Expand Beyond Your Current Culture. Leslie Short
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one or two. We only need one in the photo to say we’re diverse.
You get the point. And I’m not making these up – I’ve heard all of them in meetings!
Once these boxes have been checked, which covers the company by law, they’ll usually do the following: 1) State on their website that they’re an equal opportunity employer; 2) Make it part of their application process; 3) Tell HR to make a diversity effort.
I’ve heard it said in some companies, “It’s not that serious, but why cause issues? Let’s cover our asses just in case someone notices.” The funny thing is, these companies believe they’re an equal opportunity employer.
Be careful of your checked boxes. Companies have asked me how potential employees (or customers) would know whether they are or aren’t committed to Diversity and Inclusion. The answer is obvious – they clearly state that they’re an equal opportunity employer on their website! (And, yes, that’s sarcasm.)
Before people apply for a job with your company, or during the hiring process, here are a few ways They can tell that you don’t really have a diverse culture (let alone an inclusive one.)
• You use stock photos on your website to show that you’re diverse, but you’ve used the same photos that other companies are using.
• They’re told before they arrive to maybe shorten their name.
• You ask Them, “Do you have an American name? One that’s easier to pronounce?”
• You’ve recruited Them for a job They didn’t apply for, and told Them that you got their name “through research.” (Don’t you really want to say that you reached out to your diverse contacts to receive additional resumes?)
• You asked Them, “Would you be comfortable working here?”
• You told Them that They may want to tone it down for the interview or the second interview.
• They walk into the office and see no one who looks like Them or to any “other” culture.
• During the interview, They consistently hear the words they and them.
• They see that there’s no diverse leadership in your company.
• On the tour of your company They still don’t see anyone who looks like them.
• If They do see someone who looks like Them, They’re told, “I’m sure you and (fill in the blank) will have a lot in common.”
Let’s say you’re purposefully diversifying your company. You’ve checked several boxes and you’re trying to check a few more, but no one can tell. Your responses to the questions below are just a few ways people will know whether you’re checking the boxes or not.
• How do you train your employees?
• Do you pair employees with someone who’s been in the company for some time to help them maneuver through the system for the first month?
• How do you handle inviting employees to meetings and introducing them?
• What type of outside projects and events does your company sponsor?
• What types of people do you like to work with?
• Do you have cultural initiatives?
• How do you describe your company culture?
• How do you create an inclusive environment?
• How do you support personal and professional development?
• Is your website accessible?
What About Human Resources?
Let’s take a few steps back to the checked boxes. Where were these employees found so that the boxes could be checked off? Job fairs? Schools? Clubs? Sororities? Fraternities? Ads offering employee incentives? Job placement boards?
I want to be clear that I’m not beating up on human resources professionals on how they find employees. I work with them a great deal, so I understand what they’re up against. They take direction from higherups in the company. Who’s giving them direction? How much support do they get to use unconventional resources to find someone who fits many of the boxes?
Several HR specialists have told me that they were asked to find diverse candidates to interview, but when they submitted those candidates there were always “issues.” Things that make you wonder. I guess the fact that HR tried is a box that gets to be checked off.
Large companies can afford to have their HR departments use artificial intelligence (AI) or computer programs that recognize buzzwords – oops, I mean targeted keywords or phrases to search for employees. It’s lucky for them that they can afford the software or a company to handle their search, but it’s not so lucky for the job-seekers who may not have gone to the college or have the degree that was programmed into the computer as a requirement for employment (unbeknownst to the job-seeker). Of course, these computer programs introduce all kinds of bias into the hiring process.
Story Time
This is a good time to share the story from the veteran I mentioned in the last chapter.
My experience has been very different as a veteran coming out of the service, after twelve years, into the workforce. As I started that journey, I realized I had two checks in the box for diversity – being African American and being a veteran. But I didn’t want those two factors to be the only reasons why someone would hire me. I felt that I needed to show the workforce that I’m qualified and I’m not your average veteran who left the military with no game plan.
I remember the day I went to a job recruiter and she told me that I wasn’t real! I was perplexed for a second, and then she explained herself. She said that there was no way that I was able to be