Closing the Confidence Gap

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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

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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.

How to Approach DEI with a Remote Workforce

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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.  

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace 2021 Year in Review

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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.  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Blue Signal

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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. 

The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in Recruiting

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In industries such as ours - recruiting, talent acquisition, human capital - we are in a unique position to influence hiring trends. We have the power to represent candidates that otherwise may have gone unseen. From the top down, there is an issue of representation and inclusion within all industry verticals. As of May 2020, racially diverse executives held only 16% of total C-suite positions according to a study by Stanford University. Of the Fortune 100 companies, 26 have no ethnic diversity at the C+1 level - and 6 have no ethnic or gender diversity at this level. The issue is apparent in the numbers alone - but make no mistake, there are people behind these statistics. 

As executive recruiters, we have a duty to make sure we are moving in the right direction for the future - by representing people to hire based on skill. At Blue Signal, we refer all candidates on the basis of qualifications rather than age, sex, creed, color, national origin, race, ethnicity, gender, or ability. We take pride in championing diversity efforts and actively work to educate our internal recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates to ensure the hiring experience is free from discrimination and unconscious bias. Leveraging our experience in this practice, and in a continual effort to educate ourselves on the best ways to combat these issues, here is some of what we have learned.

The Importance of D&I - Past Obvious Reasons

Diversity matters - this we know. However, even in plain numbers D&I directly correlates with success in business. Research by McKinsey identified that - compared to their respective national industry medians - 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. Bigger than that - those companies in the bottom quartile for gender, ethnicity, and race aren’t just not leading, they are proven to be lagging in financial returns. 

McKinsey Report - ClassicDiversity - EX1

“The business case for diversity in the workplace is now overwhelming,” claims the World Economic Forum. Their article on the subject listed a collection of evidence that D&I has a direct positive impact on innovation and business performance. Research by The Hamilton Project proves that there is a direct correlation between high-skilled immigration and an increase in the level of innovation. “Increasing the share of college-educated immigrants in the population by one percentage point increases patents per capita by 6 percent. This impact is roughly twice as large for those with advanced degrees… A one percentage point–increase in the college-educated or advanced degree-holding immigrant shares of the U.S. population are estimated to produce a 12.3 percent or 27.0 percent increase in patenting per capita, respectively.”

The Hamilton Project - Innovation - EX2

Catalyst, a global nonprofit whose mission is to build workplaces that work for women, found correlations between D&I and employee satisfaction benchmarks such as retention, productivity, decision-making, innovation, and team performance. There was also a link between diversity/inclusion and boosting company reputation, reducing instances of fraud, ESG performance, and financial performance. Here are some fast facts on their research: 

  • Companies with higher levels of gender diversity and with HR policies and practices that focus on gender diversity are linked to lower levels of employee turnover.
  • Thirty-five percent 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.
  • According to one recent study, over a period of three years companies with higher diversity in management earned 38% more of their revenues, on average, from innovative products and services than those companies with lower diversity.
  • Organizations with inclusive business cultures and practices are 57.8% more likely to improve their reputations.
  • Companies with consistent, inclusive workplace cultures—especially as experienced by historically underrepresented groups—also outperformed the S&P 500 in average annual stock returns during the Great Recession (measured from 2006-2014).
World Economic Forum Quote

Diversity and inclusion is important for innovation. It’s important for financial and employee performance. It even unwittingly impacts a company’s information security, recruiting efforts, and overall reputation. Not only does representation matter - if not properly implemented, it can cost a company actual dollars. The evidence is indeed overwhelming. There is no longer a question of if it will impact a company’s performance. It’s now a question of why, as in “why is this still happening?” 

 

The Problem

It’s not for lack of trying. Companies have begun to recognize the issue and have implemented some misguided efforts toward D&I - such as intentionally hiring “diverse” individuals to try and tip back the scales. (Which is a problematic solution, to say the least.) Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, companies must intentionally work toward diversity and inclusion if they ever want to see correct change. 

Take for example “colorblindness.” This is the rhetoric that by not seeing someone’s race, they are not engaging with racial discrimination. In reality, not making note of someone’s race is inadvertently allowing people to ignore manifestations of discrimination in things like social, economic, and institutional practices. Being “colorblind” minimizes issues that people of color face. In a field experiment by the National Bureau of Economic Research, they found that identical resumes with white sounding names received 50% more callbacks for interviews than those with African American sounding names. Based on their estimates, a white name yields as many more callbacks as an additional 8 years of experience. They also found that federal contractors (who are thought to be more constrained by affirmative action laws) and employers who list “Equal Opportunity Employer” in their job ads discriminate just as much as other employers. It’s not enough to talk the talk. 

Atlassin D&I thoughts vs action graph 1
Atlassin D&I thoughts vs action graph 2

This also holds true for hiring, or not, based on the perception of “culture fit.” When hiring, it’s easy to be drawn to the person you most relate to within the interview process. Greenhouse, an HR organization that works to make every company great at hiring, wrote a blog unpacking unconscious bias while assessing candidates during the interview process. They state the definition of unconscious bias as “the accumulation of mental shortcuts both hardwired and developed, that lead us to form judgements, often unfair in nature.” You can learn more about unconscious bias, and how it impacts business in this LinkedIn Learning course. When looking to bring someone onto a team, people are prone to hire someone they would want to “have a beer with,” as the cherry on top of a good candidate. When given an equally qualified candidate, people tend to place unconscious bias against them - believing they are not as viable of a hire because they don’t fit this perception of “culture fit” in comparison to someone who does. Greenhouse suggests that instead of hiring based on “culture fit” that companies should strive for “culture add” - where the candidate would add to the existing culture, rather than mirror it. 

If this is starting to sound like way too much work, you’re not alone. Diversity fatigue is real. Aubrey Blanche spoke about this idea while working as the Global Head of Diversity and Belonging at Atlassian. “The topic is everywhere and people are tired of talking about it. And much like compassion fatigue, caring hurts. You get frustrated by all this discussion not turning into meaningful action. It’s a fight that takes resources and energy, and it’s hard to stay committed when you’re barely seeing results,” says Blanche. Surely, everyone cares about diversity and inclusion - but few are willing to put in the hard work it takes to make a long term, impactful change. The issues are complex and can be emotional for many. But Blanche puts it best - “It’s not enough to just care about D&I. Without dedicating time and intention, you’re only reinforcing the pattern of mediocrity in the industry.” 

Aubrey Blanche Quote

In order to really tackle this issue, Blanche believes most companies are having the wrong conversation. Her company, Atlassin, published a report in 2018 about the State of Diversity and Inclusion in US Tech. This report discussed how, “most D&I programs focus on increasing the representation numbers of a narrowly-defined category of "diverse" candidates, instead of focusing on belonging and inclusion throughout the company.” In some cases, it might be that the reason a company is lacking in diversity is because they’re not putting enough effort into making their existing employees feel included. 

Atlassin D&I thoughts vs action graph 3

It’s not enough to look at these percentages and try to improve the statistics as if you’re only working with numbers and data. There are real people behind these stats, and sometimes that truth gets lost in translation when looking at the issue as a mountain to climb. Blanche expands, saying the “corporate level aggregate reports don’t actually measure diversity — they measure representation. It doesn’t matter if 30% of your company is made up of women if they’re all in marketing or HR and the men are in engineering.” If underrepresented groups are only found in certain job functions or are all only in particular teams, it doesn’t count. Diversity without distribution isn’t diversity at all. 

 

The Solution 

When looking at the problem as a whole, it can be very overwhelming. But when you look at its individual parts, you see that it’s the small actions that create the big picture. As hiring professionals, we are the gateway into an organization. It’s our job to establish that inclusivity from the start. To do this, we must become more comfortable with being uncomfortable. Greenhouse urges companies to approach diversity and inclusion with an open mind - these issues are complex, but by mentally reframing them as productive and an opportunity to learn, businesses will be able to make a change. 

A great first step is to build and establish a D&I mission and brand. Rakuna developed a comprehensive checklist to help showcase an employer’s diversity brand - suggesting things like publishing a diversity statement from the CEO on the company’s career page. If you aren’t sure where to start with writing this, check out the US Chamber of Commerce’s blog on the topic. They say that a clear diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy should contain what DEI means to you as an organization, why DEI matters to you, and how you will approach DEI - now and in the future. 

Tiffany Houser Quote

But remember, we learned earlier that making the commitment on paper isn’t the same as taking action. By intentionally working against biases, we can start setting things in motion. And the first step in that process is to admit you have biases. The Digital Workplace says that “acknowledging the natural biases that you have openly with others can be a great way to disarm the situation rather than trying to skirt around the elephant in the room.” Outwardly admitting them makes these biases into something external you can work against. One excellent example of this is to establish blind screening policies. A study by Stanford University found that scientists were less likely to agree to mentor, offer jobs to, or recommend equal salaries for candidates based on the gender of their names at the top of identical resumes. By removing names, photos, and gendered pronouns in a resume - you can reduce the number of signals that could trigger gender bias. This isn’t perfect since you can still unconsciously create some bias based on past companies, geographic location, or even the college the person attended. A more foolproof method, that is widely popularized by developments in its technology, is to leverage artificial intelligence to automatically run initial screenings for you. 

Taking the human element out of the hiring process can have this benefit - but as we are reminded by the fear of machines rising against man - it removes some of the more nuanced, human benefits as well. Companies can instead standardize how they review candidates by focusing on skills versus experiences. By writing out the specific qualities you’re actually looking for in a hire when writing job descriptions, rather than something vague like “bachelor’s degree in applicable field,” you can work to better target your actual needs. This could also result in a wider range of applicants in the funnel, helping you judge on potential rather than restrictive minimum requirements. Atlassin used this exact strategy and boosted their female technical hires by 80% in a year’s time. 

Did you know that even the location you’re posting your jobs in can limit your diversity and inclusivity in the candidate pool? Tech companies in particular are known for being geographically concentrated in certain areas (Silicon Valley, for example). A whopping 75% of venture capital funding is concentrated in just three states! An interesting shift we are seeing with the developments of remote connectivity technology and the rise of the work-from-home norm is that geography is becoming less and less of a restriction on someone’s capability to work certain jobs. With this in mind, it’s hard to argue against hiring outside the usual locations. Harvard Business Review suggests that in order to increase diversity, companies should follow the talent. You can identify opportunities by looking at where people are graduating with the skills you need, or where there is a lower cost of living that could be more attractive to potential hires. Make your jobs more accessible to diverse groups by meeting the talent where it’s at. 

Harvard Business Review graph

Another hot button topic is pay equity. We can’t have the conversation about diversity and inclusion without mentioning it - especially since it’s seen across all industries. Companies need to push for pay equity not just for women, but for all intersectional groups. For instance, 2018 census data found that women of all races earn an average of 82 cents on the dollar compared to white men. But, this number is significantly lower for Hispanic or Latino women who make 54 cents on that same dollar. A person’s intersectionality can have a severely negative impact on their compensation when going unchecked. To turn this around, employers can start by being transparent with their compensation structure. First Round Review recommends gathering the market data yourself, and making it accessible to everyone in your company. This practice instills trust in your ranks, showing that you are looking out for their best interests by compensating them at fair, competitive rates. This starts the conversation where it’s most important - with employees. Then, once your current team is being paid equitably, you’ll be prepared to bring on new talent into that same pay structure. By including current employees at the forefront of your strategy, the end goal of D&I should fall in line as your organization grows. 

Conclusion 

Hiring is difficult in and of itself - even before considering the larger implications it can have within things like D&I. With a system so inadvertently stuck in a cycle that favors certain job seekers over others, there is still a lot to be learned before it can be equally beneficial for all. Working with professionals that specialize in representing candidates based on merit can help you on your journey to revamping your hiring practices to be more diverse and inclusive. Recruiting firms like Blue Signal work to connect companies with talent outside their network or who are otherwise inaccessible from the typical approach of posting a job and waiting for applicants. Better yet, we are constantly looking for ways to better incorporate D&I into hiring practices across the board. 

At Blue Signal, we collaborate with businesses on overall strategy - helping with more than just identifying and securing top talent. We are experts on marketing opportunities. We can consult on equitable market rates for compensation; locations to find geographically diverse candidates; and retention tactics, to support all kinds of internal groups with their differing needs. We know how to attract more diverse candidates, and can help you improve your employer branding to reflect those D&I values. As Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) workplace advocates, we appreciate the diversity of our clients, candidates, and communities in which we live and do business. We take pride in recruiting the best talent based on qualifications and skill - without bias. 

Whether you are just starting on the journey of implementing diversity and inclusion into your hiring strategy, or you have your goals set and just need some help to achieve them, Blue Signal is here to be your partner in the process. Contact us today to talk about your options, or leverage the resources below to move your organization in the right direction. 

 

Resources