In a survey by Glassdoor in 2014, it was reported that 57% of employees think that their companies should do a lot more to increase diversity in their workforce. The survey had also reported that close to 67% of job seekers consider diversity and inclusivity as important factors in their evaluation of companies they apply to.
Companies that support, create, and promote a culture of inclusivity hold the potential for higher growth in terms of profit and quality of work. Wondering how to identify if a company or employer is truly diverse and doesn’t show any bias in terms of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or ethnicity among their employees? Here are five ways to find out.
The JDs give out the first clue
One of the best, tried and tested methods to find out about any organization’s seriousness towards diversity and inclusivity is by reading and analyzing their job descriptions about new opportunities and open positions in the organization, put out on various hiring platforms. If the language used in these JDs subtly underline the idea that the company is looking for talent from just one gender, people who come from a more privileged background, educated from top-tier universities,
“able-bodied” and “young” talent, then it is better you stay away from the company as they need to do a lot of work and cannot get away with such a mentality in today’s world. If you’re an employer who wishes to see if your JDs showcase inclusivity or not, you must check this out.
Look at the management/executive team
If you’re a job seeker, it is important that you do a quick research about the companies you’re applying to and understand if their keenness about supporting diversity and inclusivity is for real or mere talk. And the best place to find it out is the company’s website. And start from the About Us section as it says a lot about the culture of the company more than the kind of work they do and the clients they cater to. If the About Us or Meet The Team section showcases very few or hardly any employee from the minority
holding a position of authority, it is a major red flag. It showcases that even though the talent pool might consist of employees belonging to different ethnicities, religions, and gender, the leadership is still concentrated towards the majority, which shows that the company doesn’t have an environment that provides equal opportunities for growth to all.
Find out about their diversity initiatives
Companies that support major diversity initiatives which offer people from the minority community with employment opportunities and training are more in favor among job seekers than those who don’t. In fact, companies who’ve pledged their support towards organizations that help people of color, women, the LGBTQI community, and refugees to gain employment, would take pride in talking about their association with them.
We suggest that job seekers must not shy away from asking their potential employers about their diversity and inclusivity initiatives during the interview, and listen to their responses to the questions carefully. If they show hesitation in addressing the topic, you’ve got your clue.
Check who the company works with
And since you’re scouring the website trying to understand the organization and its stance on inclusivity and diversity, it is also important to look at the kind of clients they have and who they work with. Companies that work with businesses and organizations owned or led by women and people of color exude confidence about them being inclusive, supportive, and liberal in how they think, the environment thrive in, and the kind of work culture they wish to create in their industry.
And when you work in or with a company like that, you too feel pride in it.
Study employee reviews on public platforms
While the websites showcase what the organizations wish to tell us about them and their work culture, the truest review comes from the people who work in the organization and their everyday experiences at the workplace. A look into the reviews of the company on platforms like Glassdoor and InHerSight gives you a view of the company’s attitude towards inclusivity and diversity. It goes without saying what are the parameters to consider while reading those reviews and how to judge the character of the organization.
And now that you know what are the five major points to look out for in a company to see if they are truly inclusive, we are confident about you making the right choice in supporting, building, and being part of thriving work culture that brimming with talent and skilled personnel from all walks of life.
