Founder and Head of the international IT recruitment company Lucky Hunter.
getty
Among the most important tasks of any manager is to ensure a work environment where employees feel comfortable and safe, knowing that they will never be subjected to any harassment, such as on the basis of race, religion, neurodiversity, sexual orientation or other factors. Therefore, a well-crafted diversity and inclusion (D&I) policy is one of the key goals of any self-respecting company. Today, I'll illustrate how to identify during an interview what a company's D&I position is and also give some tips on how to create an effective policy based on my own experience. Let's get into what is included in the concept of a diversity and inclusion policy and why it matters.
What Is A Diversity And Inclusion Policy?
In recent years, many companies have made their diversity and inclusion policies publicly available, so that not only potential job seekers but also business partners or clients can get acquainted with their position on this topic. The presence of such a policy characterizes the company well in matters of business ethics, and also makes it clear how it treats its employees.
One of the main problems that a diversity and inclusion policy is designed to address is discrimination in the workplace and in the professional community. This includes discrimination in any of its manifestations, as discrimination at work can range from a variety of things—from a candidate being refused a job interview because of their citizenship to systematic harassment by colleagues because of orientation.
It is possible and necessary to fight against such manifestations of discrimination and a well-crafted diversity and inclusion policy helps companies to contribute to this fight.
Identify All The Important Points In The Interview
So, how can you determine the attitude of a potential employer when it comes to diversity and inclusion? Before the interview, collect additional information by checking to see if the company has any info relating to its policy on its website or in its profile on specialized resources, where many firms regularly maintain accounts and promote their HR brand. Check out the reviews of current or former employees and see what they have to say about this. If D&I is one of the key factors influencing your final decision to join a company, let the employer know your position at the job interview. Clarify with them what D&I measures are being implemented in their company and in what formats.
It is optimal when the company's position on this issue is as transparent as possible. There is also the opportunity to find out what relevant activities the company conducts, what in general they do to ensure that each employee feels at home and how they monitor the observance of the rights of their team members. Today, many large companies have a detailed set of rules and values that they adhere to not only in their work but also in their relationships within the team (e.g., the procedure for actions if an employee is faced with discrimination of any kind).
Supplier Inclusion
Today, companies are not limited only to the internal D&I policy. It's become more common for companies to create separate sections on their websites dedicated to the ethics of their relations with business partners and suppliers. This is called supplier inclusion. Statements on supplier inclusion are usually where a company emphasizes that it promises partnerships with any contractors regardless of their religion, orientation, gender, etc.
Some Considerations While Crafting Your Policy
Finally, I will share cases from my own practice for creating a D&I policy. As HR leaders, it's important for us to create a comfortable atmosphere for all employees, one in which they never have to fear discrimination and affected relations within the team.
Here are some of the steps I have taken that other leaders might find helpful:
1. At the interview stage, indicate to potential new employees that one of your key values is accepting everyone as they are and evaluating a person based on their professional qualities.
2. Prioritize regular and ongoing conversations with your team. Discuss not only issues related to professional growth but also how comfortable each employee is as part of the team. Use this as an opportunity to identify any potential problems—including discrimination of any kind, in any of its manifestations—in order to take appropriate measures in a timely manner. For instance, while I regularly hold personal meetings with all team members, every employee knows that they can initiate a meeting if they urgently need to discuss something with me.
3. Walk the walk. Actively participate in fighting against discrimination. For example, we cooperate with various organizations and foundations that support the fight against various types of inequality, like discrimination based on gender.
4. Dig into relationship-building. To regularly work on strengthening relationships within the team, we hold a variety of events to increase team cohesion and establish friendly ties.
5. Observe and honor important holidays or days of recognition. For instance, we always celebrate important holidays that can be of great importance to employees like International Women's Day.
Advice for all CEOs: Listen to your employees, observe and act. Make sure that all optimal conditions for professional and personal development are created for each team member. Ensure everyone knows that they are important and valuable to the company. A well-developed diversity and inclusion policy is an integral step not only to a healthy workplace atmosphere and long-term partnership with employees but also to a respectful HR brand.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
