Challenges you may face as an inclusive recruiter

And how to overcome them

Teams celebrating cultural diversity are far more likely to outperform their competitors. That’s why the best recruitment consultants are acutely aware of their role in eliminating bias to create a process that ensures clients are able to access the widest possible talent pool.

Their role in shaping inclusive hiring practices starts from the moment they begin to draft the job advert, and doesn’t end until after the interview. If you and your agency can address the following challenges that may arise during inclusive recruitment, you will be on the way to finding and attracting the best new recruits to refer to your clients.

Understanding DEI is a necessity

Recruitment consultants with active policies and initiatives relating to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are powerful catalysts for change in even the most reluctant employer.

As a recruitment consultant, you should be able to explain and actively showcase the manifold benefits of DEI to your clients and your employees, for whom seeing it in action is a powerful affirmation.

Heightened awareness might also include a greater acceptance of new perspectives and unconscious bias, says Oyster Partnership senior consultant Annelies Kruidenier. ‘Change has to come from within a business, and clients are now starting to see that if they hire people who look and speak like them then they won’t generate new ideas or better ways of doing things.’ Her firm is a leader in providing a sound ethical and business case for inclusive recruiting and diversity, as well as spotlighting the law around discrimination and the impact it can have on teamwork and collaboration.

Developing a DEI policy that you can share with your existing and prospective clients is also a good sign for potential candidates that your business practices what it preaches. Use your social media channels to highlight some of your DEI success stories.

Recognise you will need to educate reluctant clients

Education is critical to breaking down misconceptions about inclusive recruitment, so sharing a sound business case will expose clients to a broader range of candidates from groups that they had never previously considered.

‘If doubt remains, we carry out demographic surveys that show clients they have, for example, an 80% white, male workforce. This proves that they are not attracting a diverse range of people who will bring new ideas,’ says Annelies.

She believes that case studies where inclusivity has had a tangible cultural and financial benefit for a similarly structured business are a powerful tool in changing mindsets. ‘Clients’ reactions when you put them in front of people they have never had in their business are uplifting. Explaining the benefits is very much the way forward.’

By understanding the specific concerns and objectives of resistant clients, inclusive recruiters such as Oyster build bespoke strategies that address specific needs. That might mean clients attending events in specific communities and partnering with diverse organisations or groups.

Do more than just sourcing candidates

Broadening inclusivity by expanding the candidate market is the tip of the iceberg. That is because moving towards a diverse workforce is purely superficial if the culture surrounding it is not right.

Many recruitment firms are expanding their offering by providing expert onboarding, training and ongoing consultancy as well as fulfilling their core purpose of finding talented recruits. As a result, they are more likely to be heeded when it comes to discussing a holistic approach to DEI.

Annelies adds: ‘When we partner with an organisation, we offer a full, seven-step DEI strategy, or tweaks to an existing one. That might mean everything from appointing a DEI ambassador who will assess the business to ensuring a diverse recruitment pool.’

Encourage clients to be proactive

Mitigating against bias in recruitment is a vital first move, through measures such as inclusive job description, anonymised CV screening and diverse interview panels.

Inclusive recruiters will also offer help to firms in developing, communicating and developing their culture and reputation for dedication to DEI, as well as advising on any relevant legal and regulatory changes.

Daniela Sponder, head of people at the construction-focused K2 Consultancy, says that her business always looks for a solid DEI policy and strategy when hiring recruiters.

‘One of our core values is challenge,’ she says, ‘so challenging the norm and being innovative and different is essential if we are to stay ahead of our competitors. Being forward-thinking and agile in our processes and how we operate is also a differentiator for us as a growing SME with bold ambitions.’