Vanity Metric

Hi Recruiters,

Much of the current conversation about DEI in the workplace centers around significant budget cuts to DEI-specific job roles or programs over the last year, following the drastic uptick in commitments from companies to DEI from 2020-22, especially in industries like tech.

I don’t feel the need to give anyone a history lesson on all of the driving forces behind DEI’s ups and downs over the last few years, and I don’t even feel the need to discuss the common-sense (and data-backed) reasons why investing in DEI is good business sense.

My camp is so far past that.

I also don’t think it matters what corporate leaders say to reassure the public that they prioritize creating more equitable and fair business practices. The money will always tell a clearer story about what a business is actually focused on.

In addition, we’ve entered a new era where the voice of the people (in this context, employees) is much more difficult to minimize or obscure due to the accessibility and decentralization of communication channels. This is really challenging how businesses shape narratives.

Those privy to the situation understand that a company can no longer exert much control over how it is perceived by its stakeholders or the public; it can merely influence perceptions. For those doing the right things, that influence reaps rewards.

So, for those who do get it, I think there should be a more productive conversation about what’s next for DEI and the impact that recruiting can have.

Accountability

Many people, myself included, would argue that DEI initiatives today are largely at a point where moving the needle forward requires follow-through. This means actions to diversify the workforce and create inclusive workplaces must be more strategic and have mechanisms to hold businesses accountable for hitting DEI goals beyond the very front end of the TA process.

I love TA partner Rotimi Ojo ’s perspective when he says, “Recruitment doesn’t and shouldn’t end with filling seats — it has a role in retention.”?

The key insight from Rotimi’s POV is, that for an organization to take advantage of the innovation potential of having a diverse workforce, it must create a recruitment experience that resonates with diverse talent pools and improve the new-hire experience (and, truthfully, beyond).?

Overall, it’s about moving from a check-the-box DEI motion to creating a sustainable pool of diverse talent, ensuring sourcing and engagement strategies are properly equipped, and internal frameworks exist to support a positive experience post-hire.

This means DEI has to evolve from a vanity metric to a true business objective.

Daniel Harten hosted a webinar last week on the topic, with TA consultants Keirsten Greggs and Kevin W. sharing thoughts about what evolving DEI looks like. Three takeaways stuck out to me.

Real Goals

For one, diversity goals must be established higher up the hiring chain (e.g., you can’t just measure the percentage of diverse candidates evaluated for open roles), and penalties must be imposed for missed goals — the same as any serious business metric.

Kevin noted that to do this properly, goals have to be created based on the reality of the market demographics for every company. This is where tools that analyze labor market data can help create attainable goals (because there is no one-size-fits-all metric).

Expectations

Additionally, DEI measures should not be made to feel like they are being required by outside forces rather than being a strategic focus of the business. As Keirsten put it, “We always make it feel like a chore — like this is ‘mandatory’ DEI training.”

This isn’t how companies talk about anything else that promises to advance their business. Showing up in the right ways is an expectation for initiatives that have a positive relationship to higher cash flow, net profit, revenue growth, stock performance, etc. Why do we so often see it happen when it comes to DEI?

AI

Lastly, as leaders with FOMO scramble to orient around AI, it’s important to touch on its relationship with DEI. Companies need to ask how AI will hurt or help and be intentional about minimizing negative outcomes. Unfortunately, declining numbers and/or buy-in for diversity leadership means too much of that responsibility will lie solely on the shoulders of newly minted Chief AI Officers. I agree with Kevin when he says: "We’re at a place where we don’t even know who can be hurt. Companies need to be thoughtful.”

To quote Brenda Darden Wilkerson , CEO of AnitaB.org, “We’re in a big technology inflection point, and what happens is that as AI begins to take off and organizations are less inclusive, the product is not reflective of the users. We know that AI is trained on historic data and that historic data is missing critical segments of the population, and having women and noncentered folks as decision-makers is going to be critical to making sure it doesn’t happen again.”

What else is happening in hiring?

• Is Skills-Based Hiring Just a Fad?
• The return of "never-ending" job interviews
• 7 Trends Defining The Ongoing War For Talent by @Roy Maurer

Aaron’s Corner

Aaron Iba?ez here! It's a gift to work alongside people who share your values. (Note: That doesn't mean that you agree on everything.) Groups of people from different backgrounds with different experiences and perspectives working toward a common goal: that's how innovation happens.

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