Many of the clients we work with, like many organizations overall, strive to have a workforce that is representative of the communities in which they operate. In discovery meetings, we often hear that a top priority is to implement or improve upon efforts to recruit diverse talent. In these conversations, organizations often suggest some combination of the following strategies:

• Establish recruiting partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and womens-only institutions

• Become a sponsor for and develop a presence within industry associations representing specific groups

• Just hire more diverse talent (this one might seem a little on the nose, but we’ve heard it)

Thankfully, we hear less and less about quota systems; they are impractical and harmful, as they are built on prejudices and stereotypes against certain groups and perpetuate the myth that people from some backgrounds might only be considered qualified if the standards are lowered or if they are not competing against candidates from other backgrounds

When we hear one of the above strategies identified, we often pause and say that those might be jumping into a solution before we even know what the problem is. And then we ask the following questions:

• Is there diverse talent currently at the organization, across hierarchical levels, departments, and physical locations?

• Is diverse talent leaving the organization at rates higher than expected (or at specific hierarchical levels, departments, or physical locations)?

These questions allow us to understand what is actually happening, and what policies, processes, practices, or behaviors that might be driving the issue.

So instead of jumping right into new activities or strategies, we recommend starting with discovery - What is the root issue or problem? What is the root cause of that issue? - and then attacking that root cause first.

Whether diverse talent is not currently present at the organization or diverse talent is leaving the organization at rates higher than expected, let’s start by addressing the policies, processes, practices, and behaviors that might be driving that, and then we can focus on recruiting new employees to join the organization.

Building partnerships with HBCUs, HSIs, TCUs, and womens-only institutions and sponsoring and participating in diverse industry associations are powerful and impactful strategies that can help an organization recruit diverse talent, but bringing diverse talent into an company that is unprepared to support them is a recipe for disaster, for the employees and for the organization overall.

When we start with the root issue, we ultimately end up with better recruiting of diverse talent and - equally important - better retention of diverse talent, both of which drive a strong and engaging organizational culture.

If you are looking to better understand what might be happening at your organization and how to improve both your organizational culture and your ability to recruit and retain diverse talent, we can help. Drop us a note at hello@equity-at-work.com anytime!

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