Diversity & Inclusion
D&I has become an increasing topic of conversation and debate within the workplace across all sectors, however how much are companies really committing to doing what is needed to help evolve and change?
I was recently invited in by the Directors of Move https://www.wearemove.com, a staffing solutions provider, to facilitate an open discussion about D&I with the aim of stimulating ideas and thinking within the team on how to approach this as a staffing provider.
As a recruiter, speaking about D&I can be very tricky and striking the balance between being consultative versus being preachy is not straightforward. Being part of a minority group also can make it even more difficult to know what tact to use when asked directly about the topic.
As Talent Managers, Talents Agents and Recruiters it is essential that we all acknowledge D&I and not brush it under the carpet if we want to stay current. It can also give you a real competitive edge with talent, clients and stakeholders if you are knowledgeable of this landscape. It is only growing and building in terms of momentum, but where do you start?
The True Value of Diversity report, https://download.retail-week-connect.com/landing/the-true-value-of-diversity-2019/?ref=teaser, a report by (Ascential in association with Google) states three initial commercial reasons to support D&I which I feel are very relevant to the sector of Creative, Digital & Marketing recruitment:
- Diversity leads to new ideas and innovation
- Inclusivity & feeling valued drives engagement
- Creates a direct link between Diversity & Business Performance
So when addressing these three bullet points I think of it in the following manner. In a sector where so much growth is occurring and businesses are scaling up swiftly a healthy culture that encourages all its employees to think of new and exciting ideas therefore allows them to be more innovative and gives them a competitive edge. When individuals engage with a brand it’s because they feel included in that companies culture and as a result more valued and more likely to stay with that company, keeping tenure rates consistent. So in summary, creating this environment allows the business as a whole to work more efficiently and therefore more profitably.
This is a simple and effective place to start any discussion about D&I because of the focus on the commercial aspect and no company can argue about wanting to be more profitable and having an edge over it competitors. More staffing agencies I hope are following suit as we had a great discussion at Move and came out with some fresh ideas.
Surely providing more opportunities for everyone, minimising discrimination while increasing profitability is very powerful for any business?