4 ways to make your recruitment process gender inclusive

It's easy to stick to tried and tested methods, but what if your approach to recruitment is actually putting people off your roles? Chris Stappard shares his top tips for making your recruitment process more gender inclusive

Gender inclusivity is becoming more and more important as people are looking for ways to remove gender boundaries in all aspects of their lives.1 But, sadly, the UK has shown a decline in inclusivity in the workplace, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, slipping from 15th place in 2018 to 21st place this year.2,3

By having a diverse team, you can benefit from better client relationships, a wider set of skills, a bigger variety of viewpoints, and even increased profits. On average, companies with a more diverse executive board tend to receive higher earnings and returns on equity, according to a report from McKinsey & Company.4

This means that, if you're not already, you should be looking at the ways you can make your recruitment process more gender inclusive. But getting it right can be a difficult feat. These top tips will help you start developing your recruitment process right away.

1. Analyse your current gender split

Before writing out any job descriptions, analyse the current gender split in your company. It could be that you have a clear 50/50 split. But, you could also have only one or two female employees. Then, look at the departments your female employees work in. Do you have a high proportion of women in management, or do most of them fill your lower-paid roles?

It could be that your job adverts and opportunities for higher-level roles are holding you back from being more diverse. Getting a clear idea of the current gender gap in your company means you can set up a plan, so you know what areas of your company might need the most work, whether that's by making your job adverts more gender inclusive, or by reviewing your company culture.

2. Diversify your board of decision makers

When recruiting, it's easy to choose candidates that you feel you identify the most with, but this could actually be holding you back from hiring the right person for the role. Research conducted at Pompeu Fabra University found that women are 30% less likely to be called up for a job interview compared with men with the same characteristics.5 Sometimes, you could be missing out on your ideal candidate due to an unconscious bias in your interview process.

Diversity attracts diversity, so you might need to review the board of people responsible for recruiting candidates. If possible, try to include more than one gender during each decision process. Not only will this show candidates that you're committed to being a diverse workforce, but it will also mean you've got a wider variety of viewpoints and opinions going into the recruitment process, and you're less likely to have any bias involved.

3. Review your office culture

As part of your interview process, you're likely to walk the candidate through your office or workspace to give them a feel for the company. They're also likely to look you up on social media while they prepare for the interview. So, you need to make sure that your office culture and online presence is inclusive to avoid putting the candidate off.

Review your existing culture and see if there's any room for improvement. For example, do you offer gender neutral or gender inclusive facilities? Do you offer flexibility for workers to achieve a good work/life balance? Do you offer equal opportunities for progression?

Even things like small office jokes can have a big impact on your recruitment process. According to a 2014 survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign, 40% of transgender workers admitted that they've heard jokes about transgender people in their workplace.6

The same number of people reported that it was a fear of personal safety that stopped them from disclosing who they really are. So, it might be worth training the rest of your team on the importance of a diverse workplace.

4. Keep reviewing your process

Achieving true gender inclusivity in your recruitment can be a complicated process, and you're probably not going to get it right first time. Keep reviewing your current procedure, for example by tracking how many women respond to your job adverts and messages. This way, you can see how well you're progressing, as well as any areas you may need to focus more on.

With gender inclusivity becoming a huge concern, you might need to review your recruitment process. By following these tips you can alter your procedures to attract a wider variety of candidates to your job roles.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of HECSU/Prospects

Notes

1. Pinterest 100: The top trends to inspire and try in 2020, Pinterest, 2019.
2. The Global Gender Gap Report 2018, World Economic Forum.
3. Global Gender Gap Report 2020, World Economic Forum.
4. Is there a payoff from top-team diversity?, McKinsey & Company, 2012.
5. Women are 30% less likely to be considered for a hiring process than men, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2019.
6. The cost of the closet and the rewards of inclusion, Human Rights Campaign.

For more information visit Edward Reed Recruitment

Written by

Chris Stappard

Managing director

Edward Reed Recruitment