Recruiters are no longer just looking for solid experience and a great personality when they fill an open position – these days they are also looking to build a diverse workforce. Today, more and more corporations are either creating or refreshing their diversity programs. And it’s no wonder why diversity initiatives are becoming such a priority. A new survey found that an organization’s diversity is important to both current employees and job candidates. With that in mind, here is a look at current trends driving diversity recruitment: Diversity’s definition has evolved. Diversity no longer means just diverse race, gender and sexual orientation. Many organizations are finding value in having a team that has diversity of thought. How do they do this? By recruiting talent with alternative thinking and problem-solving backgrounds. Diversity isn’t only important to minority groups. A majority of Caucasians classify diversity as being important to them, as do Asians, Latinos, African-Americans and women. Communication is key. A lot of employees have felt that their employer isn’t doing enough to add diversity. This may be due to a lack of communication from the company. To effectively communicate your company's diversity initiatives, you can create internal groups to spearhead new initiatives or publish survey results on employee diversity program satisfaction. Data as a way to target diversity. Online advertising is somewhat of an old recruitment method when trying to creating a diverse workforce. You can now take advantage of today’s analytical capabilities and target digital ads to particular diverse audiences, increasing the minority groups who are seeing your job openings. Diversity is a priority for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. In fact, Blue Cross was recently given the top spot on DiversityInc magazine's regional list for excellence in diversity management leadership. Find out more here about how Blue Cross is committed to diversity. To learn more about why diversity is so important and the people and companies who are doing their best to encourage it, check out these blogs:
- When Diversity is Valued, Everybody Wins
- Diversity Visionary Award Winner, Faye Richardson-Green of Steelcase, Inc.
- Embracing Diversity Makes Michigan Stronger
Photo credit: Oregon Department of Transportation
