Equitable Hiring Practices: Did you know?

by Floyd Keith, Director of Racial and Social JusticeEmbracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace has beneficial outcomes, such as improving productivity and enhancing the ability to maneuver in an increasingly complex and diverse environment.  Additionally, inclusion provides an organization with diverse and varied capabilities and skills that allow companies to reach their full potential as it relates to a shared mission, vision, or goals.Research tells us that diversity and inclusion are Good Business for the following reasons:

• Increases staff retention and productivity.
• Enhances responsiveness to an increasingly diverse world of customers.
• Increases the organization’s ability to cope with ongoing change.
• Improves relations with the surrounding communities.
• Expands the creativity of the organization.

My experience regarding hiring practices has taught me two important facts: established relationships are valuable in the recommendation of potential candidates, and being comfortable with the hired candidate is paramount. While relationships and comfort levels have multiple layers of determinants, I developed a hiring process that works effectively for employers.The five essential elements of the hiring process serve as the guidelines for achieving the goal of increasing diversity and inclusion within an organization.  It is about the process first, then the hire.  Following the framework of these core principles will produce desired results if implemented and adhered to.

• Number of direct communications with a diversity resource regarding candidates
• Number of diverse people on the search committee/total people on the committee
• Number of diverse candidates provided an official interview/total number of official interviews
• Reasonable timeframe for the search and hiring process to conclude
• Adherence to human resource hiring policies

As advocates for diversity, YWCA feels a sense of responsibility to deepen the appreciation for the advantages of a diverse workforce.  Research tells us that diverse companies are likely to be more profitable, more likely to be collaborative and engaged, will improve value creation, and are 15% more likely to out-perform industry returns. 2023 Racial Justice Challenge:  You are invited to accept the Challenge!From April 17 to May 15, 2023, YWCA is promoting our annual free 21-Day Racial Justice Challenge.  This year’s theme is “Until Justice Just Is." This initiative is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege and leadership.The byproduct of the Challenge is fostering personal reflections, encouraging social responsibilities, and serving to motivate individuals to identify and act on ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.For 21 days, articles, podcasts and videos will provide insights in how institutional racism affects the following 4 topics:Housing | The topic of redlining will be discussed with regard to access for housing and how racism, homophobia and transphobia have influenced homelessness and its criminalization.Disability | Exploring the history of eugenics, the Disability Rights Movement, the intersectionality of race, gender and disability as well as the impact of COVID-19 on those with differing abilities.Mental Health | Taking a deeper dive into the disparate affects upon people of color and LGBTQ+ folks having higher rates of some disorders and facing higher barriers to accessing care.Music | Discover the legacy of musician activists, racism in the music industry, cultural appropriation, and how music pushes against gender stereotypes and access to music education.Sign up for the Racial Justice Challenge here.