Nearly two-thirds (62%) of employees would reject a job offer if it came from an organization whose culture does not support diversity, according to new data.
According to Monster’s Global Future of Work Report findings, 86% of employees consider inclusion and diversity (I&D) extremely important, with 45% of employers believing that greater diversity helps retain existing talent and to attract new employees.
In fact, two in five companies (40%) now use I&D to guide recruitment processes and organizational strategy as candidates increasingly demand more information about an employer’s plans to diversify (40 % of applicants) and expect transparency in the workforce. diversity (70% of candidates).
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Claire Barnes, director of human capital at Monster, said this demand for diversity and the subsequent shift in how it is viewed reflects a broader societal shift.
“The world of recruitment, like the rest of society, has had to deal with an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in recent years. But diversity isn’t what you say, it’s what you do [and it] benefits the business, the workforce and the communities in which we operate. »
Paul Roberts, CEO of inclusiveness-focused staffing firm Aspire, added that amid a challenging hiring landscape, a focus on I&D is paramount: “In a job market equally competitive, whether or not an employer has an I&D policy in place and is taking positive steps in this area could prove to be the difference between a candidate accepting or rejecting a job offer.
Despite now being at the heart of more organizational conversations, in Monster’s report, only 8% of employers said I&D initiatives were among the top three changes they were making to attract new employees – although this conclusion is cautioned by a comment that it could be due to the employers. the impression that they already have strong diversity processes in place.
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However, Paul Britton, chief executive of law firm Britton & Time, said employers still need to work to ensure diversity moves beyond the recruitment, branding and conversation stages to become a a constant two-way process that is part of all internal and external activities.
He added: “Organizations should ensure that diversity and inclusion policies and processes that encourage and promote diversity and inclusion are put into practice. They cannot simply be a selling point of the company to potential employees, suppliers or customers.
“The approach must be adopted in all areas to avoid being seen as symbolic or gestural diversity.”
With the report also revealing that 87% of companies are still struggling to hire, Joseph Williams, founder and CEO of recruiter Clu, said greater diversity in recruitment processes could open up companies to more talent, a better innovation and growth.
“The conversation around diversity has often been rooted in rhetoric of ‘the right thing to do,'” he said. “This charitable lens has finally been lifted to reveal that there is significant talent in our communities that has simply been shut out of opportunities.
“Hiring from diverse communities should always have been about the invaluable skills available within them.”
In apparent efforts to showcase their diversity credentials and activities to potential recruits, Monster found that three in 10 recruiters increased their reach to organizations with diverse talent pipelines.
Additionally, 21% of employers were working to get certified to showcase diversity work in their organization, while 32% were working to raise awareness of their diversity programs and build better branding around it. .
This is increasingly what Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X candidates want: 47% of Gen Z recruiters told Monster that more candidates than ever expect to learn more about a company’s I&D efforts.
However, as Williams added, these efforts cannot be overstated: “Diverse communities are quick to see past rewards, promises, and cupcakes. They seek actions with responsibility because it nurtures trust.
“The best possible way for organizations to build trust with external candidates is simply to be honest about where they are now and how they intend to get to where they want to be.”
