.

Last year, Kirstie-Anne Woodman submitted an article idea to HEPI, reflecting on the Halpin report on Black Lives Matter and exploring what the sector should be doing beyond the Race Equality Charter. This year, Woodman is addressing how organisations can proactively learn what will help their workplace feel more inclusive to all ethnicities.

Below are six suggestions that were offered by the panelists at Heidrick & Struggles’ Human Resource roundtable discussion:

?1)????Provide Bespoke Coaching and Mentoring for new hires - Show you Care

?Providing bespoke coaching and mentoring for young Black talent entails reaching out to new hires before they start and designing a coaching and mentoring program around their needs to increase the chance of the new hire being successful. Ask new hires if they have any questions or concerns as they go through their first year in the organisation, reassuring and helping them, providing comfort around any potential anxieties to make them feel welcome and cared for.

?2)????Recruit Outside the Russell Universities to broaden the pool of candidates

?Recruiting only from The Russell Group Universities reduces the chance of hiring diverse talent. A lot of big companies do not recruit outside of the Russell Group because there is a misperception that this is the only place to find top talent. Widening the scope of universities will increase their likelihood of finding highly talented Black and minority recruits.

?3)????Work with partners trusted by the Black community to advertise and to recruit

?Partnering with organisations and influencers who are trusted by Black and minority ethnic communities and amplifying vacancies through this network will offer invaluable insights and best practices on hiring young black and minority ethnic talent.

4)????Hire Black Recruiters

?Hiring Black recruiters is essential, as they are usually the first point of contact for new hires. Black recruiters understand the experiences that Black people have within organisations, and society more broadly, and will therefore engage more effectively with young Black talent. Train your recruiters and hiring managers to hire not just based on formal, typical work experiences but to also identify and appreciate any unrelated and often transferrable expertise and experience young Black talent may have.

?5)????Advertise salaries in job descriptions

?Advertising and paying a salary that will allow individuals to support themselves in the local market is a critical factor for many minorities.?Many young Black professionals have large households to support and therefore, less of their income is disposable. Understanding the compensation associated with open positions will help Black candidates to engage with opportunities that will meet their financial needs. Employers seeking to hire minority candidates should also consider covering any costs associated with relocating to start a new role.

?6)????Ensure the recruiting process is equal and authentic

?Some Black candidates can feel that they are a ‘token hire’ and that organisations don't necessarily have the genuine interest in being more diverse and inclusive. To overcome this concern, businesses need to demonstrate their authenticity when promoting their DE&I aspirations. This can be done by offering more than just a website page about diversity - rather backing up their aspirations with pragmatic actions. Be clear through the leadership that this is a critical objective, and the culture of the organisation should promote tools to educate their employees through, for example, investing in roundtables and discussion groups/forums. It's easy to see when things are done 'to look good' or without any tangible investments.

?Creating and upholding a diverse workforce not only cultivates a sense of belonging for employees but enables an environment that improves business outcomes.?

?'A reminder to be the thermostat - changing the temperature of a room or an environment - not a thermometer - reading an environment. We are all leaders, let’s lead in each environment you are in and not follow any negative norms'. – Samuel Okusaga

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