Awareness to Action: How to Build a Fair and Inclusive Hiring Process (VIDEO)

How do you eliminate bias from the recruitment process? Watch this on-demand webinar to hear experts discuss key findings and data from Hired’s 2023 State of Wage Inequality in the Tech Industry report. Get the approaches used by leading companies to overcome biases, creating a fair and inclusive hiring process.

Hear from:

• SVP People Strategy, Hired, Sam Friedman
• Director of Talent Acquisition, Cedar, Mike Aldous
• Director of People Enablement, Remote, Amanda Day
• Lead Talent Acquisition, GTM, International, Sonatype, Heidi King-Underwood
• Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew, Abadesi Osunsade

Read an excerpt of the conversation here and scroll down to access the full webinar. 

What are commercial benefits to employers adapting to progressive times wanting all employees of all backgrounds to thrive? What do those policies look like?

Amanda Day

It’s not surprising to any of us here that diversity can translate into better performance and commercial benefits. I think it includes things from better financial performance, higher productivity of your teams, better employee retention, and higher engagement. There are so many areas this touches on and I think it’s talked about a lot but it can’t go without saying how important that is and how impactful it can be on business success. 

We also tend to see younger generations not as keen to work for a company not promoting interest and commitment to diversity. That’s really important to consider when you’re looking at attracting and retaining top talent. 

As for policies, there are so many to approach. It’s really about building a culture in which everyone feels welcome and included. They feel encouraged to speak and you ensure there’s psychological safety. 

Diversity goes hand in hand with inclusivity. That doesn’t just mean having a diverse group of people. Inclusivity is something else you have to continuously work on and work toward. Make sure people know their voices can are heard and they have a place for sharing. 

Increased transparency is always really important. It could be having conversations in public channels and public documentation instead of doing a DM or a private email. It can help ensure everyone gets an equal chance to contribute.

At Remote, we try to make sure even though we’re across different time zones, everyone is always able to contribute and share their perspectives and insights. That’s how we’re going to achieve our best outcomes and be the best that we can be. 

Mike Aldous

When I think about the people policies benefitting both the company and the employee, the first that comes to mind is obviously the opportunity or the ability to hire remotely. The industry Cedar is in, which is healthcare, impacts everyone. Our goal is to engage with fifty percent of patients in the US in the next five years, and fifty percent of all patients is fifty percent of everyone in the United States. That’s a really diverse population.

Cedar has been fortunate to have headquarters in New York City and we have the opportunity to hire people remotely across the US. This allowed us to connect with more underrepresented people for these various opportunities. 

Second, as the voice of healthcare providers, it’s our job to make patients feel welcomed and confident through their healthcare journey. Every patient is different and has a unique background. To design a product that works for everyone, you need to hire a diverse workforce.

If we don’t build for the patient’s needs, we risk them seeking care elsewhere or worse avoiding healthcare entirely. 

We encourage people to block time in their day for childcare and for carpools. Our parental leave policy is sixteen weeks for all parents. We have a lactation support policy to ensure new parents can meet their responsibilities. Those are a few things Cedar’s thinking about. 

Sam Friedman

From a diversity perspective, we’ve seen transparency in our every day helps. So, what does your calendar look like? Even as the head of HR, I try to keep my calendar open and have blocks for people to see.

I do go pick up my son and I am currently nursing my child. I have those blocks on my calendar. If it’s coming from the executive team, hopefully, it means other individuals in the company feel empowered to have that on their calendar too. 

One thing we are working toward over the last twelve months and have seen a large shift in is being transparent with our salary bands. If we are hiring you to do a job, regardless of where you are or what experience you bring, we want to make sure we’re paying you appropriately. Introducing those salary bands has been a critical policy.

Watch the full collaborative panel discussion to discover: 

• How to create job descriptions and interviews to invite a diverse range of candidates
• Types of bias affecting hiring decisions
• Strategies for building a more inclusive definition of cultural fit
• How to use technology to reduce bias in the recruitment process

Access the webinar here