Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The theme for this year's International Women's Day - #BreakTheBias - is one that resonates with me personally, as it does for many of my friends and colleagues.
As recruitment professionals, we have an important role to play in ensuring the jobs market is accessible to everyone. One of the strands of IWD is "Where Women Work Makes All the Difference". We know it's the right thing to do - personally and in business. But the question is how can we #BreakTheBias? Here are our top five thoughts:
Our D&I Index found that recruiters want to support Equality, Diversity & Inclusion - but two fifths of recruitment businesses do not record demographic data on their business, or even their leadership teams. You know the phrase: "what gets measured, gets done"? It's more than a slogan - without this data, we can't hope to bring about change as we won't know what it is we need to tackle and improve.
It may feel uncomfortable but there is a good chance that people in your business are or will be going through the menopause. UK government and devolved administrations are increasing their attention on menopause because sadly too many people who experience symptoms drop out of work (Bupa put it at 1 million). That represents a massive cost to business - one we can ill afford in this candidate-short market. Acas has a good guide for employers, and the REC joined with other stakeholders to put the case on Menopause and Employment to government last year.
Using the right language that doesn't unwittingly exclude some groups from applying for a role is key to breaking the bias. It sounds obvious, but if a client's job description looks like they want a particular type of person, it's time to have a probing conversation and challenge any preconceptions - as they will be the ones missing out on talent. As an example, check out our guidance with the Centre for Ageing Better and CIPD on how to support the recruitment of older workers. In addition, if a business wants to encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates or has kitemarks showing their commitment to D&I - make sure you say so!
Offering flexible working can encourage a broader range of candidates to apply. To mark IWD2022, I'm taking part in an event with Timewise where they will be sharing findings from their Scottish Flexible Jobs Index. During the pandemic, we had to adapt to a new way of working - one that has created benefits. In our landmark 'Recruitment and Recovery' study last year, we found that £9bn could be added to UK productivity if we embrace the benefits of flex work. Global events have also changed how we view D&I, for businesses and candidates. In the same study, two thirds (62%) of businesses told us that working with a recruiter had helped them increase the diversity of the candidates they considered.
Finally: do you know your blind spots? Ask those around you to help you identify yours and then commit to working on them. There are lots of courses aimed at helping employers tackle unconscious bias but taking responsibility for our own personal development, by reading around an issue or asking questions, can be just as valuable. Make sure you get full permission to ask a colleague before launching into questions - and it's important not to make assumptions about what you hear. Deploying those coaching and active listening skills has never been more important.
Now, we want to hear from you - what ways are you seeking to #BreakTheBias? Tag us in your social media posts on LinkedIn and Twitter, using the hashtag #BreakTheBias
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