The Management Recruitment Group’s senior leadership team recently had the pleasure of attending a training session ran by Jo Major from Diversity in Recruitment.
Inclusion is one of our core values and has always been embedded throughout both our internal and external processes, and we felt it was the opportune time to see if we were up to date with current trends and approaches. This was backed up by the stats which showed that companies with diverse workforces are 36% more profitable and enjoy higher staff retention. Our average length of service for staff is seven years, but avoiding complacency is so vital in what is a rapidly changing workplace.
Some key questions an employee will ask include:
- Am I respected here?
- Can I be myself here?
- Can I be successful here?
The answer must be a resounding yes to all three to create a truly inclusive culture.
The early work in creating an inclusive culture starts at the recruitment stage and eliminating unconscious bias is key. As a hiring manager/team, you have to assess how privilege creates blind spots in recruitment and actively eradicate them. It’s essential there’s a joined-up approach between the line manager, HR team and/or external search partner. Demonstrating you are an inclusive organisation starts from before a prospective new employee arrives for interview and must be embedded in every stage of the recruitment process. If you are engaging a search partner, they should be advising you on what good looks like.
The one team approach is vital and any strong process must be led by the senior leadership team and all must share the same passion and clarity on culture and values. An effective employee value proposition (EVP) will only work if shared by all the key decision makers in your organisation.
If you would like to explore how an effective EDI strategy can benefit your recruitment process, please do contact Michael Hewlett at michael.hewlett@mrgpeople.co.uk to discuss further.