Charles Hipps is the Founder and CEO of Oleeo, an award-winning provider of innovative talent acquisition technology.
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While it has been proven repeatedly that diverse teams generate more revenue, make better decisions and drive increased innovation, many organizations have made little progress with D&I initiatives. That’s because few employers are taking a long view to build sustainable change. How do we tackle diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) more holistically? How do we create that sustainable change in our organizations without knowing what tomorrow looks like? I believe the answer lies in data and using technology to our advantage.
Organizations spend upwards of $8 billion a year on diversity training, despite no evidence that this approach is effective. The answer isn’t necessarily to stop training but to understand why it isn’t working. Training without infrastructural support is like putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg. Likewise, we can’t permanently move the needle on DEIB without a technology infrastructure that provides a continuous understanding of what we’re doing and how it’s working, starting with the ways we recruit and hire candidates.
Data For DEIB
While some companies are using data, they may not be using it correctly. What’s worse is organizations don’t necessarily understand or trust their data sources when it comes to hiring decisions. There are a few reasons why, and they range from data not being actionable or available at the point of decision-making to simply not knowing where to start.
Here’s the thing, as D&I expert Torin Ellis has said: D&I has no finish line. Don’t set arbitrary limits on the power of data for D&I without recognizing what the data can do. That includes: uncovering bias within the recruiting process, measuring real-time impact, enabling agile adjustments and developing more inclusive behaviors. So, how do we shift the narrative?
Efficient use of data-driven tech from the top of the recruiting funnel can be the difference between initiatives that don’t stick and a more diverse, more inclusive workforce. It’s not just about using technology to find different types of candidates. It’s about utilizing technology to collect and manage data and put actionable insights in the hands of everyone involved in recruiting as they recruit to ensure the process actively attracts, engages and supports diverse candidates. With this in mind, let’s consider how and where employers and recruiters can use data’s help:
• Analyze current activity: DEIB requires strategy and consideration. Before making changes, we have to know what we’re doing and determine whether it works. If existing recruiting efforts don’t proactively account for DEIB from the very top of the recruiting funnel, it can be tough to make improvements. Consider all of the elements that support diversity while handling a volume of applicants.
• Examine existing data: Uncover and consider the data in the organization at the moment. Talent acquisition professionals can benefit from knowing what about the organization helps attract diverse talent — and what helps keep them post-hire. Be clear about the types of diversity the organization wants to champion and compare these goals with the current decision-making process to see how it affects outcomes.
• Words, words, words: Look at what is being communicated through content and messaging, branding and marketing efforts, recruiting advertisements and job descriptions. Review screening and interview questions. Every interaction with potential candidates and actual candidates is an opportunity to encourage diverse and inclusive practices. Walk-through messaging to make sure it represents the organization’s values, brand and goals.
• Apply technology: Tech isn’t just about automation to save time. Yes, that’s a benefit, but it’s also about mitigating bias by layering in quality-controlled artificial intelligence and machine learning to make proactive and data-driven movements toward unbiased decisions. Facilitate high-quality human decisions, avoid cognitive biases such as the halo effect and use response-focused screening, blind resume reviews, collaborative or panel evaluations and more to increase efficiency while mitigating bias, benchmarking and monitoring the inclusiveness of efforts, and providing analysis.
If you genuinely want to be a diverse organization, stop putting your efforts and resources into initiatives where you have no evidence they impact your diversity. Adopt technology that measures and presents the impact of any initiative, make unbiased recommendations and facilitate unbiased decisions. Make D&I part of your tech infrastructure to nudge rapid behavioral change and agile data-driven adjustment. Prioritizing D&I requires a data-driven approach for efficiency and effectiveness — one that understands the organization’s goals and supports the candidates it seeks to engage. From there, we can build inclusive processes that leverage data, tools and tech to recruit and support a more diverse workforce.
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