Speaking of doing the right thing by the people of today…

When writing your job description, have you considered the feeling and emotions people will feel when reading the advert? Here are some tips on diversity and inclusion to help you maximise the effectiveness of your advert and to also project the correct tone to the desired audience and those that may be your leaders of tomorrow.

Eliminate Racial Bias

Like gender bias, racial bias can be implicit and frequently is unknowingly perpetuated by recruitment professionals. But some careful attention to words and phrases used can help eliminate implicit and explicit bias and increase diversity.

When planning communications:

• Never mention race or national origin.
• Phrases like “strong English-language skills” may deter qualified non-native English speakers from applying.
• A “clean-shaven” requirement can exclude candidates whose faith requires them to maintain facial hair (and it also indicates the position is for men only)

When reviewing candidates:

• Avoid “Cultural Fit” and focus on “Value Alignment”
• Limit referral hiring, and go beyond your network
• Don’t waiver from the qualifications for a select few
• Ask everyone the same set of interview questions
• Challenge your assumptions based on names, schools and locations
• If possible, remove names from candidates and review ‘blind’

Avoid Gender Bias

According to an Internal Report by a leading Technology company, women will typically only apply for a job if they meet 100% of the qualifications. To avoid unconscious gender bias deterring women from applying to your jobs, consider eliminating requirements that are not essential. If the position is one where training can easily be provided, don’t insist experience in a specific software suite. Generalise areas where transferable skills are okay, and clearly outline which qualifications are required, which are strongly preferred, and which are nice to have.

Remove Gender-Coded Words

If candidates assume the role is more suited for the opposite gender, you will miss out on qualified candidates. The best way to avoid this common mistake is to avoid words that are typically understood to be ‘coded’ for a male or female audience.

Female-coded words include variations of:  

Agree, empathise, sensitive, affectionate, feel, support, collaborate, honest, trust, commit, interpersonal, understand, compassion, nurture, and share.

Male-coded words include variations of:

Aggressive, confident, fearless, ambitious, decisive, head-strong, assertive, defend, independent, battle, dominant, outspoken, challenge, driven, and superior.

The UK has been reporting about an aging workforce. A third of workers are over 50, with people spending on average 7 years longer in the workforce than in the 1970s , according to a report from Human Resource Executive. Some best practices for avoiding age discrimination include making sure your employer branding reflects a wide range of the age of workers at your company.

Additionally, avoid loaded phrasing like:

• “Young and energetic”
• “Party atmosphere”
• “work hard/play hard”
• “Digital native”
• “Gen-Z”
• “Calling all recent graduates!” (Unless for a specific graduate program)
• “Athletic” or “athletically inclined”
• “No more than X years of experience”
• “Junior” or” Senior” except as part of a job title
• “Supplement your retirement income!”

Be Inclusive of Workers with Disabilities 

Make sure your job postings are welcoming to workers of all abilities by advertising when there are accommodations like flexible hours or tele-work policies that would appeal to workers with disabilities. Let applicants know your workplace welcomes and values all candidates with phrasing like: “Ability to complete tasks with or without reasonable accommodations.” Instead of writing “Access to your own vehicle isn’t always necessary”, try “Access to reliable transportation,” which is more inclusive to people with disabilities.

Highlight your Inclusive Benefits, values and diversity commitment 

Don’t make people ask you about parental leave, flexible working practices, benefits like health insurance – some people won’t feel they can, for fear they’ll be judged. Placing these initiatives in plain sight shows you are an employer who takes diversity, flexible working and inclusivity seriously – and will make you a much more attractive option for job seekers. They’ll better understand your company values align with their own and feel comfortable exploring working with you. Tell candidates proudly you’re an equal opportunities employer.