To ensure you are truly considering diversity throughout the entire hiring process, there are a few things you will want to think about during the offer stage.
According to Glassdoor…
“76% of job seekers consider workplace diversity an important factor when considering employment opportunities”.
If you want that star candidate to accept your offer, you need to be prioritising DEI (and making this clear to your candidates).
Implementing DEI initiatives, hiring diverse candidates, and giving everyone an equal chance for a seat at the table are all important first steps to be more diverse and inclusive in your hiring process. Your candidates are looking at this, and are searching for a company and team where their perspectives are valued. If you aren’t walking the talk when it comes to DEI, you will struggle to get those candidates on board.
How diverse was your shortlist? A Harvard Business Review study clearly demonstrates the need for multiple people from minority groups being selected. To ensure you’re considering diversity in the offer stage, it’s a good idea to be conscious of your mix of shortlisted candidates. If you take a step back and realise you perhaps weren't as diverse and inclusive as you would have liked to be during the screening process, try to expand your shortlist and hold more interviews if possible.
It’s also important to consider diversity at all levels. For example, you may have a great gender split of shortlisted candidates for mid-management level roles, however your C-Suite candidates may not match this. Not only does greater diversity at an executive level provide new perspectives but, according to Fast Company, greater representation of women in C-Suite level positions also generates 34% higher returns to shareholders. It’s a win-win.
Once you’ve selected that star candidate, it’s time to make a formal offer. At this stage, you should consider the entire salary package – both compensation and benefits. With DEI in mind, consider the benefits you are working in to a contract and how you can be inclusive. For example, if you are offering a role to a working mum, consider offering flexible working hours for school pick up and drop offs. And, if it’s a student, maybe it’s an early finish on a Tuesday for class. Whatever it may be, consider how you can be supportive and inclusive of the obligations your team members have beyond the 9-5, so that you’re not missing out on great candidates. Research also reveals that employees who feel valued and supported experience increased job satisfaction and a decreased risk of anxiety and burnout. A happy workforce is a productive workforce.
When it comes to salary negotiations, you want to ensure you are being fair and equitable. A good mindset to adopt is equal jobs should have equal pay. For example, if you find that there is a disparity in the salary packages offered to candidates of different genders for the same role, it’s important to nip this in the bud if you are to close the gender divide. It’s also important to be honest around role budgets. Low-balling your candidates, especially those who are junior or who may lack experience or confidence around negotiating pay, will start things off on the wrong foot - and go against what you set out to achieve with a DEI hiring strategy.
You can’t forget to send rejection letters to those applicants who weren’t successful - nurturing this talent pipeline is important. According to Lever, 36% of the workforce is actively looking for a new opportunity at any given time. Just because your unsuccessful candidates weren’t offered this role doesn’t mean they aren’t perfect for the next, and you now have a ready-to-access pool of screened and interviewed talent to reach out to.
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