Three Best Ways to Increase Your Company's Diversity Recruiting Efforts

As diversity is increasingly being realized as an essential corporate value and a key business tool in an organization's drive to growth and success in today's 21^st century global market, it has also become imperative that companies do their best to improve their diversity recruiting efforts.

As stated in the research paper, “Global Diversity: Perceptions, Practices and Attitudes,” by the Economist Intelligence Unit, “today, just as national boundaries are eroding in the “global village,” so are cultural and gender barriers weakening in the global workforce. The concept of workforce Diversity is no longer an abstraction; it is part of everyday life in many countries in the developed world.”

There are three ways proven to be most important and effective in increasing a company's diversity staffing program, as shown by a study undertaken by the Economist Intelligence Unit in June 2008 on behalf of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

These ways are also corroborated by the respective studies undertaken by the Western Washington University and John D. Petrie II of the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue, Virginia. The papers highlighted some “best practices” culled from their respective fields, and which can be of much worth to any company truly committed to making diversity work.

1) Leadership: Lead the effort from the top. Have more visible support from leadership. There must be a concerted effort from the organization's leaders.

2) Outreach: Be actively engaged in reaching out to the citizens in the community you are targeting for recruitment activities. Get involved in diverse communities. Individuals must be targeted. Set clear Diversity targets.

3) Recruiting Strategy: Shape job announcements to attract Diversity. External outreach:cast a wide recruiting net. Pay close attention to various community events that occur and send out recruiting staff to meet people and recruit potential candidates.

Sources:

1. http://www.boston.com/jobs/on_staffing/061807.shtml

2. http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pdf/efop/efo42932.pdf (Prince William Co. Dept. of Fire Rescue, Prince William, Virginia)

3. http://www.shrm.org/research/surveyfindings/articles/documents/diversity_and_inclusion_report.pdf (W e s t e r n W a s h i n g t o n U n i v e r s i t y

4. http://www.shrm.org/research/surveyfindings/articles/documents/diversity_and_inclusion_report.pdf

(Global Diversity and Inclusion:Perceptions, Practices and Attitudes

A Study for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit)