Inclusive Hiring Training Advances Workforce Diversity At Scale
The Client Need
A global private equity firm wanted to upskill their portfolio leadership on how to develop an inclusive talent attraction strategy that delivered a more diverse workforce. Given organizations see an 8% increase in profitability for every 10% increase in diversity on executive teams, the firm wanted to provide their portfolio companies with the training and resources necessary to hire more underrepresented talent.
Organizations see an 8% increase in profitability for every 10% increase in diversity on executive teams.
The development journey they took with ModelExpand began by training leaders on how to build an inclusive environment, starting at the candidate experience stage. The goal of the training was to establish processes that support equitable and inclusive talent attraction processes, broaden existing sources of talent, mitigate the historic adverse impact of bias on underrepresented talent in the recruitment and selection process, and ensure leadership accountability in upholding the firm's commitment to DEI.
As the portfolio companies continued to grow in size and scope, the firm wanted to invest in an educational initiative that could be cascaded across their portfolio, catalyzing change at scale.
The Solution
ModelExpand’s 90-minute session provided an in-depth overview of structural, organizational, and interpersonal strategies to recruit and attract a more diverse workforce.
The audience was 50+ portfolio leaders who managed and oversaw People teams and Talent Acquisition teams.
This highly tactical module began with how to look beyond typical recruiting sources by expanding to non-mainstream schools, diverse professional networks and nontraditional sources that have proven to increase representation in organizations. Key to an inclusive talent attraction strategy is inclusive language, so facilitators also conducted a deep dive on terms and phrases to employ and those to avoid.
The session used a variety of learning and development strategies, including:
Review of case studies to engage in participatory, problem-based learning
Conducting a systems analysis to uncover what’s working, areas of improvement, and next steps in developing an inclusive talent attraction strategy
Practice developing DEI talent attraction language in small groups with peer and expert feedback
At the conclusion of the session, leaders committed to enacting one strategy that would facilitate accountability and encourage implementation. Participants were also given an inclusive language guide and a sourcing roadmap containing 100+ diversity groups to engage.
Results
Building an inclusive pipeline requires a multi-faceted approach. Our custom training helped each stakeholder understand their role in how to hire and cultivating diverse, balanced teams. The interactive experience enabled leaders from across the firm's portfolio to redefine their approach to DEI and reimagine their talent attraction strategy.
In the end, they were equipped with the skills they needed to create an effective hiring process that prioritized the recruitment and advancement of qualified candidates while achieving equitable outcomes. The session received highly positive reviews, as many of the firm’s portfolio companies implemented several of the strategies that were discussed.
Are you satisfied with the results of your current initiatives?
What can be done differently to improve them?
Let us help you create meaningful shifts in your organizational diversity.
