LinkedIn Diversity Recruiting Best Practices

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

Ever walked into a room and felt like you didn't belong? Now imagine feeling that way at work. Every. Single. Day. This is why diversity and inclusion in recruitment isn't just a buzzword – it's a business imperative. As someone who's spent years in executive research and recruitment, I've seen firsthand the power of diverse teams. But here's the truth: attracting diverse talent is just the beginning. I remember when a client came to me, frustrated. "We're trying to hire diversely," they said, "but it's not working." Their mistake? They were fishing in the same old ponds. So, how do we shake things up? Here's what I've learned: 1. Cast a wider net: Look beyond your usual talent pools. Partner with diverse professional organizations. 2. Check your job descriptions: Are they truly inclusive? Words matter more than you think. 3. Diverse interview panels: Candidates should see themselves reflected in your team. 4. Blind resume reviews: Remove bias-triggering information like names and schools. 5. Showcase your commitment: Make your diversity initiatives visible on your website and social media. And hiring diverse talent means nothing if you can't retain them. Inclusion is where the real work begins. I once worked with a company that hired a diverse workforce but couldn't figure out why turnover was so high. The problem? They expected new hires to "fit in" rather than creating a culture where everyone could belong. To foster true inclusion: -> Mentor programs: Pair diverse employees with senior leaders. -> Employee resource groups: Give people a place to connect and be heard. -> Inclusive leadership training: Help managers understand and mitigate unconscious bias. -> Regular feedback: Create safe spaces for honest conversations about inclusion. -> Celebrate differences: Don't just tolerate diversity – embrace it! You should focus on creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, contribute, and feel valued. As leaders, it's on us to make this happen. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it. What's your experience with diversity and inclusion initiatives? #DiversityAndInclusion #RecruitmentBestPractices #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture

Generic diversity statements in job ads often backfire. Research shows they can actually decrease applications from candidates of color. Instead, use concrete commitments. A craigslist experiment tested this by adding one sentence to a standard diversity blurb: "We've set a goal of hiring at least one woman or racial minority for every white man we hire." The result was striking: applications from women and people of color increased significantly. And, importantly, it didn't deter white men or lower the quality of applicants. This works because specific goals signal real commitment. Today's job seekers are looking for evidence that your dedication to equity goes beyond platitudes. To attract diverse talent, go beyond boilerplate language: 📊 Set and share specific diversity goals 👥 Be transparent about your current workforce demographics 📣 Highlight concrete actions you're taking to promote inclusion By being clear and specific in your job ads, you can create a more diverse and qualified applicant pool. It's a simple change that can make a big difference! #DiversityInHiring #InclusiveRecruitment #MakeWorkFairBook PS - Stay tuned for this paper from Erika Kirgios, Edward Chang, and Ike Silver - currently under review.

What’s been the most impactful diversity recruiting strategy you’ve implemented or seen in your organization? How was it executed ? What were the results ? It could be a signature event, external partnership, refining the hiring process, sourcing, ERG referrals, employer branding etc Please share so we could all learn from each other. In my case it’s been targeted experiential networking events. Benefits: -attendees are pre vetted by recruiters and represent a specific business unit ex. Senior software engineers -incorporating cultural experiences creates a strong sense of belonging and an emotional connection to your brand -Converts top passive talent to active candidates -Active candidates benefit from interview prep from like minded employees they met at the event -double digit hires from a single event are very realistic given conversion and post event talent nurturing -creates affinity at scale. Most engineers work for brands where they know at least one employee -internal engagement and retention as a result of community building between ERG members, business leaders etc -creates a more positive sentiment about progress on inclusive hiring. Its visible, the entire org could see the initiative and contribute towards outcomes -easy way for senior leaders to plug in and champion inclusion efforts -it’s fun and exciting. Employees are inspired to participate and don’t feel pressured. The list goes on. In my opinion, it’s the single, most impactful inclusive recruiting initiative when executed correctly. I’ve personally produced over 60 of these events across 100+ companies so I’ve seen the impact. What’s been effective at your organization? I’d love to hear your experience. See you in the comments.

Ever heard the saying, “You can’t fish in the same pond and expect different types of fish”? Well, the same principle applies to hiring talent. If you keep casting your net in the same pool, you're limiting the diversity and innovation of your team. Research by Josh Bersin reveals that highly inclusive organizations not only thrive financially but also foster a more dynamic and creative workforce. Here are some practical steps to make your recruitment process more inclusive: ▶ Use a wide sourcing method ▶ Design inclusive job ads ▶ Involve diverse people in the hiring process ▶ Create diversity goals to guide you Hiring diverse talents harnesses the power of varied perspectives to drive innovation, creativity, and success. So, next time you're casting your net for new hires, remember: the more diverse your pond, the greater the chance of catching something truly extraordinary. Could your hiring practices be inadvertently limiting the diversity and creativity of your team? #CivilityPartners #Diversity #Hiring

If you always use the same methods to recruit - you'll always end up with the same people. Whether you're trying to reach more diverse staff, volunteers, or supporters; exploring different means of reaching out is key. This is something I've been spending a lot of time thinking about with my team, as we know we have a long way to go on our journey to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive Here are some things we've tried: 💡 Working with local community organisations - we've been identifying, building relationships with, and supporting local community organisations to use our content and share relevant opportunities with the people they reach. We seek to ensure a positive benefit for both organisations, so this approach is not extractive. 💡 Trialling place based advertising - as well as targeting specific geographic locale's, we are exploring digital 'places', that allow us to reach specific audiences we are currently underserving. 💡 Supporting user generated content - one of the best ways we have found to engage diverse audiences is supporting user generated content, through seeing 'people like me'. This rough and ready and very real approach, allows us to hear from individuals in a format that is relaxed and informal. 💡 Increasing online presence - particularly when trying to reach more young people, we have boosted our online spaces in places where young people are at. We go to them, rather than expecting it to be the other way round. We need everyone's support in bringing our world back to life and it's up to us to ensure that everyone feels able, welcome, and excited to be a part of that. I'd love to know your thoughts and what you have tried? #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #Recruitment