Closing the Confidence Gap

by

While the world of work has been making strides to make it a more equitable place for women and minorities, it's still not where it should be – but maybe not for the reason you think. Despite the rise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, corporate responsibility, fair hiring practices, and an emphasis on representation – the system is still geared to better serve men. Hewlett Packard found that women only apply for jobs when they have 100% of the qualifications listed in the job description, whereas men are comfortable applying when meeting just 60%. This is a large detriment to women in the workforce because it limits their visibility to companies that are hiring. Here is how you can help close this confidence gap and level the playing field when it comes to job applicants.  

 

Defining the Confidence Gap  

As stated above, studies have proven that there is a confidence gap that occurs when women apply to jobs versus when men apply to jobs. The “confidence gap” is the difference in confidence between men and women applying to open positions. Men are more likely to apply to jobs they are less confident about meeting all the criteria for, whereas women typically only apply to a job when they are confident they meet all the criteria.  

 

What the Confidence Gap Doesn’t Address  

However, this finding doesn’t address all the variables behind applying to jobs. As many have speculated since the original Hewlett Packard findings were released, this confidence gap could be attributed to several other factors.  

Women Are More Selective  

A study by LinkedIn found that women are 14% less likely to apply to jobs they review than men, even though they are browsing roles at the same rate. This finding suggests that the gap may not be about confidence, but rather more about their perceived success rates. Women want to respect the guidelines of the posting and tend to only apply to jobs they believe they could actually be offered. In this instance, this selective nature is attributed to a respect for everyone’s time and energy, and not a lack of confidence.  

Recruiting is a Human-Based System  

Although recruiting has been automated by applicant tracking systems and other advanced technology, it’s still largely a human-based system and is therefore affected by human faults. That same LinkedIn report found that when women appear in a recruiter's search results, they are 13% less likely to be viewed than a man’s profile in the same search results. Gender bias is an unconscious bias that can play into a person’s perceived notion of a candidate, and unfortunately can also stack the odds against women.  

Organizational Bias  

Just as individuals can harbor unconscious bias, so can organizations. Oftentimes, systems within an organization can inadvertently reward men more than women. The first example that often comes to mind is the “old boys club” that tends to promote men at greater rates than women. When hiring, bonuses, promotions, and other company recognition is based on favor from leadership, it can create gender biased results.  

 

How to Close the Confidence Gap – and Address Its Ancillary Issues  

No matter the source, whether it’s lack of confidence or biases in the hiring system, it’s clear to see that there is still room for improvement when it comes to closing this gender-based gap. Here are some steps you can take at your organization to ensure an equitable candidate journey for everyone.  

Confidence Gap Blog Graphic

Address the Confidence Gap in Your Job Postings 

Many companies have started to adopt jargon within their own postings that directly addresses the confidence gap proven by Hewlett Packard. At Blue Signal, we recently implemented the same practice and began including the following phrasing in all our own internal job postings:  

“Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women, minorities, and individuals that identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet each and every qualification listed on a job description. At Blue Signal, we believe in more than a checklist when it comes to finding the perfect person for a role. In order to further build more inclusive and diverse workplaces, and should this role sound exciting to you, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the candidate we are looking for.”    

Create something similar that fits the tone and messaging of your own company. This way, when women or other minority groups go to apply, they will see this as encouragement and a direct reflection of your organization’s commitment to equity. You’re sure to see results as your applicant pool becomes more diverse!  

Ensure Equitable Practices within Hiring, Promotions, and Other Internal Recognition  

Most importantly, make sure you are auditing your current internal systems to ensure equitable practices throughout the candidate journey. Equity must be prioritized after hiring in order to make a true, lasting impact. Make sure there are concrete, well-communicated goals in place for promotions, bonuses, raises, and other recognition so it’s not based on favor. Then, follow up by monitoring the progress of all employees through their careers to make sure both men and women are being promoted at the same rate.  

Address Gender Biases in Your Recruiting Practices  

Finally, have the conversation and take the proper steps to remove gender bias in your recruiting and hiring processes. Educate your hiring managers on gender bias so that they can address it within themselves. Leverage ATS systems that remove names and pronouns in resumes so that hiring managers are making selections on candidates to screen that aren’t based on presumed gender. Work with recruiting firms that address gender bias in their processes.  

 

Conclusion  

Unfortunately, the hiring systems in place today inequitably favor men over women. It’s our job to make sure we actively counteract this by addressing gender biases in our business practices. By taking accountability and adjusting our processes, together we can close the confidence gap.  

To learn more or get started on your own hiring equity journey today, reach out to Blue Signal’s DEI certified recruiting team. As your partners in the hiring process, we’re here to get your organization on the right track.  

How To Create an Inclusive Remote Workplace for People with Disabilities

by

Working remotely can be an accommodating arrangement for many employees, including people with disabilities. With its plethora of benefits, remote work is becoming a top hiring trend for 2022. Many thriving businesses are adopting this change, but are finding that creating an inclusive remote workplace for people with disabilities has its own unique challenges. This may seem daunting, however, the key to creating an inclusive remote workplace is simple. To achieve this goal, companies must provide employees with the freedom and flexibility to design their workspace and schedule in a way that meets their individual needs.

In addition, employers should provide clear expectations and guidelines for remote work, including how to stay connected with colleagues and receive support from their managers. But what additional steps can be taken to make everyone feel included without bias? In this blog, we will take a look at the best strategies for creating an inclusive remote workplace for people with disabilities.

 

Provide Assistive Technology

People with disabilities shouldn’t have to face additional obstacles when it comes to working remotely. Large personal expenses incurred by paying for their own assistive work equipment can cause unnecessary hurdles. Even with reimbursements, it can take time and headaches to get those expenses approved. Luckily, employers are required to provide assistive technology as a reasonable accommodation.

Common assistive technology includes screen readers, text-to-speech software, and audio captioning (which can be particularly helpful on remote video calls). During the interview process, make sure to discuss with your new employee which assistive technology they may need to thrive in the role. Ensuring your employee has the appropriate technology from the start will set them up for success in their role and help create an inclusive remote workplace.

 

Ask What They Need For an Inclusive Remote Workplace

Asking employees directly what they want is a way to ensure their needs are met. They are, after all, the best person to tell you what will make work easier for them. This conversation should be proactive; don’t wait for them to tell you that there’s an issue.

Fortunately, a recent report found that 71% of companies are willing to make adjustments for people with disabilities. While there is still room for improvement, it’s a great start. By asking employees what will improve their work environment, you are promoting an inclusive remote workplace. This shows that you value them as an employee and want to see them succeed. As they gain tenure, continue checking; as their role evolves, their needs may as well. Being open to suggestions and establishing regular check-ins will sustain an inclusive remote workplace.  

Man sitting at desk in wheelchair using his phone and laptop in an inclusive remote workplace, with a transparent blue background. Text with statistic is overlayed.

Train Managers on How to Best Support Employees

In order to best support employees with disabilities, it is essential that managers receive suitable training on how to accommodate their needs. These trainings should cover a wide range of topics, from how to adapt work tasks to specific impairments, to interacting respectfully with employees who have disabilities. By ensuring that managers are properly prepared to support every member of their team, businesses can create a more inclusive remote workplace and unlock the full potential of their workforce.

 

Ensure Social Interaction is Accessible

Social interaction plays a huge part in establishing a strong company culture and camaraderie among colleagues, so it’s important that it’s consistent. This doesn’t mean that you all have to meet up every Friday after work but having casual conversation or messaging about your weekend can go a long way in supporting coworker bonding.

Making sure these events are accessible for people with disabilities is the only way to make them equitable and welcoming for all. This isn’t just about physical disabilities either – people with intellectual disabilities may need more regular breaks, for example. Whether it’s establishing virtual happy hours or team building activities, ensuring social interaction is accessible to all is a great way to create an engaged and inclusive remote workforce.

 

To Sum Up Creating an Inclusive Remote Workplace

Every employee is in a unique position and taking an individual approach will serve you well when creating an inclusive remote workplace. To be successful, make sure to talk to your team members with disabilities about adjustments that will make things more accessible for them. Remember to be open to their suggestions, even if it’s a new approach for you.

Blue Signal’s tenured team of recruiters specializes in diversity, equity, and inclusion recruiting. If you need guidance in creating an inclusive remote workplace, reach out to one of our recruiting professionals today to get started.

 

About Our Contributor

Dylan Reid is a freelance writer at 6XDMedia who holds a particular interest in employee welfare and has created content for established companies based all around the world. They hold a degree in creative writing and are always eager to expand their knowledge around different subjects.

The 5 Recruiting Metrics Every Business Should Measure

by

Hiring is one of the most important business decisions any company can make. However, many companies are unsure where to start when it comes to talent acquisition and often overlook key recruiting metrics. Hiring blindly can lead to poor candidate support, turnover, and lost recruiting dollars. In 2021, a bad hire was estimated to cost a business anywhere between $17K to $240K.  

While hiring based on instinct can sometimes yield some lucky results, it isn’t a great strategy for long-term growth. In order to make the most informed hiring decisions now and in the future, businesses should measure and monitor these 5 essential recruiting metrics.  

 

#1 – Time to Fill/Hire  

When you have a position open up, it’s important to know your timeline. Of all recruiting metrics, this should be evaluated first. Setting timeline expectations can help internal stakeholders like teams and managers allocate proper resources to cover in the interim. The average time to fill a position is 42 days. Use this as a benchmark to ensure your business is able to hold out on operation of that role for at least that long. If not, that indicates that you will either need to reprioritize hiring, or come up with a short-term solution until you get the right person on board.  

After you’ve set an estimated timeline, get ahead of the urgency by identifying funnels and streamlining your hiring process. As you go through the motions, watch to see what steps in the process take up the most time. Look for ways to speed them along, or remove them altogether. Regardless, it’s important to address common mistakes that could slow down the hiring process. After all, this could be the make or break of the candidate’s experience.  

A study by Cronofy found that 43% of candidates have dropped out of a hiring process due to scheduling delays. That means that you could lose nearly half of your qualified applicants simply because it takes too long to process them. Assess your hiring bottlenecks early and often so you don’t miss out on top candidates due to poor task allocation and time management.  

 

#2 – Attrition/Turnover  

Next, it’s pertinent to know your company’s recruiting metrics surrounding attrition. By looking at the turnover rate of a candidate’s first 12 months on the job, you can determine the effectiveness of your recruiting and onboarding processes.  

For instance, if you find that you have a rather high turnover rate for new hires, you might want to assess whether or not the job postings are accurately setting the expectations of the role. Are you being transparent throughout the interview process about what it will look like? Is your onboarding training setting these candidates up for success? Or does it need to be reevaluated?  

Regardless of the cause, high turnover signifies a lack of communication somewhere in the process leading to costly falloffs. Research by Brandon Hall found that great employee onboarding can improve retention by 82% and productivity by 70%. Essentially, it pays to be conscious of the candidate experience!  

 

#3 – Cost Per Hire  

Speaking of payoffs, it’s important to prioritize cost per hire among your core recruiting metrics. This should include job board fees, time spent by hiring managers in interviews and screening resumes, ATS system subscriptions, and any agency fees. Divide that grand total by the total number of hires you’ve made to determine your cost per hire!  

This metric is critical. It would be impossible to know whether your optimized recruiting efforts from any of these other steps are having effective ROI/cost savings if you don’t measure cost per hire. Not to mention, it will be important to know how much money you spend on recruitment annually when you begin planning and budgeting. Whether you’re scaling your business, planning for retirements, or getting ready to reorganize, it’s good to know your cost per hire.  

Recruiting Metrics Blog Cost Per Hire

#4 – Quality of Hire  

Similarly, it’s important to track the quality of the candidates you hire. Although less data-driven, this step falls high among recruiting metrics because it can help you determine whether or not your recruiting process is yielding the results you want. To accomplish this, you’ll want to monitor the performance of each new hire’s first year on the job. Track things like time to onboard, assimilation into company culture, and their impacts on the business.  

For example, how much revenue did a salesperson help produce in their first year compared to what you’d expect from someone in their position? Or, think about a marketing hire – did they contribute innovative ideas to the team resulting in audience growth?  

If you discover that the quality of your hires does not match what you need from them for the roles you are recruiting for, this is a good indication to adjust your tactics and target a new talent pool. By measuring this success rate, you will also be able to forecast the impacts on the business you need to get to the next level - i.e. if you want to hit $10M in sales next year, you’ll need to know how many new salespeople you will need to hire to get there. Nailing down this recruiting metric can help you plan ahead.  

 

#5 – Diversity of Candidates  

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) benchmarks are becoming more prominent in sourcing goals for companies across the nation – especially as studies continue to show that the more diverse the team, the better they perform and innovate. Therefore, DEI is here to stay among the top recruiting metrics to measure.  

To reach your own DEI goals, you’ll need to ensure your candidate pipeline is bringing in a diverse pool of applicants. Leverage Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) dashboards, candidate surveys, and hiring feedback to gauge where you stand today. Then, adjust your approach to meet the diverse candidates where they are online and in person. Most importantly, leverage resources – whether remote or in person – to foster the best environment for DEI within your existing team. As your candidate pool becomes more diverse, so will your company – and that will result in increased revenue, employee engagement, and more.  

 

Let’s Review – Your Recruiting Metrics 

Hiring should be a top priority for all companies, because when you have the right team, you will garner the best results. Whether your goal is to increase revenue, scale to handle new projects, or expand your service offerings – it all starts with the right hire. By tracking the right recruiting metrics, you will be able to address areas of improvement in your process and ultimately make better hiring decisions.  

Recruiting Metrics Blog Review

All companies need help when it comes to hiring – and the best resource can be found within their industry. Leveraging a recruiter in your industry saves money, time, and results in better hires and a greater impact on the business. For hiring help within telecom, wireless, manufacturing, healthcare, emerging technology, IoT, accounting and finance, human resources, lighting, cloud and managed services, cybersecurity, information technology, logistics and supply chain, plastics and packaging, food and agriculture, and medical industries – contact a Blue Signal recruiter to get you on the right path.  

How to Approach DEI with a Remote Workforce

by

Over the last two years, businesses have shifted to a remote or hybrid work model as a result of the pandemic. Remote work has sky-rocketed in priority among job seekers, proving to be a top hiring trend that’s here to stay. Similarly, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has increased in priority for candidates. Recent studies have shown 2 out of 3 candidates seek out companies with diverse workforces, and 47% of candidates actively look for DEI when considering future employers.  

While DEI efforts appear attractive to job seekers, it also brings unparalleled benefits to the company. Companies that incorporate DEI into their workplace see higher levels of engagement, productivity, and innovation. According to Deloitte, millennials are 83% more likely to be engaged at work at inclusive companies. Additionally, inclusive companies earn 2.3x more cash flow per employee. Although implementing DEI may seem like a no-brainer, it can be daunting with a remote workforce. Not sure where to start? Follow our tips below on how to approach DEI with a remote workforce. 

Reflect on Your Current DEI Efforts 

Graphic titled "Reflect on your current DEI efforts" with 5 questions listed below. Backround image of coworkers putting their hands together in a group.

What Do Your DEI Efforts Look Like Today?

All companies’ DEI efforts have to start somewhere. Before jumping into implementation, take a moment to reflect on your company’s current DEI efforts. Do you have an established DEI practice? If you don’t, you can look at how similar companies are implementing DEI into the culture of their remote workforce. At Blue Signal, our DEI practice focuses on championing diversity efforts and actively working to educate our internal recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates to ensure the hiring experience is free from discrimination and implicit bias. Examples of our DEI efforts include companywide trainings, seminars, and other educational activities. However, there is no one-size-fits-all guide for DEI. Take a look at the companies around you and use them for inspiration for establishing your own practice. 

Who's Involved? 

Next, reflect on who’s involved in your DEI efforts. Is the Human Resources team or DEI committee doing all the heavy lifting? It may be inauthentic to your brand if you’re not practicing what you preach. DEI efforts need to extend beyond the designated committees as the only representation. It’s important to have all aspects of the business involved, so that DEI efforts are fully assimilated into company culture.  

Similarly, look at how your leadership team is involved. As the faces of the company, the leadership team needs to be at the forefront of company-wide initiatives, especially when working remotely. Lack of buy-in from your leadership team will reflect a lack of participation from the rest of the company. Leaders can participate through hosting virtual meetings, guiding activities, or sharing their commitment to DEI through a statement or presentation. For example, Blue Signal’s CEO Matt Walsh wrote and distributed an important message on diversity. 

Now it’s time to look at your remote workforce. Do they play an active part in your DEI efforts? To ensure your DEI efforts go beyond a company statement, it’s crucial to engage your remote employees. Spurring participation can be tough without an in-person setting, as people are heavily influenced by those (physically) around them. However, you can get your remote employees involved through virtual training, discussion boards, online seminars, or activities. To involve our remote workforce, Blue Signal has held virtual DEI certification trainings, created employee-led groups, and given back to underrepresented groups in the community through philanthropic donations. 

Is Your Management Team an Accurate Reflection? 

Finally, how does your management team reflect your DEI efforts? Despite diverse management teams leading to 19% higher revenue, 78% of employees who responded to a Harvard Business study said they work at organizations that lack diversity in leadership positions. When looking at your management team, do they represent diversity in age, gender, and/or race? If not, make a plan to address that and begin to implement DEI into your hiring practices. 

Implement DEI into Your Hiring Practices

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring is more than hitting a quota. To foster a more diverse and inclusive remote workforce, it is crucial to implement DEI into your hiring practices. Consequently, setting up a diverse hiring team should be the first step in revamping your hiring and recruiting processes. This ensures DEI efforts start even before employees join the team.  

Graphic showing a flow chart with ways to implement DEI into your hiring practices

Recognize Unconscious Bias 

During the hiring process (both remote and in-person), hiring managers should be aware of their unconscious bias. Unconscious bias, or implicit bias, refers to the negative attitudes or stereotypes about a group of people that impacts an individual’s understanding, actions, and choices unconsciously. According to BrightTalk, “79% of HR professionals agree that unconscious bias exists in both recruitment and succession planning decisions.”  

Understand Microaggressions 

As a result of unconscious bias, microaggressions can occur. Microaggressions are brief verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults to marginalized individuals and groups. Both unconscious bias and microaggressions are forms of discrimination that can hinder the hiring process. 

Increase Personal Awareness 

Increasing awareness through education and training can help prevent unconscious bias and microaggressions altogether. Harvard University offers free online tests to uncover implicit bias, with topics spanning religion, race, sexuality, appearance, and ability. Hiring managers that are aware of these factors within themselves will be able to better implement DEI best practices into the hiring process. 

Look for “Culture Adds” 

In addition, hiring managers should look for candidates that are a “culture add” rather than a culture fit. “Culture adds” are potential employees that could add to the existing culture by bringing their diversified ideas and experiences, rather than mirroring it. Looking for those candidates that will build on to your culture will eventually result in more diverse teams. Ultimately, implementing DEI into your hiring practices will set the foundation for a diverse and inclusive workforce. 

Provide Resources 

Whether you're a veteran in the DEI space or just learning about it, resources can greatly benefit your DEI practice. Providing resources can encourage employees no matter where they are in their personal DEI journey. However, with a remote workforce, it can be difficult to gauge where each employee is in their journey. Through one-on-one discussions or surveys, you can assess each employee and provide them with apt resources; such as online article libraries, DEI newsletters, infographics, or quarterly book clubs. It’s important to have resources that are readily accessible and at every level of experience.   

Companies can also establish groups or forums where diversity, equity, and inclusion are promoted, encouraged, and can be discussed. Our employee-led group, Blue Signal Search Women of the Workplace (BSS WOW), serves to promote the education, connection, and empowerment for women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal and beyond. BSS WOW meets virtually bi-monthly, covering complex topics on diversity and inclusion, biases, intersectionality, discrimination, privilege, and more. This resource has positively affected the remote culture at Blue Signal and has increased involvement in other companywide DEI efforts.  

Watch the video below to hear from some current members about how BSS WOW is breaking biases, how it's impacted company culture, and what they’ve learned from the group. 

Embed DEI into Your Remote Culture 

DEI is not a single initiative, but an element that should be embedded into your company culture. In the age of working from home, new obstacles arise daily – but a remote workforce doesn’t have to be one when implementing DEI efforts. You can still implement initiatives and activities virtually. Consequently, embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into your remote culture will bring unparalleled benefits in maintaining connections. 

When dealing with a remote workforce, the aspect of inclusion is especially prominent. According to Gallup, the biggest struggle among remote workers is “loneliness,” as remote environments can leave employees feeling isolated. Thus, establishing a sense of belonging through inclusion efforts is incredibly important. One way you can do that is by aligning company values and DEI goals with remote employees. Giving employees opportunities to provide input and help improve the company will create a deeper connection to the company, which in turn creates stronger employee engagement. However, make sure that all voices are equally heard. Establishing an anonymous DEI suggestion box could help mitigate people feeling pressured to give feedback based on being the token representative. 

In addition to establishing a sense of belonging and increasing employee engagement, embedding DEI into your remote culture can improve innovation. Inclusive companies are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors, and 1.7x more likely to be innovative. Furthermore, 74% of millennial employees believe their organization is more innovative when it has a culture of inclusion. Not only will embedding DEI into your culture ensure the continuity of the efforts, it will drive your company’s success.  

Conclusion 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a marathon, not a sprint. If having a remote workforce makes the process seem daunting, start by reflecting on your current DEI efforts. If your practice is not already established, look to similar companies and take inspiration from them. Then, strategize ways to implement DEI into your hiring strategy, as your company should be a reflection of diverse hiring. After assessing where your company is with DEI, make sure resources are readily available and varied. Finally, ensure the continuity of DEI by embedding it into your company culture. This will result in an increased sense of belonging, innovation, and engagement among remote employees. However, good leaders and companies should always be open to evolving and adjusting, as these essential factors will continue to transform as understanding deepens and needs change.  

As recruiters, we play a key role in advancing and promoting workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion. If your company needs help with DEI recruiting support, strategy, or implementation, reach out to us today.  

Top 5 Hiring Trends in 2022

by

Looking back on 2021 hiring trends, the hiring industry has learned a lot about how to pivot and excel in an ever-changing job market. As we’ve already started to see the many differences we’ll navigate in 2022, some hiring trends will remain the same. The war for talent is still prevalent and the candidate-driven job market persists. Remote work is not going anywhere, but even so has seen subtle differences today compared to hiring trends a year ago – along with new sets of trends beginning to emerge. Beyond acknowledging these trends as they occur, it’s important for businesses large and small to innovate and properly prepare for success. Offering candidates benefits they care about, hybrid work, DEI initiatives, upskilling, and automating processes are all covered in this overview of 2022’s hiring trends.

2022 Hiring Trends

1. Candidates Want More Than a Paycheck

No different than 2021, candidates still have the power in the job market as we navigate through the war for talent. In 2022, experts don’t see this hiring trend shifting which means employers must remain flexible in their offerings and be open to what candidates are actually seeking. Simple benefits like sign-on bonuses just aren’t cutting it anymore. Companies need to get creative and adapt to their candidates’ desires in order to stay ahead of the evident competition. By breaking down non-negotiables such as the ability to work remotely, it tells candidates you are open to being flexible and ultimately want the best for them. Overall, candidates are looking to be treated as human beings – and not just a small cog in a big machine.

Another crucial way to grab the attention of candidates is to ensure there’s updated company branding available for them to learn more about you. Today’s generation of professionals are looking to be a part of a company long-term. To do so, employees need to feel valued, important, and cared for, both at work and in their personal lives. Of course, hiring managers are able to elaborate on values and what sets their company apart in the interview process; but first - they need candidates to apply. Job seekers are looking online for evidence about why a company has potential before they even start the application process. By making this informational hunt easier for them to navigate, you’ll be a step ahead of the competition. Studies have shown that 52% of candidates rely on the information from a company’s website and social media to learn about the employer. Don’t overlook what a critical investment employer branding can be.

2. Remote/Hybrid Work is Here to Stay

Brought on in 2020 by the global pandemic, we’ve seen a spike in remote work. Studies show that 62% of workers aged 22 to 65 claim to work remotely at least occasionally. 2022 hiring trends all point to a continued increase in this area, with a particular focus on the availability of more hybrid working opportunities. Hybrid working conditions are trending to be the top ask among job seekers in this market. Every employee’s situation is different and in today’s candidate-driven market, companies need to provide options for how they work. Be prepared for candidates to negotiate a flexible schedule such as remote, hybrid, or a split shift.

These offers don’t just benefit the employee side, but also benefit the overall well-being of the company. Studies found that remote workers are more productive than in-office staff. Not to mention, remote working opportunities mean that companies can hire from a more diverse pool of talent. Another key factor that plays into these benefits is employee retention. When good candidates are becoming far and few between these days, retention is everything. Harvard Business Review found that remote workers were more likely to stay working for a business longer than colleagues who worked in-office. Overall, it’s important to be flexible and open-minded to what potential employees are asking for. Some people will prefer the office, some people will want to work at home, and others will need a mix of both. The best companies will cater to this hiring trend.

Remote vs. Hybrid Workers

3. DEI Initiatives Now a Must-Have

As the candidate pool shifts to a younger and more socially aware workforce, they are emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives when searching for jobs. As we’ve seen an increase in progressive movements towards diversity in the workplace in the past couple years, it’s now become a requirement rather than a nice-to-have. Hiring trends state that in the coming year, businesses need to deliver on these big promises. Candidates are looking at actions rather than words. In 2022, companies will continue to focus on these initiatives, and we’ll see an increase in leadership roles created around diversity and inclusion such as “Chief Diversity Officer” and “Head of DEI.”

Along with the obvious social responsibility that companies should be supporting, DEI plays a critical role in productivity and retention in the workplace. Studies have found that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely (and those in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely) to have higher financial returns. Hiring trends have also proven that 35% of an employee’s emotional investment in their work, and 20% of their desire to stay at their organization, is linked to feelings of inclusion. Overall, an equitable and inclusive workplace will attract and retain a happier and more diverse workforce, creating success in every aspect of the business.

Wondering where to start? When strategizing DEI initiatives you can implement, start by setting up a diverse hiring team. This helps companies expand their workforce with individuals that bring unique ideas and experiences to the table.

4. Close the Skill Gap; Invest in Existing Employees

Today’s hiring market can be misleading when viewed at the surface level. Hiring trends state that 87% of employers are struggling to fill positions as a result of the skills gap, despite a high degree of unemployment. For companies who are looking to grow and expand market share, this may seem like a dead end. The solution? Promote and invest in education internally. All hiring trends, both current and predicted, lead to an emphasis on candidate’s skillsets rather than years of experience. Top skills being sought out focus on digital talents. Software development, data analytics, digital marketing, cloud computing, problem-solving, and project and change management are among these targeted skills.

By turning the attention to existing employees who are on the cusp of qualifying for a more technically advanced or higher responsibility role, employers avoid the stress of hiring during today’s climate. To be a successful business, we know retention is key. Offering skill advancement opportunities such as trainings and education programs takes retention a step further by saving both time and money. Statistics show that it costs more and takes longer to recruit and train new employees than upskilling current ones. SHRM reports that the average cost per hire in the U.S. is around $4,000, and that it can take an average of about 42 days to fill a position.

It’s hiring trends like these that are encouraging companies to focus internally. Surveys found that 84% of companies are increasing investment in reskilling programs. Amazon for example, recently announced that they were going to upskill 100,000 people in the near future. Above retention advantages, these opportunities promote employee satisfaction, loyalty, and employer branding all at once.

5. Advanced Technology and Automated Practices

As the digital world continues to take over and become more applicable to businesses, automation and AI will continue to be the most utilized hiring trend in 2022. With the new, younger generation set to take over a majority of the workforce, digitally advanced technology becomes critical. For smaller companies in particular, this will be essential in breaking out to compete with bigger businesses who have already been implementing advanced processes.

As we saw remote and hybrid work flourish, companies have since turned to AI technology to build out more automated processes and ways to streamline and communicate. 2022 hiring trends say that automation will go beyond HR and see advancement in all aspects of a business. This will go hand-in-hand with machine learning technology, resulting in an increased need for candidates with this unique skillset.

Taking all these hiring trends into consideration alongside the rapidly evolving and advancing job market; more companies are turning to recruiters and search firms. Navigating a new hiring market can feel like a full-time job in itself. That’s why there’s specialized recruiters in every industry space. Recruiters can help your company learn new hiring skills for this evolving world of work, expanding beyond being a personable employer and a good company. At Blue Signal, all our recruiters specialize in developing personal branding, adapting to industry changes, and offering insights to business leaders in their niche. Gaining insight on how to effectively work, interview, hire, manage, and communicate remotely can help you be the best hiring manager possible throughout today’s hiring trends. No matter the challenge you face, Blue Signal can help.

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace 2021 Year in Review

by

Blue Signal’s own female empowerment initiative, BSS Women of the Workplace, has just concluded its best year yet! Founded in 2019, BSS WOW has not only impacted those within the organization, but also the greater community as a whole. With the mission of “promoting the education, connection, and empowerment of women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal and beyond,” we’ve supported our goals through several purposeful actions. Despite being geographically dispersed, BSS WOW was able to meet virtually to discuss important topics, bond as a team, and participate in philanthropy. 

 

BSS WOW Learning Opportunities  

This year, we did an activity on gendered language in the workforce where we examined the unintentional yet inherent biases that many work-related terms hold. By examining these terms and their biases, we as a team were able to better understand equity and how we can combat gendered bias in our communication with clients, candidates, internally with colleagues, and externally as a whole. As a group, BSS WOW completed a LinkedIn Learning Course and certified 100% of our members on Women Helping Women Succeed in the Workplace.  

Additionally, we reviewed several articles surrounding similar topics. In one meeting, the group read “She Wants to Kill the Girl Boss.” The article sparked thoughtful conversations surrounding confirmation bias, intersectionality, discrimination, and privilege and how that all plays into labels. In another meeting, we reviewed a summary of the popular Sheryl Sandberg book, Lean In. We discussed gender inequality, factors that can help or hinder women’s careers, and how we can all help women to achieve their goals. Another hot topic surrounded the child-care crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This Washington Post article predicted that COVID-19 would dramatically set women back, given that many mothers had to choose between motherly duties and their careers.  

Finally, at our end-of-the-year holiday party, we discussed women who we admire. Many notable professionals were named, including Brittney Packnett Cunningham, Abby Wambach, Sara Blakely, and Rachel Hollis. Each of these articles and discussions facilitated actionable insights into bettering ourselves as people and as professionals.  

 

BSS WOW Team Building  

In creating a safe space to discuss such topics, it’s important to make it fun — it’s simply good strategy! We found so much joy in conducting alternate activities that they’ve become a staple in every meeting. We bonded over things like Secret Santa; the Rose, Bud, and Thorn activity; and more. Our members shared feedback on Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace, stating that they “truly enjoy the bonding exercises. It can feel extremely isolated when working remote - so it's helpful to have the connection with others on a deeper level.” Others said they “always leave the conversations feeling refreshed with a new perspective and feeling closer to the team!” By becoming exactly what our company needed, either through connection or just as a good mental reset, this group has become its own community.  

BSS WOW Testimonial

Blue Signal Gives Back – BSS WOW Edition  

Giving back has been a cornerstone to Blue Signal’s company culture since our inception. It’s no wonder that BSS WOW would want to participate, but with their own unique spin. Since 2020, BSS WOW has been supporting Live and Learn AZ. Live and Learn is a local non-profit that seeks to empower women in the Phoenix area to break the cycle of generational poverty. This year we continued our resume writing support and interview coaching collaboration, effectively helping 18 women with their resumes. Of those 18, six were hired into new roles.  

One Live and Learn client was very discouraged about applying for jobs and wasn’t sure when she would be able to find employment to support her family. She was referred to the BSS WOW resume writing service, where she learned to tailor her resume to the job she would be applying for. After speaking with BSS WOW, she found renewed energy and confidence in the job search, and she was able to nail a job in healthcare. Stories like these are what inspire us to work to support those in our community. This year, with our newly developed career service, we were able to also refer these Live and Learn clients to Resume and Career Services, powered by Blue Signal. With this, we hope to get even more women educated, empowered, and employed.  

But we didn’t stop there. BSS Women of the Workplace also donated four laptops to the cause. We donated three full Thanksgiving meals for Live and Learn’s Give Thanks food drive. We went live with Live and Learn on Instagram to help them generate donations for Giving Tuesday. Their movement to #EmpowerWomen and #BreakTheCycle resulted in $5,160 in overall donations! For Christmas, BSS WOW also sponsored three families from Live and Learn. The entire Blue Signal organization stepped up to help create an incredible holiday for these women and their families.  

BSS WOW Adopt a Family

Reflecting on 2021 and The Year Ahead 

2021 brought with it so many new opportunities for growth. Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has been humbled by this experience, and we are all excited for what’s next. We plan on continuing our virtual meetings, planning more exciting activities, and finding new ways to give back to our communities. For 2022, we want to focus on topics such as mental health, financial literacy, and equity. We will continue to learn more about women in leadership, and hope to make our own mark on that space.  

If this purpose and these projects speak to you, contact us to see how you can get involved. Whether that means joining in on the fun yourself by applying to work with us, or by educating us on your own current organization and how we can partner, don’t hesitate to reach out. 

 

Resources 

Here are several resources BSS WOW discussed and collected throughout the year. Please leverage these to explore on your own the topics we covered.  

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace, 2021 Update

by

Since the beginning, Blue Signal has worked to advocate for women - both internally within our company, and externally within our greater community. In 2019, this took a more official form with the founding of Blue Signal Women of the Workplace (BSS WOW). 

This female empowerment initiative brings together everyone in the company, with the working purpose “to promote education, connection, and empowerment for women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal… and beyond!” Just like Blue Signal’s other DEI initiatives, BSS WOW has an impact that extends beyond just the internal organization. Below is an update on the projects we’ve worked on over the last year.

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace Purpose Graphic

BSS WOW Partnering with Live and Learn AZ 

Live and Learn is a local non-profit organization that was created to empower women in the Phoenix-metro area to break the cycle of generational poverty. They support the financial independence and career growth of women in our community by offering classes, workshops, and training geared toward accomplishing each individual woman’s goals. Their incredible education programs have resulted in life-changing successes, like earning degrees, landing jobs, and so much more. 

Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has been supporting Live and Learn in this mission since 2020, by providing resume writing tips and interview coaching. Through collaboration and a little bit of recruiter magic, Blue Signal has been able to walk these women through the resume writing process and renew their confidence to dive into the job market. In 2021, we are excited to continue this partnership and plan to provide as much value as possible to the clients of Live and Learn AZ. 

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace, Live and Learn Testimonial Graphic

BSS WOW Education and Certifications 

Despite COVID-19 changing the way we meet, Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has continued to come together since our company moved to a fully remote work model. We meet virtually once every other month to discuss updates on our Live and Learn philanthropic work, learn about issues surrounding women, and empower one another through discussion and shared experiences.

In our meetings, BSS WOW has discussed gendered language and its impact on how we understand and represent the workforce overall. We have examined articles, like this one from the New York Times that has stirred quite a bit of commentary surrounding gendered titles like “Female CEO” in corporate leadership. We’ve also covered difficult topics like biases, intersectionality, discrimination, and privilege. Through prioritizing these meetings, we’ve discussed everything from #GirlBoss to “fireperson,” learning along the way about inclusivity and empowerment. These topics have also led to conversations about ways we can implement better industry practices for emailing candidates, addressing clients over the phone, and writing job descriptions to advertise online. 

During a recent meeting, the entire BSS WOW group became LinkedIn certified in helping Women Succeed in the Workplace by taking this course as a team. The course was aimed toward helping women (and their male or non-binary allies) advocate for success within their careers. By learning about better practices surrounding self-confidence, executive presence, and pay equity, Blue Signal is continuing our education on how best to support our candidates on their career paths, and our clients in fostering success throughout their teams. 

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace LinkedIn Learning Course Certification Graphic

Summary

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace seeks to create an assembly that unites our workplace to further the goals of each other as individuals, and propel Blue Signal to be the best recruiting firm on the planet. We believe that connected, empowered women, and those who support them, are unstoppable. BSS WOW has served as a platform to give Blue Signal colleagues the tools and resources needed to support their growth and to build long-term relationships while reaching new heights within professional development. BSS WOW has helped us improve the way in which we support our clients, candidates, colleagues, and community. We are excited to continue in our mission to be a resource for supporting and advocating for women in any workplace. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Blue Signal

by

As we look to the future - in our industries, in our communities, and even globally - the prioritization of diversity, equity, and inclusion are necessary to truly reach our full potential. This sounds like a pretty hefty undertaking, but as it has been proven in numerous studies, there is still much work to do surrounding representation across the board. It is really just the beginning. The good news? The success that is ahead may prove bigger than we can imagine. 

In recruiting, talent acquisition, and the business of overall talent capital, we have a duty to set the example and kickstart the process at the beginning - starting with hiring. As recruiters, Blue Signal recognizes its role in championing workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion - for our clients, candidates, and internally for our colleagues. We pledge to work diligently to ensure the hiring experience is free from discrimination and unconscious bias - and here is how. 

 

Where We Have Been 

"Blue Signal refers all candidates on the basis of qualifications rather than age, sex, creed, color, nationality, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or ability." Our policy can be found directly on our website and it is the guideline by which we seek to approach the future. From the top down, we are looking to continuously improve our organization - and in turn, the organizations we support. 

We strive to support our core value of excellence, and our commitment to innovation - especially when it comes to our own hiring practices. Since our inception in 2016, we have hovered around a nearly 50% female workforce. This is much higher than the industry average of 25%. 

Additionally, we founded our very own Blue Signal Women of the Workplace (BSS WOW) initiative in 2019 with the purpose of promoting education, connection, and empowerment for women (and those who support strong women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal - and beyond! The BSS WOW group has supported equity and inclusion advocacy within Blue Signal itself, and also within our greater Arizona community. BSS WOW partnered with Live and Learn AZ in 2020 to provide women who are victims of generational poverty in our local community with resume writing support and job application tools to help them in their own goals of breaking out of the cycle of poverty. Today, we meet regularly to discuss ideas and strategize ways to improve our own organization, and support women both internally and externally when it comes to professional development and representation within the workforce. 

As a starting point, we continue to seek resolution to the gender disparity we see throughout the tech industry. It is in our roots and it is a major theme in our future plans. We want to set an example within our own organization, practice what we preach, and then arm our clients and candidates with tools of their own to further develop more mindful gender equity practices in their own organizations. However, gender disparity is only one small portion of the work we have ahead. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Blue Signal Blog Graphic

Where We Are Going 

Blue Signal has never shied away from a challenge, so we started by having the uncomfortable conversations and tackling our own unconscious biases when it comes to several other faucets of DEI. As CEO, Matt Walsh put so fervently in his Letter on Diversity, “diversity drives innovation, and we believe a truly diverse and inclusive workplace requires an ongoing process backed by action to stay at the forefront of progression. To do so, calls for a meeting of many minds that collaborate across identities and cultures.” And that is exactly what we did. 

Last month, Blue Signal launched its first ever DEI Committee to discuss feelings, experiences, ideas, and action plans for further supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization. We discussed what we have seen other companies doing, and what we can do starting today. We planned company-wide DEI trainings and found certifications surrounding equitable hiring practices that we plan to implement as a mandatory part of our own onboarding. We circulated educational materials, like this informative glossary of terms, to expand our knowledge base and open the door to pose new questions, and formulate new solutions. 

The DEI Committee looked back on past placements, examined the data, and determined where we had room to improve as far as who we represent. We found that in all our past searches, we represented what we estimate to be an average of 35% diverse candidates. Alarmingly, the average percentage of diverse candidates in tech roles today is around that same ratio (about 28%). We want to be well above industry averages in all that we do. 

Ultimately, we are seeking to educate ourselves and in turn, empower our clients and candidates so that we can make the biggest impact possible for DEI within hiring. We want to become a resource when it comes to DEI practices - whether that is educating hiring managers on unconscious bias in the interview process, or promoting diverse candidates as equitably as we promote our white, heteronormative/cisnormative candidates. With the right tools, we have the power to change the course of our industry and we take that challenge very seriously.

Conclusion 

Matt said it best, “Blue Signal’s commitment is to innovation. Our commitment is to diversifying our relationships and promoting equality. And our commitment is to empower our employees to be excellent, within the recruiting industry, our communities, and beyond.” As we continue to grow, learn, and change as an organization, we want to make an intentional path forward. We will focus on what we can do - whether that is on our individual desks, with our own candidates and clients, or within the industry overall - by endorsing education throughout. 

We encourage you to reach out and collaborate with us on this mission. Tell us about what your organization is doing to champion workplace diversity, to encourage equity, and truly foster inclusion. Or rather, tell us what they are not doing so we can learn from that, too. Follow along with us on this journey as we create a better professional world for ourselves, our organizations, our communities, and most importantly - those colleagues who are underrepresented.